Sámi Museum Siida was after all granted a subsidy for its activities by the municipality of Inari

The municipal executive board proposed that the annual subsidy granted to the Sámi Museum be halved in 2014 and axed totally in 2015 as part of the municipality’s programme for a controlled increase of the municipality’s expenses. However, the council voted against the board’s proposal in its meeting on 12 September. Thus, the Sámi Museum will at least next year get a subsidy that is of the same size as the one granted to it in recent years.

Tarmo Jomppanen, the Director of the Sámi Museum Siida, and the personnel of the museum are delighted by the positive decision.  – Getting the subsidy in future, too, encourages and motivates us to continue working effectively for Sámi culture and tourism, Jomppanen says.  The employees of the museum are above all happy about the strong support that the museum got from the local community in this issue; this support is thought to have influenced the opinion of the decision-makers.

The subsidy of 50,000 euros for the activities of the museum that the municipality has granted every year is very important for the Sámi Museum, as it makes it possible for the museum to run a number of local activities. For example, through the subsidy the museum can continue to run the Skolt Sámi Heritage House in Sevettijärvi, provide pedagogic services for children under school age and schoolchildren at the museum, and offer cultural stimuli for people of all ages.

Before the council meeting, there was a lively public discussion on the significance of the Sámi Museum Siida and on how necessary the subsidy is for it. After following the discussion, Director Jomppanen sees that there is also room for self-criticism at the museum. The discussion showed that not everyone in the area knows enough about the variety of activities the museum runs. In future, the Sámi Museum is going to invite employees and elected officials of the municipality to come to Inari and acquaint themselves with the activities and events taking place at the museum.