''Sámi Áigi'' was a Northern Sámi-language weekly newspaper established in 1978, providing an alternative to the Norwegian-language Sámi publication ''

Ságat ''Ságat'' is a Sámi newspaper written in Norwegian that is published in Leavdnja, Finnmark, Norway. History and profile ''Ságat'' was founded in Vadsø in 1957 and moved to Leavdnja in 1981, where it still is based today. It maintains office ...

''. ''Sámi Áigi'' played a prominent role in building and empowering Sámi identity during the

Alta controversy The Alta conflict or Alta controversy refers to a series of massive protests in Norway in the late 1970s and early 1980s concerning the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in the Alta River in Finnmark, Northern Norway. Timeline *Inhabitan ...

and throughout the 1980s.

History

''Sámi Áigi'' () was launched with the backing of the

Norwegian Sámi Association The Norwegian Sámi Association ( se, Norgga Sámiid Riikasearvi , no, Norske Samers Riksforbund), also known as NSR, is the largest Sámi people, Sámi organization in Norway. The association was founded in 1968. Purpose The NSR actively ru ...

, Norwegian Reindeer Husbandry Association, and the

Saami Council The Saami Council ( se, Sámiráđđi; smj, Sámeráde; sma, Saemienraerie; smn, Sämirääđi; sms, Sääʹmsuåvtõs; sjd, Са̄мь Соббар; sje, Sámerárre) is a voluntary, non-governmental organization of the Sámi people made u ...

to build connections among the Sámi of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. The new paper was based in Kárášjohka, Norway, but had readers across

Sápmi (, smj, Sábme / Sámeednam, sma, Saepmie, sju, Sábmie, , , sjd, Са̄мь е̄ммьне, Saam' jiemm'n'e) is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. Sápmi is in Northern and Eastern Europe and includes the ...

. The development of a pan-Scandinavian Northern Sámi orthography gave additional relevancy to the new newspaper. Its first issue was published in January 1979, with the following text on the front page: "The time of darkness is soon over. The time of the Sámi 'Sámi Áigi''has come". It quickly drew readers away from the more conservative ''Ságat'' and within a year of launch the papers had a similar circulation level of about 2,000 readers, and the two papers competed for the subsidy provided by Norway for Sámi media. As a primary source of news and information in Northern Sámi, ''Sámi Áigi'' was successful in covering increasing demands for respect for Sámi identity and concerns, including during the

protests A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration or remonstrance) is a public expression of objection, disapproval or dissent towards an idea or action, typically a political one. Protests can be thought of as acts of coopera ...

surrounding construction of a

hydroelectric power plant Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined and ...

in the

Alta river Alta River ( uk, Альта, Ільтиця, Alta, Iltytsia) is a small river in Ukraine and is a right tributary of the Trubizh. The ancient town of Pereiaslav is situated between the Trubizh and Alta rivers. The river is considered the place w ...

Finnmark Finnmark (; se, Finnmárku ; fkv, Finmarku; fi, Ruija ; russian: Финнмарк) was a county in the northern part of Norway, and it is scheduled to become a county again in 2024. On 1 January 2020, Finnmark was merged with the neighbouri ...

. While the editors of ''Ságat'' struck a more conciliatory tone, ''Sámi Áigi'' was firmly on the side of the protesters. The paper provided an outlet for debate and criticism of Scandinavian and Sámi political organizations and was also associated with the

ČSV ČSV is an initialism used to promote Sámi identity and activism. The three letters are the most commonly used in Sámi languages, and together they can stand for a variety of phrases, although the most common modern meaning is ''Čájet Sámi V ...

cultural movement. In 1986, ''Sámi Áigi'' sponsored a contest, won by

Astrid Båhl Astrid Båhl (born Astrid Margarete Bål; 6 June 1959) is a Norwegians, Norwegian Sámi people, Sámi artist. In addition to her other work, she also designed the Sámi flag. Biography Astrid Båhl was born in 1959 in Karesuando, Norrbotten Co ...

, to design a new

Sámi flag The Sámi flag is the flag of Sápmi and the Sámi, Sámi people, one of the indigenous peoples, indigenous people groups of the Nordic countries and the Kola Peninsula of the Russia, Russian Federation. First Sámi flag The first, unoffic ...

Legacy

Despite its wide readership and a state subsidy, ''Sámi Áigi'' was plagued by economic issues for the majority of its existence. In April 1993, the paper ceased publication and entered bankruptcy. However, its staff and owners moved quickly to launch a new newspaper, ''

Min Áigi ''Min Áigi'' (''Our Time'' in Northern Sami) was a twice-weekly Northern Sámi language newspaper based in Kárášjohka, Norway. In 2008, ''Min Áigi'' ceased publication to merge with the rival paper ''Áššu'' to form ''Ávvir''. History ' ...

'', which published until 2008 when it merged with rival ''

Áššu ''Áššu'' was a Northern Sámi-language newspaper published twice a week and distributed across Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. In 2008, ''Áššu'' ceased publication to merge with the rival paper ''Min Áigi'' to form ''Ávvir''. Histo ...

'' to form the daily newspaper ''

Ávvir ''Ávvir'' is a newspaper written in the Northern Sámi language with editorial offices or reporters in Kárášjohka, Guovdageaidnu, Áltá, Girkonjárga, and Romsa, Norway. It is currently published five times a week, from Monday to Friday, ...

''.

Notes and references

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sami Aigi Northern Sámi-language newspapers Newspapers established in 1978 Sámi in Norway 1978 establishments in Norway

History

Legacy

See also

Notes and references

Notes

References