Colonialism, Finnish Exceptionalism and the Sámi in Early 1960s’ Youth Novels
Raita Merivirta; Lydia Kokkola
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2021042824022
Tiivistelmä
In this paper, we use the term ‘Finnish
exceptionalism’ to refer to the myth that Finland was only ever a victim of
colonization and never complicit in colonial practices. We argue that cultural
adherence to this belief and consequent innocence have been inculcated into
Finnish national consciousness from the country’s inception. Using two novels
for teenagers published in 1960 and set in Sápmi (Finnish Lapland) to
illustrate our arguments, we demonstrate how the ideology of exceptionalism was
passed on to new generations of Finns. In both novels, a teenaged Finnish
protagonist travels through the Arctic landscape accompanied by a male Sámi,
who acts as a guide. Our analyses begin by examining how the novels reflect
historical events and the ideology of exceptionalism. We conclude with a more
specific focus on the novels as literature for youth, showing how the innocence
of the young protagonists synechdocically stands for the innocence of the
nation.
Keywords: Finnish exceptionalism; Sápmi;
Sámi, Finnish colonialism, Finnish youth literature, innocence
Kokoelmat
- Rinnakkaistallenteet [19207]