Project title
Decolonizing Indigenous Landscapes in the North
Research question
The purpose of the project is to analyze the effects of Dutch colonialism on the Indigenous Sámi landscapes by using interdisciplinary and participatory methods
Project description
During her research Tiina Äikäs analyses the possible material influence of the Dutch in the Sámi lived landscape. Archaeological excavations in Northern Finland have uncovered numerous Dutch artifacts, such as clay pipes, faience, and glass. These findings suggest Dutch influence in the Sámi landscape, although they might have reached Sámi areas through various indirect contacts.
More direct connections between continental Europeans and the Sámi are evident in travel accounts, especially those of Dutch travelers like Andries van Wouw, who described Sápmi and Southern Finland. To broaden the study, depictions from travelers of other nationalities, such as Acerbi in 1802, are also included. A database of these written and visual accounts will support an online map where locals can contribute their own images, helping to decolonize landscape representations.