The Saami Council demand Square Enix to immediately remove the Final Fantasy “Far Northern Attire”

Screenshot from store.finalfantasyxiv.com, taken on 16/1/23, used under fair use for the purpose of commentary.

The Saami Council has in a letter to, the media company, Square Enix demanded that they immediately remove the Final Fantasy XIV “Far Northern Attire” and engage in meaningful dialogue with the Sámi people.

– This is not about sensitivity or whether the depiction is appropriate.  These elements are Sámi cultural property and Square Enix has infringed on our rights, says President of The Saami Council, Áslat Holmberg. 

The Sámi people’s position has been made very clear, Holmberg continues, particularly to entertainment companies, specifically in the agreement that the Sámi people have with Walt Disney Animation Studios.  

‘[I]t is the position of the Sámi that their collective and individual culture, including aesthetic elements, music, language, stories, histories, and other traditional cultural expressions are property that belong to the Sámi.’ 

(available at https://www.samediggi.fi/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Agreement_WDAS_SAMI.pdf) 

– Our cultural property rights are not theoretical. They are protected and protectable under intellectual property laws, which are generally harmonised throughout the world. Square Enix, as a media company, is highly aware of intellectual property laws and has no excuse for this blatant violation of Sámi cultural property, Holmberg continues. 

The Saami Council is of the opinion that the issue is particularly damaging because Sámi clothing traditions are not merely aesthetic; they carry the significance of being specific elements of Sámi identity with meaning, content, and context. By creating this product, Square Enix has allowed their 41 million players to dress up as a Sámi people, clothe themselves in the Sámi identity without our consent, and contribute to the erosion of our culture.

While the gaming industry has become more open, welcoming, and sensitive to the needs of non-majority gamers, specifically in terms of alternative lifestyles, gender identities, and support of women gamers, the Saami Council is disappointed that Square Enix did not even lightly consider the rights of the Sámi people in relation to this product. The Saami Council emphasises that we appreciate proper and appropriate collaborations and have a deep history of finding ways to collaborate with entertainment companies on the use of sámi cultural properties. However, there is a proper and appropriate way to establish, maintain, and enforce these collaborations to ensure that all necessary elements are fulfilled.

– The Saami Council hopes that this situation will advance the discussion of the rights of indigenous people to their cultural properties and looks forward to a productive dialogue with all industries, Holmberg concludes.