Previously, it was common practice in Sámi to place the father's name before the given name when referring to a person. Tor Mikalsen from Kåfjord wishes to document this naming tradition before it disappears completely. The results will be disseminated, among other things, in collaboration with the Centre for Northern Peoples via the portal nordligefolk.no.
Torun Olsen Wernberg
My grandmother Hansine Mikalsen was called Málu Sina after her mother Málu. My father was called Málu Sina Hjalmar, after both his grandmother and mother, says Tor Mikalsen.
He believes personal names are a central and important part of intangible cultural heritage, and therefore wants to ensure the tradition is documented as far as is feasible. The Sámi Parliament and Troms and Finnmark County Council have supported the project, and now he is ready to get started.
The tradition of using a mother's or father's name before a person's name is well-known in Sámi culture. In Northern Troms, this tradition is in the process of disappearing. The youngest person I know with such a name is over 65 years old. Until around the Second World War, almost everyone in the village of Manndalen, and certainly also other Sámi-speaking villages, had such a name, says Mikalsen.
Despite this naming tradition being very widespread in Sami areas, thorough research or documentation of it has not been done previously. The tradition has largely been an oral phenomenon, and the nicknames are rarely or never written down.
Unknown to the locals
– Although most had a Sami oral name, everyone simultaneously had a Norwegian, «official» name, which was used for christenings and public documents. An interesting detail is that, in many cases, the Norwegian name was unknown to the locals, says Mikalsen.
Mikalsen further states that authors who have been influenced by this tradition write that the father's name is most often used and that the mother's name is only exceptionally placed before the proper name.
– A preliminary study I have conducted in Manndalen shows that the mother's name is used at least as much as the father's name, states Mikalsen.
The collection and documentation will primarily take place through interviews with individuals who are knowledgeable about the naming traditions.
– The main focus will be in Kåfjord, but I will also try to find informants from Lyngen and Storfjord, says Mikalsen.
The project's results will be disseminated via the website nordligefolk.no, which is run by the Centre for Northern Peoples. Mikalsen believes this will be of interest to everyone concerned with Sámi culture and history, and especially hopes to reach children and young people.
– I envision that children and young people can get a direct connection to names in the project, as it could be about grandparents or great-grandparents. The project can also provide new insight into how strongly the Norwegianisation has impacted coastal areas. People changed names, and in many ways, their identities too, says Mikalsen.
If you have tips or information about naming traditions, Tor Mikalsen would love to hear from you. You can contact him by phone on 993 26 744 or by email at tor.mikalsen@gmail.com.