The Arahavde group writes: "identity is something you have when you have your story". Today we see that the Sea Sámi history is becoming more important to many, and we are trying to establish knowledge and understanding of Hammerfest municipality as also a Sea Sámi municipality.

The purpose of the exhibition is to examine what this Sea Sámi cultural heritage in the region "takes with it", through art and cultural-historical material. We draw out different perspectives from history that can provide knowledge and reflections. In art, space is opened for a more abstract approach to this heritage and history. The artists work with the landscape, linguistic decolonization, identity issues, Sea Sámi history and the sea. Nature meets physically, mythically and mentally, as places and as a resource.

What is Sea Sámi? In a multicultural coastal population, identity is fluid, and ethnicity is mixed. The differences between the different ethnic groups and between cultural characteristics disappear the more Norwegianisation takes hold of the coastal population. The cultural-historical material goes from ethnographic presentations of an ethnic group, to self-representation and a separate Sámi museum.

Photo: Ragna Misvær Grønstad - «The wind carries the pictures»

Artists represented in the exhibition Annelise Josefsen, Ingunn Utsi, Joar Nango, Arvid Sveen, Silje Figenschou Thoresen, Margrethe Pettersen, Hans Ragnar Mathisen, Hilde Skancke Pedersen, Ragna Misvær Grønstad, Arnold Johansen

"Hornlue" on loan from Heidi Persen Coloured photos in cultural history exhibition Per Ivar Somby /Colour my past Project manager and curator Maria Stephansen Co-curators Kristoffer Dolmen og Ragna Misvær Grønstad Produced in collaboration with Arahavde AS, Gjenreisningsmuseet for Finnmark og Nord-Troms, Samisk Senter for Samtidskunst/ Sami Dáiddaguavddás and Kokelv Sjøsamiske Museum RDM Produced with support from Sametinget, Norsk Kulturråd, Fritt Ord and Bergesenstiftelsen

Link to the museum website