International Indigenous Peoples’ Salmon Gathering – Sápmi 2024: Invitation to Contribute

Photo: Gunn-Britt Retter

An International Indigenous Salmon Peoples’ Gathering will take place in Karasjok, Norway, from 29th of September to October 1st, 2024. The Gathering is hosted by the Sami Parliament of Norway and the Saami Council. It is followed by an Indigenous-led research event coordinated by UiT - The Arctic University of Norway (Sharing Our Knowledge project) which is funded by the New Frontiers in Research Fund (Government of Canada) and the Norwegian Research Council (Government of Norway). 

The International Gathering of Indigenous Salmon Peoples will bring together Indigenous Peoples’ representatives from around the Northern Hemisphere to celebrate their connection with salmon, share knowledge around Indigenous Peoples’ engagement in salmon management systems, and write a statement on principles for Indigenous Peoples’ salmon management. The Salmon Gathering is an event convening representatives from a diversity of Indigenous Peoples, including Elders and young people, who regard salmon as a substantial basis for their culture and livelihoods.

The program for the Gathering is still being planned and part of it is a closed event for Indigenous representatives. It will consist of several parts: a cultural and policy part and also inviting the perspectives of scientific and traditional knowledge holders on watersheds and salmon. The Gathering welcomes participation especially from Arctic Indigenous Peoples. One of the outcomes of the Gathering will be a draft joint statement of Salmon Peoples to be forwarded and discussed at future Indigenous Salmon Gatherings. The Gathering will also offer excursions and community events for the participants, as well as the possibility for self-organized meetings on the 2nd of October.  

An Indigenous salmon research event will take place on the 3rd and 4th of October. It will provide a platform for the meeting of Indigenous salmon peoples with experts and professionals from around the world to exchange knowledge, discuss innovative ideas, and collaborate on key issues in the field. The event will include discussions and presentations by researchers in the field of research on watersheds and salmon, based on the principle of Two-Eyed Seeing. The event is lead by Indigenous researchers who are part of the International Indigenous Salmon Peoples’ Network and the project “Sharing our knowledge. Incorporating Indigenous knowledge systems to build governance for climate resiliency”, lead by Dr. Camilla Brattland at UiT – the Arctic University of Norway. It includes field events and contributions from several ongoing research projects centering on the Deatnu watershed, including from the Finnish Institute for Natural Resources (LUKE). The organizers welcome contributions from researchers and institutions to the event within the capacity of accommodation in Utsjoki.

Invitation to contribute: 

We invite Indigenous policy makers and researchers who care for the future wellbeing of watersheds and salmon to contribute to the program of the Gathering (30th of September to 1st of October) and the Indigenous research event (3rd and 4th of October).  We welcome short and long presentations/contributions, be they political, academic, artistic, customary, or narrative. Topics can include Indigenous-led conversation and management, Indigenous involvement in state salmon management, Indigenous knowledge about salmon, and co-production of knowledge between salmon people and scientists.

The contributions could include, but are not exclusive to:

• Ceremony

• Performances, art

• Youth engagement

• Indigenous-led salmon conservation and management, rights and jurisdictions

• Updates from ongoing watershed and salmon research from major Arctic and sub-Arctic river systems

• Relationship- building towards Indigenous-led Governance and salmon alliances

• Actions for global attention to the future sustainability of salmon and Indigenous Peoples

• Contributions to a joint statement of Indigenous Salmon Peoples

Contact information and contributions: 

Please send your suggestions for contributions by email within the 30th of August to: 

Contributions to the Indigenous Peoples’ Salmon Gathering 30th of September to 1st of October 

Sami Parliament of Norway: Vegar.Jakobsen.Baehr@samediggi.no

Contributions to the Indigenous Salmon Research event 3rd and 4th of October: 

Camilla Brattland, UiT – the Arctic University of Norway: camilla.brattland@uit.no