I’m a Sami reindeer herder from northern Norway. My family and I have been herding reindeer for generations. It is more than just our livelihood, it is an integral part of Sami culture, a way of life built on respect for nature, community and continuity. We make a living off the land and are proud of who we are and what we do.
Today, that way of life is under serious threat.
The Norwegian government plans to build hundreds of wind turbines on our pasturelands. These projects will disrupt reindeer migration routes, damage fragile ecosystems and undermine the very foundations of Sami reindeer herding. I am speaking out because if things continue like this, we risk losing not only our income but also our culture. This is why I am participating in Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign this year.
I grew up in a small place called Tana, where there were only 12 children in the school class. Two of our five Sami people came from families of reindeer herders. At the time, I believed the rest were Norwegian. I later learned that everyone in the class was Sami. Their parents were under pressure to hide who they were.
When I was in school, the Norwegian state wanted all Sami people to be known simply as Norwegians. We were forced to speak the national language instead of our own. We were not allowed to speak Sami or sing Sami songs at school. At one point, even traditional drums, which were used to connect with nature spirits, were banned by the church. These policies were designed to erase us and left deep scars that still remain.
Thankfully, my parents allowed me to speak Sami at home. Even if the Sami language was banned. I have always been proud of my heritage, but many others have been denied that opportunity. We have struggled for decades to reclaim rights that should never have been taken away from us.
I decided early on that I wanted to be a reindeer herder. It felt natural and rooted in the life I knew and loved. My husband and I married young and chose to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors. For a long time, we lived peacefully believing that this way of life would continue for generations.
That peace didn’t last long.
Today, the government is taking our land. This will have a devastating impact on our income and the reindeer themselves. Throughout the winter and spring, reindeer graze in one place before migrating for the summer. They travel alone and give birth in the same location every year. Our role as pastoralists is not to manage them, but to obey them. If the travel route is disrupted, the entire system collapses.
In 2023, hundreds of wind turbines are suddenly proposed to be installed directly on the summer pastures of Kolgas. These plans threaten to destroy grazing lands, cut off migration routes and undermine ancient pastoral traditions. Despite fierce opposition from the Sami community, authorities are fast-tracking approval.
We know how wind turbines affect reindeer. The animals avoid the area completely. If these projects go ahead, the land will become unusable. Although the Norwegian state claims ownership of the land, the Sami were given the right to use it centuries ago. Now, that right is being pushed aside in favor of industrial development. Our children are at risk of being left with nothing.
Reindeer herding supports our communities in many ways. Reindeer provide meat and materials for traditional crafts. My family also runs a small company that shares Sami knowledge and culture with visitors. Every year, around 4,000 people from all over the world come to learn how we live. If these wind farms are built, we risk losing everything we have built together.
What makes this even harder to accept is its justification. This is said to be about green energy and the future. But at what cost and to whom? Norway already has plenty of electricity. Why is nature only valued if it can be used? We are living under the influence of climate change. When I was a kid, winter temperatures could reach -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit). Today, winter has become warmer. Sometimes, instead of snow, it rains, and ice forms, preventing reindeer from accessing food. Rather than sacrificing this land, we need it to survive a changing climate.
I have been fighting to protect our land and community for over a year. I attend meetings with energy companies and explain how wind turbines negatively impact our lives and animals. I am making my case to government officials, but I feel like no one is listening.
Currently, seven wind power projects involving hundreds of turbines are planned. I have explained many times what this means for us, and it appears that the decision has already been made. I feel like I’m dying in this battle just to protect something that should never have been threatened.
I have three children and eight grandchildren. I am very worried about the future they will have to inherit. Young people do not have to grow up constantly fighting for their right to exist.
This struggle took a toll on my mental health. Sometimes I’m still trying to figure out how to get through what’s going on. My community supports me in any way they can. They tell me I’m strong and their support gives me strength. I’m not just doing this for my family. I’m doing it for the whole community.
It won’t stop. My friends and I will protest outside a government building. We go together because unity is important. We cannot sit back and watch our land being taken away. As long as I have the strength to fight, I will fight.
I’ve always been an activist. When I was six years old, I struggled to speak Sami at school. I wanted it to be my first language, not my second, and I wasn’t afraid to say so. The battle isn’t over yet.
We are grateful to Amnesty International for supporting our case today. Their solidarity reminds us that we are not invisible, even if our own government treats us as if we were. This is our life. I don’t know any other way to live. We must protect our land so that future generations can continue to live as Sami.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Al Jazeera.
