Despite the fact that Indigenous peoples all over the world continue to face colonial and extractive policies which threaten their land-based livelihoods and existence as peoples, at the same time interest in, and even appreciation of, indigenous cultures and identities seems to be growing. This is particularly evident within the arts and popular culture, where indigenous artists, themes and heritage flourish in unprecedented ways, prompting new talk about an ongoing new ?renaissance? of Indigenous cultures and identities. The aim of this project is to critically explore and identify the new challenges, concerns and opportunities that the and revival of indigenous arts and popular culture is presenting to the Sámi society on the level of cultural politics and policy, and to analyze this turn as an aspect of broader change in the nature of Nordic colonialism and in relations between the Sámi and majority societies.The project?s primary objective is to strengthen Sámi cultural revitalization through a better understanding of the complex social, political and economic forces which are reshaping contemporary politics of Indigeneity within Nordic countries. Secondary objective is to generate research-based knowledge that could support sustainable indigenous cultural policy design and implementation, and be of use for the Sami society as well as for public authorities and stake-holders working with Sámi arts and culture.
