Siida

The siida is a Sámi local community that has existed from time immemorial. A ''siida'' ( se, siida; smn, sijdâ; sma, sïjte; smj, tjiellde; sjd, сыййт, translit=syjjt; sjt, се̄ййп, italic=no, translit=siejjp; sms, paalǥâskå'dd), or 'reindeer pastoralistic district,' is a Sámi reindeer foraging area, a group for reindeer herding and a corporation working for the economic benefit of its members. The reindeer-herding ''siida'' has formed as an adaptation of ancient ''siida'' principles to large-scale nomadic reindeer herding. It is termed a ('Sámi village') in Swedish law, ('reindeer pasture district') in Norwegian law, and ('reindeer herding district') in Finnish law. The pastoralist organisation differs slightly between countries, except in Russia, where kolkhoz replaced these earlier organisations.

General aspects

There are many other aspects of the ''siida'' system beyond land rights and resource management; for example, the transmission of traditional knowledge through ''siida'' practices and the ''siida's'' everyday dealings with the local environment. The use and protection of traditional Sámi reindeer-herding practices and knowledge are closely intertwined with the ''siida'' system, which is structured around the individuals ( se, siida olbmot); the husbandry units (); the collective and the herding unit (); the ''siida'' territory, resources, and infrastructure (/); and the semi-nomadic or nomadic lifestyle in accordance with the flow of the seasons ().

Sweden

In Sweden, membership in a ''siida'' follows "pastoralist rights" based on statute of limitations, and is limited to individuals of Sámi descent. These rights also include hunting and fishing for profit. There are thirty-three mountain ''siidas'', ten forest ''siidas'' and eight concession ''siidas'', divided by historical extent, summer and winter pasture usage, etc. Membership is required to practice pastoralist rights. This is required for reindeer ownership as well, except in concession ''siidas'', where even non-members can own "serve reindeers", served by ''siida'' members who receiving concession to pasture lands in payment. This custom originates in older conventions when reindeer were used by settled local populations in daily life. The economic activity in present-day ''siidas'' is limited to profit from pastoralist rights. In addition to the geographical and economic nature of the ''siida'', it also ties the members together culturally and socially.

Based on historic Swedification policies that distinguished between settled and nomadic Sámi, membership in Swedish ''siidas'' is essentially limited to those whose ancestors were nomads before 1886, barring the majority of Swedish Sámi from membership in a ''siida''.

Swedish sameby

Mountain Sámi villages: Könkämä, Lainiovuoma, Saarivuoma, Talma, Gabna, Leavas, Girjas, Báste, Unna Tjerusj, Sirges, Jåkkåkaskatjiellde, Tuorpon, Luokta Mavas, Semisjaur-Njarg, Svaipa, Grans, Rans, Ubmeje tjeälddie, Vapstens, Vilhelmina norra, Vilhelmina södra, Frostvikens norra, Ohredahke, Raedtievaerie, Jiingevaerie, Jovnevaerie, Njaarke, Kall, Handölsdalens, Tåssåsens, Mittådalens, Ruvhten Sijte, and Idre

Forest Sámi villages: Vittangi, Gällivare, Serri, Udtja, Ståkke, Maskaur, Västra Kikkejaur, Östra Kikkejaur, Mausjaur, and Malå

Concession Sámi villages: Muonio, Sattajärvi, Tärendö, Korju, Pirttijärvi, Ängeså, Kalix, and Liehittäjä

Norway

In Norway, pastoralist activity requires membership in a unit (), corresponding to a reindeer herd. The rights to conduct pastoralism are based on statute of limitations and limited to individuals of Sámi descent.

Still, it was not until 2007 that Sámi ''siidas'' were legally acknowledged by Norwegian authorities. Instead, the authorities maintained their own definitions of reindeer herding districts, leading to piecemeal development and sales of land, disconnecting traditional pasture areas. Because of this, the ''siida'' and traditional herding knowledge existed alongside, and often in conflict with, official regulations. The 2007 Reindeer Husbandry Act revised the official reindeer district system to acknowledge and incorporate traditional siida units, improving recognition of Sámi land rights and centering reindeer grazing activities on ecologically and economically sustainable resource use based on local culture and tradition.

Finland and Russia

In Finland and Russia, pastoralist activity is not limited to ethnic Sámi. In Finland, reindeer herding is also practiced by non-Sámi Finns. There are 56 s, of which 13 in the extreme north of Lapland constitute the Sámi area. However, reindeer herding has a more prominent economic role in the local communities of the north. ''Siidas'' are governed like stock companies, where the reindeer-holders elect a board of directors and a chief executive officer (, 'reindeer master') every three years, voting with as many votes as they have reindeer.INARIN PALISKUNNAT – Poronhoidon organisaatio

In Russia, Arctic peoples were forcibly relocated to '' kolchoz''es (collective communities) by the state between 1927 and 1940, including the Sámi of the Kola Peninsula. The Sámi were moved to ''kolchozes'' in the '' pogost''s of Kamensky, Iokangsky, Kildinsky, Lovozersky, and Voronensk, and eventually two ''raion'' (administrative district) in Murmansk Oblast were designated as Sámi districts, Lovozersky District and Saamsky District.

References

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Sámi-language terms
Sámi associations