Arctic Everyday Life IV, Tiedekulma
Discussion on the return of Sámi objects to Sámi museums

Discussion

Mon, 21.03.2022
5:00 PM - 19:00

Tiedekulma, Stage (Yliopistonkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki)

To the livestream
We invite you to join the lectures and discussion regarding the restitution of Sámi objects from museums around the world to Sámi museums and cultural centers. There will be two presentations in Finnish, one in English and a discussion in English.

The Sámi objects that were returned from the National Museum of Finland to the Sámi Museum Siida in 2021 have been restored to their original environment in Sápmi. But other Sámi objects are still in museum collections, for example in Germany.

What is the process of restitution? What is the impact of returning the objects to the communities they belong(ed) to and to their related environments? And how does restitution affect research, museums and the social debate on cultural heritage?

Programme

Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen (University of Helsinki): Introduction (presentation in Finnish)
Áile Aikio (University of Lapland): visual presentation and travelogue of the residency weeks in Helsinki, Sápmi and Germany from October to December 2021 (presentation in Finnish)
Barbara Plankensteiner (MARKK Museum, Hamburg): an overview of the colonial legacy and current restitution processes in German museums (presentation in English)
Panel discussion: (in English/Finnish): Áile Aikio, Elina Anttila (National Museum of Finland), Lea Kantonen (University of the Arts Helsinki), Hanna Ellen Guttorm (University of Helsinki), Eeva-Kristiina Nylander (Sámi Museum Siida), Barbara Plankensteiner and Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen.
Questions from the audience (on site and online).
Moderator: Reetta Toivanen (University of Helsinki)

Tiedekulma Café will be open until the beginning of the event.

Information about the coronavirus situation