Lectures
When We Were Sámi – On the History of Sápmi with Mats Jonsson
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- Samlingssalen (The Assembly Hall)
info
How far back does Sámi history reach? And how did knowledge of it disappear from so many family narratives?
In this lecture, cartoonist and author Mats Jonsson draws on his own search for his Sámi roots to trace the broader history of Sápmi. Spanning from the retreat of the Ice Sheet and written sources dating back to AD 98, to forced relocations, racial biology and today’s reclaiming of Sámi stories, the lecture offers a wide-ranging perspective on the past and present of the Sámi people.
In the award-winning graphic novels When We Were Sámi and Stina's Yoik, we follow Jonsson as he uncovers a previously unknown part of his heritage and begins to come to terms with his Sámi background within the wider context of his own life, the history of northern Sweden, and the nation as a whole. His curiosity gradually gives way to sorrow and anger as he realises that his family's lack of knowledge was the result of a deliberate policy aimed at erasing the Forest Sámi as a distinct cultural group.
When We Were Sámi (2021) is both a compelling family chronicle and an accessible account of the history of the Sámi people in Sweden. Stina's Yoik (2024) presents a moving portrait of Kristina Larsdotter, a young Sámi woman known as the “Giantess of Lapland”, who was exhibited across Europe during the nineteenth century.
Free admission, no pre-booking requied.
Tea and coffee will be served. For those who enjoy keeping their hands occupied while listening, we’ve asked Mats to create a simple activity to accompany the lecture.
The lecture is held in Swedish.
About the Lecturer
Mats Jonsson
Mats Jonsson was born in 1973 and grew up in Kramfors. He has portrayed his life in eight critically acclaimed graphic novels, and also writes children's books, including “Blood in the Gravel”, about the shootings in Ådalen. Jonsson is a regular member of the authors' panel on the Swedish television programme Babel and was a Sommar i P1 presenter in 2021. His ambition is to portray his entire life in graphic novel form.
