Indigenous Peoples: Tourists Should Be Told They Are Traveling on Sámi Traditional Lands

In Finland, while we acknowledge the Sámi as an Indigenous people, the reality of their land rights remains a complex and ongoing issue. Unlike in Australia, where significant strides have been made in recognizing Indigenous land rights and integrating this awareness into public spaces, Finland lags behind. The majority of Sámi traditional territories are still under state ownership and managed by Metsähallitus, a situation that has fueled decades of debate without resolution, including the failure to ratify the ILO 169 convention.

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Suomessa emme ole vielä yhtä pitkällä.

As Helsingin Sanomat has noted, the Sámi Parliament's ethical guidelines for tourism, introduced in 2018, aim to foster respect for Sámi culture among visitors. However, these guidelines are seldom evident in the actual tourist experience in Lapland. Many visitors remain unaware that they are traversing ancestral Sámi lands, lands imbued with deep cultural significance. This lack of awareness is a missed opportunity to enrich the visitor experience and demonstrate genuine respect for the Indigenous heritage of the region.

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Keskustelu saamelaisten maaoikeuksista on jatkunut vuosikymmeniä, eikä Suomi ole vieläkään ratifioinut alkuperäiskansojen oikeuksia koskevaa ILO 169 -sopimusta.

With tourism in Finland experiencing rapid growth, it is imperative that we move beyond simply acknowledging Sámi culture to actively integrating it into the visitor narrative. Making Sámi culture and land rights visible should not be solely the responsibility of the Sámi people or residents of Lapland. It is a societal undertaking. As we consider how Finland is perceived internationally, particularly in its approach to Indigenous issues, failing to inform tourists about the significance of the lands they visit can appear, at best, awkward and, at worst, disrespectful. Simple acknowledgments, as seen in other nations, could significantly enhance our commitment to reconciliation and cultural understanding.

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Matkailu kasvaa Suomessa nopeasti. Siksi saamelaisten kulttuurin ja maaoikeuksien näkyväksi tekemistä ei voi jättää vain saamelaisten tai Lapissa asuvien vastuulle.