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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: The Arctic

Published: 10 January 2023

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Indigenous peoples are ancestors of men who lived on land, which currently is a territory of nation states. Throughout the years, they have maintained and cherished ancient and unique ways of life that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live today.

Despite the indigenous cultures are very diverse, they have all experienced similar problems in the past. They have been deprived their identities, ways of life and lands in severe assimilation processes making them the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world today.

The first attempts of organization amongst the North American Indians occurred at around the same time as amongst the Sami of Scandinavia or around 1910. However, the international indigenous movement did not really begin before the beginning of the 1960's, when new way of thinking emerged and a wave of decolonization took place in the world.

In the process of decolonization, the UN adopted a resolution on the self-determination of peoples, which guaranteed all peoples a right to determine their own social and cultural development.

In the beginning of the 1970's the United Nations started to notify the disadvantaged position of indigenous peoples in connection with its work on racism. A comprehensive study on indigenous peoples was conducted resulting in establishment of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Population in 1982.

The mandate of the Working Group contained two major issues. It was to create standards concerning the rights of indigenous peoples and review the developments pertaining to the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples.

In 1993, after ten years of intensive work a Draft declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples was adopted. It took though another fourteen years before the states could agree on the declaration and finally it was adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 13, 2007.

It is estimated that there are today more than 370 million indigenous peoples in some 70 countries worldwide. Since the establishment of the Working Group in 1982, awareness on indigenous issues has been steadily arising. Today, their rights are well protected under international law. However, work is still to be done before the world's indigenous peoples can say that their identities and ways of life are truly respected by the dominant societies.

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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: The Arctic

Published: 10 January 2023

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Indigenous Peoples (also known as Aboriginals) is the collective term for the original inhabitants of North America and their descendants. According to the Canadian Constitution Act of 1982, the Indigenous Peoples of Canada include First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

First Nations are the largest Indigenous group in Canada, comprising diverse nations with distinct cultures, languages, and histories. The term refers to Indigenous peoples who are neither Inuit nor Métis and includes more than 600 recognized First Nations governments or bands across the country.

As of the 2021 Canadian Census, more than 1.8 million people in Canada identified as Indigenous, representing 5.0% of the national population. This includes approximately:

• 1.05 million First Nations people,
• 624,000 Métis,
• and 70,500 Inuit.

Indigenous communities are located in urban, rural, and remote regions across Canada. These include:

• First Nations communities (often on reserves),
• Inuit communities in Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Northern Quebec (Nunavik), and Labrador (Nunatsiavut),
• and Métis settlements and Indigenous urban populations in cities like Winnipeg, which is home to one of the largest urban Indigenous populations in the country.

First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples have long contributed to Canadian society as leaders, artists, activists, and cultural knowledge-keepers, helping to shape a richer and more inclusive national identity.

History and Cultural Legacy

Prior to European contact, Indigenous civilizations in Canada featured permanent settlements, agriculture, civic and ceremonial architecture, complex social structures, and widespread trading networks.
The Métis culture emerged in the mid-17th century from the union of First Nations or Inuit women and European fur traders, creating a unique and vibrant cultural identity that blends Indigenous and European traditions.

The Inuit, due to their remote Arctic location, had more limited interaction with Europeans in the early colonial period. Over time, however, Inuit communities were drawn into national policies, treaties, and land claims processes alongside First Nations and Métis peoples.

Numerous laws, treaties, and modern agreements have been enacted between Indigenous communities and the Canadian government. The right to self-government allows Indigenous groups to manage their own historical, cultural, political, health, and economic affairs.

The Creation of Nunavut

One of the most significant milestones in Indigenous self-governance came with the creation of Nunavut in 1999—a result of decades of negotiation and activism. The Nunavut Land Claims Agreement was the largest Indigenous land claim settlement in Canadian history, granting the Inuit rights to nearly 350,000 square kilometres of land and control over natural resources, wildlife harvesting, and development planning.

In 1982, a plebiscite in the Northwest Territories showed 53% support—including a majority of Inuit and First Nations—for dividing the territory. After years of further negotiations, Nunavut officially became Canada's third territory on April 1, 1999.

With its capital in Iqaluit, Nunavut established a public government that represents both Inuit and non-Indigenous residents, though it maintains strong emphasis on Inuit culture, language, and values. Workers may even take leave for traditional activities such as hunting and fishing.

On July 1, 2009, Nunavut enacted the Inuit Language Protection Act, making Inuktut (including Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun), English, and French the territory's official languages. The Act ensures services, education, and communications are available in Inuktut, strengthening cultural preservation.

The Nunavut Trust, which oversees compensation payments from the federal government, distributes funding among the three regional Inuit associations:

• Kitikmeot Inuit Association
• Kivalliq Inuit Association
• Qikiqtani Inuit Association

These associations play key roles in local governance, resource management, and cultural advocacy across the territory.

Source: The Arctic by R. Sale Arctic Human Development Report Aboriginal Peoples Nunavut Land Claims Agreement

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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: The Arctic

Published: 10 January 2023

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The original Arctic dwellers in the Arctic are the Saami reindeer herders, but in Russia there lives several groups who are much like the Saami.

These groups include for example the Nganasans of the Taimyr Peninsula, Nenets in North-West and the Chukchi of the Chukotka Peninsula whose lifestyles are also dependent in hunting and herding reindeer.

Russia has an official list of indigenous peoples. The Common List of Indigenous Small-numbered Peoples of Russia was approved by the government of Russia in 2000.

To fall into the categories indigenous the people have to live in their historical territory, preserve traditional way of life, occupations, and trades, to self-recognize them as a separate ethnicity and a population of minimum 50,000.

The Russian indigenous population is estimated at approximately 180,000 people residing or approximately in 28 different regions within the Federation.

These peoples are subject to benefits according to a number of laws aimed at preservation and support of the ethnicities. Ten of the peoples count less than 1,000 and 11 of them live beyond the Arctic Circle.

In the Far North, there is a total of 17 groups recognized as indigenous peoples, amongst them Inuit and Sami. 8 groups live in the Far East, and 8 in Central and 8 in Southern Siberia. In addition, there are 7 groups who have 50 thousand people or less and 4 groups who have 40 thousand people or less. A total of 8 groups are not categorized but are considered indigenous.

The regions of the Far North and similar areas make up about 64% of the territory of the country. The total population of the North on the other hand accounts for approximately 8% of the entire population of the Russian Federation.

The Russian North accounts for 20% of the national income and about 60% of total export earnings. At the same time, the transport and social infrastructure of the northern regions is underdeveloped, and it encumbers economic development of the Far North.

The current state of the Indigenous population can be called critical because the living standard is low compared to the rest of the country's population. The level of subsistence is low, traditional languages are endangered and a number of nationalities are being driven to extinction.

At one time independent of the Russian state, the Indigenous populations were integrated in the Tsarist Russian and later Soviet society. In the course of time these ethnic groups have experienced different methods of governance which have had varying consequences on their traditional ways of life.

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Source: The Arctic by Richard Sale Arctic Human Development Report Indigenous People of Russia

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Written by: ofurpaur

Category: The Arctic

Published: 10 January 2023

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Lapland is difficult to define geographically. The region spans over 400,000 km², encompassing northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland, as well as the Kola Peninsula in Russia. While often referred to as Lapland, this diverse area is more accurately called Sápmi—the traditional homeland of the Sámi people (Saami people), who today hold different nationalities and speak various Sámi languages and dialects.

The Sámi population is estimated to be between 80,000 and 135,000. The largest population lives in Norway, but significant communities also reside in Sweden, Finland, and Russia.

The Sámi are Indigenous to the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Fennoscandia and northwestern Russia, and their ancestors have inhabited the region for at least 5,000 years. Their origins are linked to ancient peoples from the Ural Mountains, from where they gradually migrated across Siberia and into northern Europe.

As one of the Arctic Indigenous peoples, the Sámi are represented internationally through bodies such as the Arctic Council Indigenous Peoples’ Secretariat, the Sámi Council, and the Sámi Parliamentary Council—which unite Sámi from across the four countries of Sápmi.

Culture and Modern Life

Traditionally, reindeer husbandry, fishing, and a deep connection with nature have been central to Sámi livelihoods and worldview. While these practices continue in many areas, modern Sámi society is diverse. Many Sámi today have university educations and work across a wide range of professions within their respective countries.

Sápmi includes central and northern regions of Norway and Sweden, northern Finland, and the eastern part of Russia’s Kola Peninsula—areas where traditional reindeer herding is still actively practiced.

Over recent decades, Sámi culture has undergone a cultural revival and transformation. Since the 1970s, Sámi identity has been revitalized through a blend of traditional knowledge and contemporary expressions. In the 1990s, Sápmi adopted national symbols that reflect Sámi unity and pride in a modern world.

The Sámi flag—featuring blue, red, green, and yellow—now flies at official gatherings and cultural events. The Sámi national anthem, written by Isak Saba in the early 1900s, has regained popularity, though today it is joined by modern expressions such as national yoiks (traditional Sámi vocal music). Sámi National Day, celebrated on February 6, commemorates the first Sámi congress in 1917.

Food and Traditions

Reindeer husbandry and fishing have deeply shaped Sámi cuisine. Traditionally, Sámi life has followed the seasonal cycle of nature, requiring flexibility and resourcefulness to make use of what the land and water offered throughout the year.

Today’s Sámi diet blends traditional and modern elements. Reindeer meat, fish, and berries remain highly valued, along with time-honored preparation methods such as drying, smoking, or fermenting. Popular Sámi dishes include:

• Kumpukset – boiled cakes made from reindeer blood and flour
• Meat soup and fish soup prepared with seasonal ingredients
• Dried or smoked reindeer meat – a beloved delicacy
• Dried fish – still enjoyed in many Sámi communities

These foods reflect the Sámi's enduring relationship with the natural world and the adaptability of their cultural practices across generations.

More information on Sámi people

See quick fact on Sámi people

See quick fact on: Sámi Christmas Traditions: Blending Nature, Spirit, and Christian Influence

Source:  The Arctic by Richard Sale,  Arctic Human Development Report