Giellagas Institute marks its anniversary year with a year-long public lecture series
Founded in 2001, the mission of the Giellagas Institute is research and teaching related to Sámi languages, history, society, and cultural phenomena. The Institute has national responsibility for the highest-level teaching and research in Sámi languages and Sámi culture in Finland.
The Institute’s research and education are unique both nationally and internationally. “The Giellagas Institute provides an important gateway to Sámi culture and offers an Indigenous perspective on the history and present-day realities of the North Calotte. It is a significant part of the University of Oulu,” says Director Sigga-Marja Magga.
Teaching of the Sámi language at the University of Oulu began in 1970 within the Department of Finnish. Since 2004, the Giellagas Institute has operated as an independent unit within the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Oulu. Today, the main subjects in Sámi languages are North Sámi, Inari Sámi, and Skolt Sámi. The Institute employs 20 staff members and has approximately 70 students. The Sámi language professorship is held by Ante Aikio.
The Institute maintains the Sámi Cultural Archive, which contains a significant collection of materials related to Sámi languages and culture.
Sámi culture highlighted throughout the year
The anniversary seminar will be held on 11 February at the University of Oulu. At the event, among others, University Lecturer Emerita and former Director of the Institute Anni-Siiri Länsman, as well as Professor Emeritus Veli-Pekka Lehtola, will speak about the founding of the Giellagas Institute and its history. Historian Ystäväin Liitto (the Society of Friends of History) recently awarded Lehtola’s book Kenen ääni, kenen maa (Whose Voice, Whose Land) as the History Book of the Year 2025. The book will be presented at the seminar.
At the seminar, Assistant Professor Marko Jouste and dance anthropologist Petri Hoppu will present their research on Skolt Sámi dance and launch their book Skolt Sámi Dance. The anniversary seminar at the University of Oulu can also be followed online.
The GieKu student organisation will host the Sámefeasta on 12 February.
A Sámi-language anniversary seminar, Giđđafeasta, will be held on 17 April. On that event, an illustrated comic anthology by artist Alrik Palto, based on old North Sámi horror stories and titled Olbmuid rádjái jovden, will be published. In October, Sámi culture and Sámi languages will be featured at the English-language seminar Čakčafeasta – Autumn Fest.
The themes of the year-long public lecture series include Sámi languages, literature, art, and history. Researchers will discuss topics such as Sámi children’s schooling and boarding schools, as well as Sámi livelihoods and duodji, traditional Sámi handicrafts.
Public lectures will be held once a month at the University of Oulu’s Linnanmaa campus and will continue until the end of the year. The lectures are open to everyone and free of charge. Event information will be updated on the University of Oulu’s website.
Oulu is the largest concentration of Sámi population in Finland outside the Sámi Homeland. Oulu is also the European Capital of Culture for 2026, and Sámi culture is strongly represented in the programme for the year. Sámi-related content can be found on the programme website, for example by selecting North Sámi as the performance language.
Sámi National Day is celebrated on 6 February.