Saǥai Muittalægje

Saǥai Muittalægje was an early Sámi newspaper published twice a month from July 1904 to September 1911. Although only 33 issues were published, Saǥai Muittalægje played an important role in building Sámi identity and supporting opposition to Norwegianization policies.[1] It is considered the first Sámi political newspaper.[2]

Saǥai Muittalægje
EditorAnders Larsen
LaunchedJuly 1904
LanguageNorthern Sámi
Ceased publicationSeptember 1911
HeadquartersFálesnuorri, Norway

History

Saǥai Muittalægje (in modern Northern Sámi orthography Ságaid Muitaleaddji), which means "The News Reporter," was founded by teacher and journalist Anders Larsen in Fálesnuorri, Norway.[3] It was published on a press owned by Gustav Lund that also printed the Nuorttanaste Sámi Christian newspaper.[4]

At the time of the paper's founding, Norway was putting increasing pressure on its Sámi and Kven populations to assimilate and identify as Norwegians. By publishing in Northern Sámi, Saǥai Muittalægje stood in direct opposition to this Norwegianization policy.[5] It published its last issue in September 1911 due to financial difficulties.[6]

Saǥai Muittalægje is famous for being where Isak Saba's "Sámi Soga Lávlla" (The Song of the Sami People), the Sámi anthem, was first published, on the front page of the 1 April 1906 issue, as a poem.[7] Saba and Larsen were friends and Saǥai Muittalægje supported Saba in his successful 1906 race to become the first Sámi elected to the Storting. Saba was a member of the Norwegian Labour Party and he was supported by a coalition of socialists and Sámi activists who helped re-elect him in 1909.[4][5][8] The folding of Saǥai Muittalægje in 1911 contributed to Saba's failed re-election attempt in 1912.

References
  1. Solbakk, Aage. "Sámi mediahistorjá" [Sámi Media History] (in Northern Sami). Kárášjohka, Norway: ČálliidLágádus. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  2. Kuhn, Gabriel (1 March 2020). Liberating Sápmi: Indigenous Resistance in Europe's Far North. Oakland, California: PM Press. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-62963-779-2. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  3. Aamold, Svein; Angkjær Jorgensen, Ulla; Haugdal, Elin (2017). Sami Art and Aesthetics: Contemporary Perspectives. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press. p. 79. ISBN 978-87-7184-505-1. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  4. Dahl, Hans Fredrik (2016). A History of the Norwegian Press, 1660-2015. London, England: Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-58026-9. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  5. Minde, Henry (2005). "Assimilation of the Sami – Implementation and Consequences". Gáldu Čála: Journal of Indigenous Peoples Rights (3): 6–33. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  6. Zachariassen, Ketil (2012). "Isak Saba, Anders Larsen og Matti Aikio : ein komparasjon av dei samiske skjønnlitterære pionerane i Norge" [Isak Saba, Anders Larsen and Matti Aikio: A Comparison of Sámi Fiction Pioneers in Norway]. Nordlit (in Norwegian) (29): 1–13. hdl:10037/4440.
  7. Jensen, Lill-Ann (28 September 2014). "Isak Saba". Norsk Biografisk Leksikon (in Norwegian).
  8. Jernsletten, Regnor (1998). Samebevegelsen i Norge: idé og strategi 1900-1940 [The Sámi Movement in Norway: Ideology and Practice 1900–1940] (in Norwegian). Tromsø, Norway: Senter for Samiske Studier, Universitetet i Tromsø. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
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