Sami History - Danish-Norwegian Policies in The North

Danish-Norwegian Policies in The North

On the Norwegian side, the Sami were converted by force to the Lutheran faith around 1720. Thomas von Westen was the leading man of the missionary effort, and his methods included burning the shaman drums on the fire and the like. However, economically the Sami were not that badly off, compared to the Norwegian population. They were free to trade with whom they wanted, and entertained trade links with Norwegians and Russians alike. However, the crumbling economy of the Norwegian communities along the outer coast led to increased pressure on the land and conflicts between the two communities.

Read more about this topic:  Sami History

Famous quotes containing the words policies and/or north:

    “Unfortunately, we cannot rely solely on employers seeing that it is in their self-interest to change the workplace. Since the benefits of family-friendly policies are long-term, they may not be immediately visible or quantifiable; companies tend to look for success in the bottom line. On a deeper level, we are asking those in power to change the rules by which they themselves succeeded and with which they identify.”
    —Anne C. Weisberg (20th century)

    “It is the sea that whitens the roof.
    The sea drifts through the winter air.
    It is the sea that the north wind makes.
    The sea is in the falling snow.
    This gloom is the darkness of the sea.”
    —Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)