Traditional healing and the public mental health services in Sámi areas of northern Norway : interfaces and cooperation

Abstract

Dát čielggadeapmi geahččala čájehit ovttasdoaimma báikkálaš veahkehanárbevieruid ja almmolaš psykalaš dearvvašvuođabálvalusaid gaskka Finnmárkkus ja Davvi-Romssas, ja jearrá galggašii go dán guovtti vuogi gaskka leat eanet ovttasbargu. Danne geahčadit dás dárkileappot mat báikkálaš veahkehanárbevierut leat dáid sámi ja máŋggakultuvrralaš guovlluin, man ollu pasieanttat geavahit dáid, ja háliidit go sii ahte báikkálaš árbevierut eanet heivehuvvojit almmolaš dearvvašvuođadoaimmahahkii. Čielggadusas geahččalit maid guorahallat soitet go báikkálaš árbevierut ja duohtavuođaáddejupmi dál juo muhtun muddui heivehuvvon dearvvašvuođadoaimmahahkii terapauttaid barggu olis, geat ieža leat dán guovllus eret.

Denne avhandlingen forsøker å se på samspillet mellom bruk av lokale hjelpertradisjoner utenfor helsevesenet og offentlige psykiske helsetjenester i Finnmark og Nord-Troms, og reiser spørsmålet om et eventuelt større samarbeid mellom tradisjoner. Den forsøker derfor å se nærmere på hva lokal hjelpertradisjon i disse samiske og multikulturelle områdene består av i dag, hvor utbredt bruken er blant pasienter, og om det er et ønske blant dem om en større integrasjon av lokal tradisjon i det offentlige helsevesenet. Den forsøker også å se på om lokal tradisjon og virkelighetsforståelse allerede kan delvis være integrert i helsevesenet gjennom arbeidet til terapeuter med en bakgrunn fra denne landsdelen.

The focus of this thesis is on the relevance of the healing traditions of the Sámi people of Northern Norway to the existing health services. Though the Sámi are unique as an indigenous people in the area, the case of the Sámi is to some degree representative of all people living in this region of Northern Norway as the Sámi, Kven and Norwegian cultures have in many areas mixed, and the traditional worldviews are highly palpable aspects of the multicultural fabric of the area. <br>The question of the role of local healing practices within the health services might even be thought to be superfluous. From one perspective, including the local medical tradition in public health services might be thought to be an obvious necessity, a matter of unquestionable relevance. One answer to the question of integration of healing traditions, especially within the mental health services, might be that local healing traditions certainly deserve a central place, and that the question should rather be turned around, asking to what degree other medical traditions from other cultural environments should have a role. In one way, it is a paradox, that the role of local healing traditions within local health services should even be questioned, yet, as most understand, the fact that it is has many historic and social reasons. <br>The issues raised in this thesis do not have any simple answers, and its goal has not been to attempt to provide any. However, a major inspiration for embarking on this project is a sense that the subject deserves special attention in this area, and that the questions, though they have no simple answers, should be given consideration and awareness.