ARCUS | Arctic Research Consortium of the United States

6th Annual ARCUS Award for Arctic Research Excellence


Submitted by   Amber Lincoln
Authors   Amber Lincoln
Category   Social Science
Title   Negotiated Authenticity: The Sámi handicraft market in Sweden.
Affiliation   Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, Fairbanks, AK, USA

Abstract

The Same Handicraft Foundation operates the Same Doudji Mark, which are tags placed on “authentic” Sámi handicraft. The authenticity of Sámi handicraft is subject to negotiation by three sets of actors; regulators from the Foundations, consumers, and producers of the artwork. Different motivations and stakes help form the perceptions of authenticity for each set of actors. What emerges from investigating notions of authenticity are assertions of identity, self-esteem, appropriation and control of ethnic heritage, and power relations. This case study provides a model for understanding broader social relations between indigenous people and the dominant mainstream culture.