Amid Khangchendzonga and Sápmi Home Lands: Reflections and Imagination

 Kotra R. R. Mohan *

 

“The ethnographic observation tends to become the ‘negotiated reality’ between the informants and the anthropologist, at least until the anthropologist's presence becomes less conspicuous”- Tierney, (1984:585)

A reflective essay might go with a ‘thin description’ of an ethnographer’s observations and imagination in any given cultural setting. My short academic visits to Sápmi cultural landscapes in Finland and Norway, coupled with inputs received from Swedish academics at Uppsala University in Sweden gave me the pleasure to share some of my views and perspectives about the unique cultural processes that both Sami indigenous groups in Sápmi vis-a-vis the earliest ethnic groups of Khangchendzonga landscapes of the eastern Himalayas in India.

Benedict’s (1935) studying ‘Culture at Distance’ is at the backdrop of my observations, Interactions with Sami representatives, visits to Sami parliaments both at Inari in Finland and Karasajok in Norway, and visits to museums and other important places provided me a good understanding about Sami historical and contemporary lives. The Finnish-India Joint Seminar on 27^th May at Arctic Centre has additionally equipped me with various issues presented by scholars on Indigenous communities to draw more comparative aspects of both these landscapes.

A two-week academic trip to Finland, Norway and Sweden as a part of my research project “Interdisciplinary curricula on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ studies with The Northern Institute for Environment and Minority Law at the Arctic Centre, the University of Lapland in Finland has gifted me to draw many parallels between these two regions which has many similarities and informs us that human cultures have negotiated successfully their environments over millennia. The high-altitude snow peaks in the eastern Himalayas and snow bed lands of Sápmi have commonalities in most of their bio-cultural spheres.

Human groups in these two zones have never migrated permanently to other ‘greener pastures’ rather they have made it their eternal homelands. Every single cultural attribute, be it their attire, food, language, religious beliefs, myths, folklore, health care practices, livelihoods, traditional knowledge systems and the other social institutes is deeply embedded in their biosphere.

During my visits, there were immediate thoughts centered on Lepchas, the oldest inhabitants of Khangchendzonga, and other significant groups in the high-altitude eastern Himalayas. Sami and Lepcha, in particular, have many similarities. An urgent concern for both groups is the impact of Global forces particularly on their environment. Since these vulnerable groups are passive recipients from the major players due to their low negotiation skills and resilient to any kind of catastrophes. Mikkel (2021) describes how Sami practice and carry their kinship ties and collective identity which is key feature of their social life. Mohan (2020) narrates the Lepcha ethnic identity is embedded in their textiles even in contemporary times.

Sami’s self-determination towards their autonomy is a significant attribute that I have observed in my limited interaction at various ethnographic sites.

Path-breaking research and community outreach programmes being conducted at the Northern Institute for Environment and Minority Law at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, in safeguarding their depleting livelihood resources, liaising with concerned authorities for effective policy-making needs to be applauded. I am hopeful; I may get another opportunity from the Centre in the future to stay for a longer period of time to study with Sami people and their worlds.

References

Mikkel Berg-Nordlie, (2021) ‘On Sámi in the Heart’: Kinship, Culture, and Community as Foundations for Indigenous Sámi Identity in Norway. Ethnopolitics, Vol 20. Issue, 2.

Ruth Benedict (1935) Patterns of Culture, Routledge, Kegan and Paul Ltd. London.

Sarah Faulkner and K.R. Rama Mohan (2021) Mayel Lyang Embodied: “Tradition” and ContemporaryLepcha Textiles.HIMALAYA, The Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Vol.40. No.2.The University of Cambridge.

* Prof. Rama Mohan is at the Department of Anthropology, Sikkim University, and India. He is grateful to Prof. Kamrul Hossain and his colleagues at The Northern Institute for Environment and Minority Law at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland for providing an opportunity for the academic visit.