– Hope all Sami can learn the language – Dagsavisen

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Who: Trond Kvernmo (57)

What: Head of the event committee for the Sami’s National Day in Østfold. Is otherwise a board member of Samer in Østfold

Why: Sami national day on 6 February

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Well, a Sami in Fredrikstad – who would have thought it?

– Yes, there should be 122 of us here, according to the Sami population, but only adults can vote in elections. There are no official statistics beyond that. Some people may still be a little surprised when they learn that I am Sami, but it is in a positive way in that they are curious about Sami relationships and ask about my family and where my roots are.

I wonder that too – where are your Sami roots?

– I have a Sami father, who grew up with two Sami parents at a time when you preferred not to speak Sami, especially not at school. He went to a boarding school, admittedly not one of those whose purpose was Norwegianization, but he still experienced resistance to the use of the Sami language. I know that my grandparents spoke what others called a secret language at home, and it was probably Sami. I myself grew up in Hedmarken and have lived in Oslo all my adult life before moving to Fredrikstad in 2020.

What do the Sami do in Østfold?

– We have completely ordinary jobs, from factory employee and accountant to politician, special education teacher and science lecturer in upper secondary school, which I myself am. At the board meetings of the Samer association in Østfold, we have jokingly said that you have to be a professor to keep minutes, as we also have a board member who is a professor of jurisprudence at Østfold University College.

6 February is the Sami’s national day – what does it mean to you?

– That day means about the same as 17 May to me – a day to celebrate nationality and culture. We Sami should only have a common language, but many of us have never had the opportunity to learn it. I am trying to learn some Sami now, but it belongs to a different language group and is difficult when I cannot use the language surrounded by those who speak it. In any case, 6 February makes me feel closer to my Sami identity, as there are more of us together that day. It makes me more aware and causes me to reflect more on my roots. I also feel a strong need for that – that’s where my father comes from, after all.

How is the day marked in Østfold?

– It started with a lavvu meeting with activities and a cafe in Fredrikstadmarka on Saturday, which was and continued with a service with Sami elements in Moss church on Sunday. On the day itself, Tuesday, Fredrikstad Kino contributes in collaboration with us with free screenings of films for kindergartens, with Sami speech and Norwegian text. We will have a lavvo during the day outside the town hall, where people can stop to ask questions, learn Sami phrases, throw a lasso and be served broth, and there will be Sami adventure time for children in the library. In the evening, there will be a service in Trøgstad church and in Fredrikstad cathedral, where the bishop and the mayors of Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg will be present. At the church cafe, bidus is served, which is considered the Sami’s national dish. The consistency can be reminiscent of soot, and it is a stew that traditionally contains reindeer, potato, vegetables and broth. Finally, the cinema has a preview of the film “Guardians of the Tundra”, which is very descriptive of reindeer herding. The film was invited to the Toronto Film Festival, where it received good reviews.

What is it like to be Sami in Fredrikstad and Østfold?

– Mostly out of ignorance, you may be asked how many reindeer you have, even though most Sámi do not deal with reindeer. However, it is an important industry for preserving culture and harvesting from nature in a sensible way, something more people could learn from. I myself have not encountered what I would call prejudice, but others have, until quite recently, told about prejudice and harassment in Fredrikstad. I believe that the danger of this happening again will be reduced if we continue to provide information.

To what extent do you manage to preserve Sami identity and culture?

– I preserve my identity by learning the language and reading up on history. Others are researching the family. In my family, by the way, we find ancestors along the entire long stretch of reindeer husbandry and south-east far into Sweden. My immediate family belongs to Gratangen.

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What is your greatest hope for the Norwegian Sami (if we can see everyone as one group) in 2024?

– In any case, I hope that we will put an end to incitement and prejudice. And that people get information before they think strongly about something, as I myself try to do. I also hope that all Sámi will be offered an opportunity to learn the language, which is strongly linked to culture and identity.

We also have some regular questions. Which book would you like to highlight?

– Right now I want to highlight a very interesting book by Sverre Nordmo, which I have started but not finished yet. “Gratangen 1940” is about a local population at war. The Germans were actually stopped there on their way north, before Norway later capitulated.

What makes you happy?

– Apart from being with my family, I am happy to be able to go on a ski trip on Hedmarksvidda in great weather or to be out on the fjord in northern Norway in the midnight sun.

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Who was your childhood hero?

– I don’t think I had any childhood heroes. Never understood idol worship. But I have great respect for those who dare to be themselves.

What do you do when you poop?

– If it’s just a break with the normal, I would say that I freak out when I do what I normally don’t have time for, such as seeking out nature and the activities I enjoy.

Is there anything you regret?

– There is probably a lot I could regret, but I think it is a waste of time to spend on it.

Who would you rather be stuck in the elevator with?

– I would have liked to be stuck in the elevator with the oil and energy minister and the prime minister, to whom I have a number of questions regarding a number of logical flaws in the oil and energy policy. And then I wonder who really controls Norwegian energy policy.

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