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During a period of "Norwegianization" – an official policy of assimilation that lasted for about 100 years starting around 1850 – many minorities in the country were forbidden to own land or businesses unless they could speak and write Norwegian. Children were prohibited from speaking their mother tongues in schools. During this period of oppression, many Kven lost their culture and language.

There's some dispute as to what the Kven, also known as Kainu, are but speaking to Terje Aronsen at the Kven Institute, I discovered that, as a people, they've probably existed for hundreds of years.

Aronsen, by the way, has been a long time Kven rights campaigner and created the first Kven organization in Børselv back in 1984. Three years later, the Norwegian Kven Organization was founded and in 1998, Kvens were finally granted official minority status in Norway.

Kvens exist in Norway, Finland, Sweden, parts of Russia and Estonia. They are linked by language but separated by national borders. There's been a political movement to lump the Kvens with the Finns in Norway – inferring that they are simply Finnish migrants. This makes Aronsen angry.

"I have no feeling for the Finnish. It is not my history. Their history is recent, ours is completely different."

While at the first ever Kven culture festival in Børselv – which opened Norway's first Kven Culture Centre in April 2007 – I discovered more than I could have ever imagined.

The years of oppression have left a generation of Kven bitter. Older Kven are often reluctant to divulge the discrimination they felt or discuss their sense of being cast as second-class citizens. Younger Kven don’t realize the rich history of their heritage.

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Originally posted by martin dufresne:
Actually, common cause between the various Nordic peoples - a process already underway, despite the tight control of Southern governments - is an issue that could become crucial with the horrible consequences for local inhabitants of global warming and the rush for petroleum and gas reserves in the Arctic. Thanks for posting this, Michelle.

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There are interesting parallels between FN culture and history here and Saami culture and history in Scandinavia. (Yeah, I know, Saami and Kven are different people!)

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Originally posted by Le Téléspectateur:

You mean a culture and history of resisting colonialism?

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Yeah. And a history of attempted cultural extermination on the other side.

ETA: Also, some cultural things. Tents, music, etc. Sense of humour, too, I sometimes think!

[ 21 August 2008: Message edited by: RosaL ]

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ETA: Also, some cultural things. Tents, music, etc. Sense of humour, too, I sometimes think!

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Lots of cultural things, for one, I immediately thought of the Riddu Riddu festival in Norway (I think its been mentioned on babble before?); I'd love to attend some day.