Cultural Education in Nature Through the Lens of Sámi Practitioners

Abstract

The recent reforms in the Norwegian early childhood/primary/secondary education curriculum explicitly highlight the inclusion of Sámi perspectives across various subjects. In this context, one of several suggested educational practices is to include Sámi traditional practitioners in teaching activities. Against this backdrop, this paper explores the perspectives of five Sámi practitioners, concentrating on their experiences and pedagogical practices when engaging students of various ages and kindergarten children in Sámi culture in a nature-based setting. The study reveals the practitioners’ arguments for sharing their culture and skills through such learning activities and their suggestions for inclusion in teaching practices. The qualitative-based research methodology comprises semi-structured interviews with Sámi practitioners who are involved in different cooperative projects within our region. These different practitioners offer learners the chance to engage with Sámi nature-based traditional practices by participating in activities in close collaboration with reindeer herders, duodji (handicraft) practitioners, coastal Sámi caretakers, and similar cultural educators in an outdoor setting. This study advocates for the significance of involving Sámi traditional practitioners and Sámi practices on all educational levels and proposes that nature-based activities are of specific value in such practices.