Peer-reviewed article
Sámi Early Childhood Education and Sustainability in the Arctic
Marikaisa Laiti, Kaarina Määttä, Mirja Köngäs ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examines how early childhood education in the Arctic can support Sámi indigenous culture and sustainable development. The Sámi are indigenous peoples living across Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Russia whose languages and culture are vulnerable due to climate change. The research describes how Sámi early childhood educators in Finland use language, cultural identity, traditional materials, and community connections to preserve indigenous culture through education.
Key points
- Sámi languages (Inari, Skolt, and Northern Sámi) spoken in Finland are endangered
- Early childhood education is valued as a tool for preserving and strengthening indigenous culture
- Cultural sustainability is approached through using Sámi language in activities
- Children's Sámi identity is supported through materials and items important in the culture
- Strong connections with the Sámi community are maintained in educational settings
Limitations
The document provides limited quantitative data on outcomes or effectiveness of the approaches described. It does not report on child outcomes, learning impacts, or comparative evidence of what practices work best.
Abstract
The Sámi are indigenous people living in Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Russia. There are about 10,500 Sámi in Finland. The traditional settlement area of the Sámi is located in the Arctic. Endangered Inari, Skolt, and Northern Sámi languages are spoken in Finland, and efforts are made to implement the traditions, principles, and values of indigenous culture. The traditional settlement area of the indigenous Sámi people is in the Arctic. The Sámi culture and languages are in a vulnerable position due to their present climate change. Early childhood education (ECE) is of particular value to contribute to the preservation and strengthening of indigenous culture and, consequently, to sustainable development in the Arctic. The purpose of this article is to describe Arctic sustainable Sámi early childhood education based on the perceptions and experiences of Sámi early childhood educators in Finland. The research shows that cultural sustainability was approached by using Sámi language in activities, supporting children’s Sámi identity, using materials and items important in culture, and having a tight connection with Sámi community.