interview by Elin Már Øyen Vister
Beaska Niilas – Duojár, servodat-, kultur- ja giellaberošteaddji. ČSV!
On Twitter: @Beaskan
On the 27th of July, in the heat of the last beams of the evening sun, Elin Már caught up with Beaska Niilas at the Márkomeannu festival (Gállogieddi, Skaanit, Sápmi/Norway)
Elin Már was eager to speak to him about his work for his people, his involvement in Siida Skuvla, Ellos Deatnu and about the escalating Sámi/human rights and land issues/conflicts in Sápmi today and how to show solidarity with Sápmi.
Biog:
Beaska Niilas is a brave Sámi land /water protector, Sámi culture carrier, duojár, actor and NSR politician from the Deatnu area in Sápmi.
He
is known for speaking honest and freely about the dire need of
de-colonization in Sápmi; returning to traditional Sámi ways of
relating to the land and of Sámi self governing and
self-determination.
Beaska Niilas is alsoa podcaster creating the fabulous Super Sápmi podcast together with Áslat Holmberg. They are also both part of Ellos Deatnu and supports the Moratorium project.
He is married to the Yoiker, artist and Sámi culute carrier Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, and together they have two children.
Links:
Super Sápmi podcast:
https://www.instagram.com/siidaskuvla/
Ellos Deatnu
(Long Live Deatnu)
Ellos Deatnu – a self governing civic movement to stand up for Sami rights that have been violated through the Deatnu (Teno) River Fishery Agreement ratified between the colonial national states of Finland and Norway.
You can listen to another podcast here where there is an interview with Áslat Homberg of Ellos Sápmi:
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/indigenous-hour/e/51642738?autoplay=true
Read more about the Ellos Deatnu’s Čearretsuolu island moratorium here: https://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2017/06/saami-indigenous-led-resistance-against.html
Moratorium Office / Moratoriadoaimmahat: http://moratoriadoaimmahat.org/en/moratorium-office/
The Moratorium Office is a decolonial self-determination service. They write “We will help you take control of your land and advise you to the best of our abilities on how to resist colonialist oppression. We offer an easy-to-use moratorium kit and more information at moratoriadoaimmahat.org.!