Ságastallamin comes from North Sámi, and it means having a conversation. This exhibition tells the story of the Indigenous languages spoken in the Arctic region, their past, present, and hope for revitalization in the future.
The International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL2022-2032) is an important event which draws attention to the loss of Indigenous languages and the urgent need to preserve and promote them. The International Decade’s focus is on the human rights of Indigenous language users.
There is a great diversity of Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ languages, but historical and present-day marginalization has threatened many languages’ vitality. Today, Indigenous Peoples around the circumpolar Arctic are working to teach and revitalize their languages.
Indigenous languages support traditional livelihoods and life ways that contribute to Indigenous Peoples’ health, cultural vitality and overall well-being.
Arctic Indigenous languages vary in levels of vitality. Some Arctic Indigenous languages are withering away as their last native speakers age, while others are spoken on the radio and taught at universities.
All language rights today are the result of Indigenous communities’ hard work to sustain their languages, cultures, and identities. As the world begins to recognize the importance of Indigenous languages, opportunities for language revitalization are becoming a reality.
