Accurate Information
Responsible travellers arrive to visit the Sámi with eyes and ears open, without preconceptions and assumptions. They meet the Sámi through stories the Sámi themselves narrate and want to share. Responsible traveller listens to and hears, how the Sámi want to introduce themselves. Responsible traveller shares and distributes correct information through their social media channels and travel stories.
General knowledge regarding Sámi people, their history and modern Sámi society is still superficial, and often coloured by preconceptions and misrepresentations. Sámi languages, Sámi history and Sámi culture remain almost unknown in teaching materials at Finnish schools. The lack of knowledge regarding the Sámi in teaching increases inequality, complicates the situation for Sámi children and youngsters to grow into their own culture. At society’s level, it causes gaps, lack of understanding and misunderstandings as well as hate speech between different groups. Hence, increasing and distributing truthful information and knowledge about the Sámi also through tourism is crucial.