The James Conlon Memorial Lecture presents a lecture by Dr. Eeva-Kristiina Nylander: Provenance Research, Repatriation and Rematriation as Examples of Decolonial and Indigenisation Practices in Museum World

In the European museum world, there has been a change of Paradigm, and we can today speak of the age of repatriation. Also, in the Nordic museum field, there is an increasing discussion about the return or repatriation of Sámi objects, the duodji to Sámi museums. I contribute to the debate by highlighting the importance of provenance research on repatriation in collaboration with Sámi communities. I propose a methodology for researching Sámi museum collections, which I describe as decolonisation and indigenisation. Finally, I introduce the concept of rematriation to describe the process of building new Sámi ontologies through these methods. Through these processes, difficult and challenging experiences of colonialism can be useful and helpful, for example, in the work of the Saami Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The methods I present may be of interest to other Indigenous people and museums that house indigenous objects from other parts of the world. My presentation is based on my doctoral thesis (2023) "From repatriation to rematriation. Dismantling the attitudes and potentials behind repatriation" and my practical work with the Sámi contemporary artist Outi Pieski regarding the Ládjogahpir-hat and the provenance research project together with eight Sámi duojárs, the crafters in the Sámi collections of the Museum of European Cultures in Berlin.

Dr. Eeva-Kristiina Nylander defended her PhD thesis 2023 in the University of Oulu,Giellagas Institute (Institute for Saami Studies) in Finland. Her thesis deals with repatriation,rematriation and dismantling the attitudes and potentials behind Sámi repatriation in Finland.She has worked in Sámi museums in Norway and Finland, as well as in the HistoricalMuseum in Sweden and Museum of European Cultures in Berlin, for example. Nylander is specialized in Sámi collections in Nordic and European museums, ethical questions, provenance research and repatriation. She has worked for a long time with these subjects together with the Sámi society. She has also been a part of curatorial teams in three Sámi exhibitions. Currently she works as a postdoctoral researcher in the Giellagas Institute for Saami studies in the University of Oulu. In addition to her scientific articles, she has launched a book Ládjogahpir - Máttaráhkuid gábagahpir in 2020 together with Sámi contemporary artist Outi Pieski which presents in book form the past, future and present stories of the Sámi horn hat – the ládjogahpir - and the rematriation of its existence, use, making and wearing.

Sponsored by the Department of Religion & Classics