Siida
Encyclopedia
The siida is a Sami
local community that has existed from time immemorial. A siida (in different Sami languages
cearru, siida, sita, kite), or a "reindeer pastoralistic district," is a Sami
reindeer
foraging area, a group for reindeer herding and a corporation
working for the economic benefit of its members. The reindeer herding siida has formed as an adaptation of ancient siida principles to large-scale nomadic reindeer herding. It is termed a sameby ("Sami village") in Swedish law
, reinbeitesdistrikt ("reindeer pasture district") in Norwegian law
, and paliskunta in Finnish law
. The pastoralistic organisation differs slightly between countries, except in Russia
, where kolkhoz
has replaced these earlier organisations.
In Sweden, membership in a siida follows "pastoralistic rights" based on statute of limitations
, and is limited to individuals of Sami descent. These rights also include hunting and fishing for profit. There are 33 mountain siidas, 10 forest siidas and 8 concession siidas, divided by historical extent, summer and winter pasture usage, etc. Membership is required to practice pastoralistic rights. This is required for reindeer ownership as well, except in concession siidas, where even non-members can own "serve reindeers", served by siida members who receiving concession to pasture lands in payment. This custom originates in older conventions when reindeer were used by settled local populations in daily life. The economic activity in present-day siidas is limited to profit from pastoralistic rights. In addition to the geographical and economic nature of the siida, it also ties the members together culturally and socially.
Siidas in Sweden split Sami people into two groups. Membership is essentially limited to those whose ancestors were nomads before 1886, barring the majority of Swedish Sami from membership in a siida.
In Norway, pastoralistic activity requires membership in a unit (driftsenhet), corresponding to a reindeer herd. The rights to conduct pastoralism are based on statute of limitations
and limited to individuals of Sami descent.
Still, the Sami siida had not, until recently (2007), been legally acknowledged by Norwegian national authorities. Instead, the authorities maintained their own construction of reindeer herding districts. The siida, and its use of Sami traditional herding knowledge, has on the other hand been living alongside, and often in conflict with, official accounts and decisions. The recently achieved legal acknowledgement of siida in Norway must result in recognition of its autonomous processes of knowledge as well as recognition of its land rights.
In Finland and Russia, pastoralistic activity is not limited to ethnic Sami. In Finland, reindeer herding is also practiced by Finns (non-Samis). There are 56 paliskuntas, of which 13 in the extreme north of Lapland constitute the Sami area. However, reindeer herding has a more prominent economic role in the local communities of the north. Siidas are governed like stock companies, where the reindeerholders elect a board of directors and a chief executive officer (poroisäntä, "reindeer master") every three years, voting with as many votes as they have reindeer. In Russian arctic peoples were forcably relocated to Kolchoz'es (collective communities) by the state between 1927-1940. The Sami were moved to Kolchoz'es in the pogost Kamensky, Iokangsky, Kildinsky, Lovozersky and Voronensky.
There are many other aspects of the traditional institution of siida and the siida system beyond the main issues of land rights and resource management. One of these aspects is the type of knowledge embedded in siida practices and the siida's everyday dealings with the local environment. The use, and therefore the protection, of traditional Sami reindeer herding practices and knowledge are closely related with the viability of the siida system. Siida principles are ancient in origin. The main elements of the siida are the individuals (in Sami siidda olbmot); the husbandry units (baikedoalut); the collective and the herding unit (siidadoallu); the siida territory, resources, and infrastructure (orohagat/siidavuoddu); and the semi-nomadic or nomadic lifestyle in accordance with the flow of the seasons (johtaladdan).
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
local community that has existed from time immemorial. A siida (in different Sami languages
Sami languages
Sami or Saami is a general name for a group of Uralic languages spoken by the Sami people in parts of northern Finland, Norway, Sweden and extreme northwestern Russia, in Northern Europe. Sami is frequently and erroneously believed to be a single language. Several names are used for the Sami...
cearru, siida, sita, kite), or a "reindeer pastoralistic district," is a Sami
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
foraging area, a group for reindeer herding and a corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
working for the economic benefit of its members. The reindeer herding siida has formed as an adaptation of ancient siida principles to large-scale nomadic reindeer herding. It is termed a sameby ("Sami village") in Swedish law
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, reinbeitesdistrikt ("reindeer pasture district") in Norwegian law
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and paliskunta in Finnish law
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. The pastoralistic organisation differs slightly between countries, except in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, where kolkhoz
Kolkhoz
A kolkhoz , plural kolkhozy, was a form of collective farming in the Soviet Union that existed along with state farms . The word is a contraction of коллекти́вное хозя́йство, or "collective farm", while sovkhoz is a contraction of советское хозяйство...
has replaced these earlier organisations.
In Sweden, membership in a siida follows "pastoralistic rights" based on statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
, and is limited to individuals of Sami descent. These rights also include hunting and fishing for profit. There are 33 mountain siidas, 10 forest siidas and 8 concession siidas, divided by historical extent, summer and winter pasture usage, etc. Membership is required to practice pastoralistic rights. This is required for reindeer ownership as well, except in concession siidas, where even non-members can own "serve reindeers", served by siida members who receiving concession to pasture lands in payment. This custom originates in older conventions when reindeer were used by settled local populations in daily life. The economic activity in present-day siidas is limited to profit from pastoralistic rights. In addition to the geographical and economic nature of the siida, it also ties the members together culturally and socially.
Siidas in Sweden split Sami people into two groups. Membership is essentially limited to those whose ancestors were nomads before 1886, barring the majority of Swedish Sami from membership in a siida.
In Norway, pastoralistic activity requires membership in a unit (driftsenhet), corresponding to a reindeer herd. The rights to conduct pastoralism are based on statute of limitations
Statute of limitations
A statute of limitations is an enactment in a common law legal system that sets the maximum time after an event that legal proceedings based on that event may be initiated...
and limited to individuals of Sami descent.
Still, the Sami siida had not, until recently (2007), been legally acknowledged by Norwegian national authorities. Instead, the authorities maintained their own construction of reindeer herding districts. The siida, and its use of Sami traditional herding knowledge, has on the other hand been living alongside, and often in conflict with, official accounts and decisions. The recently achieved legal acknowledgement of siida in Norway must result in recognition of its autonomous processes of knowledge as well as recognition of its land rights.
In Finland and Russia, pastoralistic activity is not limited to ethnic Sami. In Finland, reindeer herding is also practiced by Finns (non-Samis). There are 56 paliskuntas, of which 13 in the extreme north of Lapland constitute the Sami area. However, reindeer herding has a more prominent economic role in the local communities of the north. Siidas are governed like stock companies, where the reindeerholders elect a board of directors and a chief executive officer (poroisäntä, "reindeer master") every three years, voting with as many votes as they have reindeer. In Russian arctic peoples were forcably relocated to Kolchoz'es (collective communities) by the state between 1927-1940. The Sami were moved to Kolchoz'es in the pogost Kamensky, Iokangsky, Kildinsky, Lovozersky and Voronensky.
There are many other aspects of the traditional institution of siida and the siida system beyond the main issues of land rights and resource management. One of these aspects is the type of knowledge embedded in siida practices and the siida's everyday dealings with the local environment. The use, and therefore the protection, of traditional Sami reindeer herding practices and knowledge are closely related with the viability of the siida system. Siida principles are ancient in origin. The main elements of the siida are the individuals (in Sami siidda olbmot); the husbandry units (baikedoalut); the collective and the herding unit (siidadoallu); the siida territory, resources, and infrastructure (orohagat/siidavuoddu); and the semi-nomadic or nomadic lifestyle in accordance with the flow of the seasons (johtaladdan).