CONFERENCE: UNDERSTANDING THE NORTH THE GLOBAL HERITAGE OF M.A. CASTRÉN University of Address: yliopistokatu 8, Hall: Castrén Sali (Castrén Hall) Part of the Congress: In the Spirit of Rovaniemi Process http://www.rovaniemiprocess.fi/

MONDAY 2nd of DECEMBER 2013

Northern Ethnography Days 2013: The Legacy of Castrén – Part 1

10:00 Opening of the Conference Understanding the North Jelena Porsanger

10:30 Risto Pulkkinen Adjunct Professor in Study of Religions and Northern Ethnograpy, University of Helsinki and Lapland President of the Society for Northern Ethnography M.A. Castrén: Life, researches and expeditions

Matthias Alexander Castén (1813-1852) was born in Tervola (Northern ). After having first devoted himself to Greek and Hebrew with the intention of joining the church, his interest focused on Finnish and Finno-Ugrian languages. He understood soon the necessity of first-hand information and field work research. His explorations started in 1838 with a journey through Lapland. In the following years he travelled in White Sea Karelia, Northwestern Russia, and widely in Siberia (1841-44 and 1845-48). Already on his first lengthy travel he got tuberculosis. He bravely struggled against the illness but that finally caused his early death. Before starting his last expedition he published a translation into Swedish of the Finnish epic of Kalevala. In 1850 he was appointed professor at Helsinki of the new chair of Finnish language and literature. In addition to linguistics he also gave lectures in Finnish mythology. He was busily engaged in what he regarded as his principal work, a Samoyedic grammar, when he died on the 7th of May 1852. His unpublished manuscripts were later published by Franz Anton von Schiefner in 1853-62, including his lectures on Finnish mythology. 11:15 – 12:00 Tapani Salminen Adjunct Professor in Finno-Ugrian Language Studies, University of Helsinki M. A. Castrén as a discoverer and explorer of ethnolinguistic diversity

The extent and significance of M. Alexander Castrén’s scholarly work on the languages and cultures of northern peoples have been recognized before and since his untimely death at the age of only 38, but his bicentennial offers an unprecedented opportunity to circulate and promote his fame and works more vigorously than ever. My presentation provides a glimpse into his Siberian expeditions and the ethnolinguistic diversity that they revealed, as well as the historical, current and future value of the materials collected by him. For instance, while the bulk of Castrén’s findings were posthumously edited and published by Anton Schiefner in a reasonably competent manner, we have only recently begun to understand the magnitude of new information contained in his manuscripts. Since data on the Tundra Nenets language and culture constitute a major part of his archives, a digital publishing and editing project called Manuscripta Castreniana Jurak- Samoiedica was launched on the occasion of Castrén’s jubilee year, and results of this project will also be included in my presentation.

12:00-13:00 Lunch

Afternoon Session:

13:00-17:00 Folk Beliefs Days 2013 – Part 1 Circumpolar Mythology and Bear Rituals: the Workshop Discussion and presentations. Participants: Clive Tolley, Elena Glavatskaya, Natalya Koskharova, Juha Pentikäinen, Vesa Matteo Piludu

17:00-18:00 Film presentation Voyages beyond a film by Hannu Kahakorppi Discussion with Professor Hannu Kahakorppi

19.00-21:00 International Conference “In the Spirit of the Rovaniemi Process” Reception of the City of Rovaniemi For registered participants of the “In the Spirit of the Rovaniemi Process” conference only!

TUESDAY 3rd of December 2013

Morning Session Northern Ethnography Days 2013: The Legacy of Castrén – Part 2

10:00 Juha Pentikäinen Professor in Science or Religions and Northern Ethnography University of Helsinki and Lapland Pioneers of Northern Ethnography: Castrén, Laestadius and Reguli

10:45-11:30 Osmo Pekonen Adjunct Professor, PhD, D.Soc.Sc., University of Helsinki, Jyväskylä and Oulu

The French Tradion of Exploration of Siberia The presentation deals with five centuries of French interest in the exploration of the vast unknown regions of Northern Russia and Siberia covering scientists and adventurers, priests and soldiers, journalists and authors. Special emphasis will be on the early work of some natural scientists, like the expedition of the astronomer Jean-Baptiste Chappe d'Auteroche to observe the transit of Venus in Tobolsk in 1761. In today's world France and Russia have renewed bilateral civil but also military collaboration in the Arctic for the exploitation of oil and gas fields and the securing of the Northeast passage.

13:00-14:00

Afternoon Session Folk Beliefs Days 2013 – Part 1 Circumpolar Mythology and Bear Rituals

14:00 Vesa Matteo Piludu MA, Teacher in Science of Religions, MA, University of Helsinki Vice-President of the Society for Northern Ethnography Bear Rituals among Finnish, Karelian and Sámi people: Common Features and Differences

15:00 Ethnographic films about Arctic Peoples The Arctic Fires (Arktiset tulet Les Feux Artiques) After the Screening: Discussion with Juha Pentikäinen and Hannu Kahakorppi

WEDNESDAY 4th of December 2013

Morning Session: Indigenous Languages of the Arctic: Experiences of Revitalization

10:00 – 10:45 Annika Pasanen University of Helsinki MA, Department of Finnish, Finno-Ugrian and Scandinavian Studies. Research project "Empowerment and revitalization trends among the linguistic minorities in the European Union and the Russian Federation"

Language revitalization from Inari to Taimyr

The paper deals with some general remarks on revitalization of different endangered Uralic minority languages spoken from Sámiland to Taimyr area. These remarks are based on both NGO and research projects I've been participating, and on my doctoral thesis concerning reversing language shift in Inari Sámi speech community. Inari Sámi is one of the successfully revitalized languages in the world, and positive development has been going on among all the Sámi communities in Finland, Sweden and Norway. Revitalization of arctic minority languages of Russia became possible after the collapse of Soviet Union. Even though there are promising results in the fields of cultural renaissance and rise of self-esteem among many minorities, reversing language shift leading to new speakers and restart of the intergenerational language transmission hasn't occurred in arctic areas of Russia. Reasons for this are numerous, starting from ecological and societal problems affecting negatively to traditional livelihoods, and ending up to educational system, which doesn't support bi- and multilingualism. Language nest has been playing important role in revitalization of e.g. Inari and Skolt Saami languages. During the last few years there have been efforts to take this method into use also in Russia. In my paper I'll discuss this process, it's problems and achievements.

10:45 – 11:30 Ulla Aikio-Puoskari (Gáppe Piera Jovnna) Researcher, MA, University of Oulu, Giellagas Institute Towards a Language Shift or Revitalization of Sámi Languages? The Role of School in Finland, Norway and Sweden

Some Sámi pupils have the Sámi language as their first language and some use Sámi language as their second language or as a weaker mother tongue at home. Some pupils have learnt the language in the language nests and the Sámi language can be considered as their mother tongue. Some Sámi pupils have not got the language from their homes neither they have got any possibilities to participate in the language nest. Many parents hope now that the school would give their children a possibility to relearn their native language that they have missed by themselves. In my presentation I will raise a question if school gives possibilities to relearn a missed native language and on the other hand, does the school give possibilities to continue the language learning that has started in a language nest. Revitalization of a native language at school and securing a continuum from a language nest to the school means that different kinds of learners and different kinds of needs should have been recognized and taken into account in the curriculum, in the school legislation and in the financing. In addition to these I ask how big part of Sámi children are reached by existing learning possibilities. The paragraphs in school legislation and the variety of syllabuses in national curricula are not the same in Finland, Norway and Sweden. There is also difference in the access of Sámi education in these Nordic countries. In my presentation I will make some remarks on these differences and similarities and make a general comparison to the possibilities of revitalizing the Sámi language in the school of Finland, Norway and Sweden. Both positive and negative features can be seen in the situation of Sámi education. During the 21st Century the situation has become twofold and divided. The school is securing the language maintaining and language learning of the first language speakers and it is also giving possibilities to the revitalization and relearning the language in the core areas of Sápmi. Outside these core areas - where more than a half of the Sámi population already lives - a significant part of Sámi pupils are left outside from all possibilities to learn and develop their native language.

11:30 -12:00 Kuobžâ-Piäká Ánná (Anna Morottaja)

Teacher of Aanaar Saami language and culture at the Sámi Education Institute

Getting the native language back: Aanaar Saami adult language education. Methods and experiences.

In my speech I will introduce some old and new methods that are used within the Aanaar Saami language education and revitalisation. I will begin with some remarks on the firstly adopted revitalization method; the language nests for children under school age. I will continue to the Master - Apprentice method that has been successfully used in the Aanaar Saami language education for adults. Finally I will introduce a method that I have developed myself. It is a Master - Apprentice method in which Aanaar Saami speaking school children, former language nest children work as language Masters for my students. Students often say that it is easier to begin practicing communicative language skills outside the classroom with young Masters. I attempt to draw my presentation together by presenting some points why it is significant to revitalise indigenous languages; what does it mean on an individual and societal level to get the native language back.

Lunch Break: 12.00-13.00

13:00-14:00 Juha Janhunen Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures, University of Helsinki Languages, Culture and Peoples of the Arctic: an Overview

14:00-15:00 Discussion on Language and Culture revitalization: Experiences around the Arctic Moderator Suvi Kivela

15.00 -15.30 Coffe break

15.30 Uddâsist Šoddâm – Reborn (In Inari Sámi with English subtitles) Director Suvi Kivelä, 9’40´´ Presentation of a short documentary film about Inari Sámi language revitalization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0YcIkUoEhc

Livde, Inari Sámi traditional song style Concert by Kuobžâ-Piäká Ánná (Anna Morottaja)

16:30

Institutions involved:

City of Rovaniemi University of Lapland Arctic Centre Society for Northern Ethnography M.A. Castrén Society The Sámi Archives The Sámi Council The Sámi Education Institute Finno-Ugrian Society

Information: [email protected], [email protected]