The Control of the Cultural Borders between the Finns and the Skolt Sami

From Ambivalence to Respect for the Border

Abstract

In this article, the control and drawing up of the cultural borders between the Finns and the Skolt Sami are studied. Before the Second World War, as illustrated in the travel book by Sakari Pälsi, the writer as well as the whole state of Finland tried to come to terms with the new “colony” and the new exotic “Other,” the Skolt Sami, within the Finnish boundaries. This led to ambivalent relations with both the new citizens of Finland and with the drawing up and control of borders. This was especially the case in crossing the cultural border, where no respect was shown to the guardians of the border, even though this role was paternalistically awarded to them. By the time of the release of the main work by Karl Nickul, the author himself and the state of Finland had come to terms with their “colonial” past. The “good state” was condemned by Nickul, ambivalence was absent and Nickul produced a true post-colonial piece, where the view emanates from the other side of the border, thus completing his personal quest to restore the Skolt Sami agency in research.