– This is not a fight just for me. It is a fight I undertake for many others, says Borch.
– It has been a struggle between Norwegians and Sámi, but it has also become internal within Sámi communities, says Borch.
– I believe we need to confront this. The feeling of being Sámi and promoting the culture and identity that was encouraged in 2013 is now being challenged by certain groups.
Borch did not want to give an interview with NRK before they published an article about her being reported to the Sámi Parliament, but she responded briefly in an email.
– I responded to NRK on Sunday evening before they were to publish this case. But then something snapped in me, as we say in good northern Norwegian. This is not just a fight for me; it is a fight for very, very many, says Borch on Debatten.
She believes she has been scrutinized because she is a public figure.
– This is quite concerning from NRK. What one acknowledges here is that I have been examined because I am a public person. I have chosen to be a public figure, but my family should not be subjected to the scrutiny that NRK has initiated. I believe many can relate to that, says Borch.
– The Norwegians’ assimilation that we have experienced means that very many of us cannot show relatives who are Sámi. Many have taken active steps to, for example, remove themselves from church records.
Director of NRK Sápmi, Johan A
Confirms that she cannot show all criteria
Director of NRK Sapmi, Johan Ailo Kalstad, points out that this case is part of a larger issue where they have examined the electoral roll of the Sámi Parliament over several years.
– Two years ago, we uncovered serious weaknesses in the control of the Sámi Parliament. Three out of five who were reported did not meet the criteria, according to the Sámi Parliament. In this context, a “false Sámi” is someone who does not meet the Sámi Parliament’s criteria to be on the electoral roll, he says.
– The objective criteria state that at least one of your great-grandparents must have had Sámi as your home language.
Kalstad believes many misunderstand that the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll is a register of all Sámi people in Norway.
– You can very well be Sámi without being on this roll. I believe there are many Sámi who are not on that roll, he says.
Borch confirms that she has not been able to show that one or more ancestors had Sámi as their home language.
Borch says she complies with the criteria set by the Sámi Parliament.
– I have applied, I have been approved, a complaint was dismissed, and I stand
But she confirms nonetheless that she has not been able to show that one or more ancestors had Sámi as their home language, which is one of the criteria.
– I think the debate becomes foolish by calling people “false Sámi,” she replies.
Complaint was not upheld
In 2013, Sandra Borch was leader of the Centre Youth. She was also on the county council in Troms and was an alternate for the Storting.
That same year, she ran for election to the Sámi Parliament, after registering in the electoral roll.
This caused a reaction from a person in her hometown.
The person filed a formal complaint about her registration with the Sámi Parliament.
Sámi Parliament
Foto: Benjamin Fredriksen / NRK
According to the complainant, neither Borch nor her immediate family had Sámi as their home language. They had also never indicated that they were Sámi.
After Sandra Borch was reported, she was given the opportunity to provide her own explanation of why she qualifies to be on the electoral roll.
In an email to the Sámi Parliament, she wrote the name of a relative, stating that they were Sámi. She further wrote that the other side of the family is also Sámi.
The Sámi Parliament approved this, and the complaint was not upheld.
The Sámi Parliament has become an important voice in many matters since its opening in 1989. The Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll is currently experiencing strong growth, and NRK has been investigating how the Sámi Parliament checks those who register and whether there are individuals on the electoral roll who do not meet the criteria to be there.
An electoral roll with incorrect entries can weaken the Sámi Parliament’s legitimacy and support, and thereby undermine the efforts to strengthen Sámi language and culture. An incorrect electoral roll is a threat to Sámi democracy.
To investigate whether the registrations are correct, NRK has chosen to examine complaint cases submitted to the Sámi Parliament during the period 2012–2022.
In ten years, there were two complaints regarding a total of five individuals. The first complaint case was reported by NRK in December 2022. At that time we revealed several Progress Party politicians who had registered in the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll without being Sámi.
Sandra Borch is part of the second complaint case that NRK is now reporting.
Sandra Borch is a member of the Storting who helps enact laws in Norway. Her societal role thus has relevance to the issues being addressed. She also ran for election to the Sámi Parliament in 2013, 2017, and the last election in 2021.
NRK does not question whether Sandra Borch is Sámi or not. Her Sámi identity is personal, and she has every right to embrace her Sámi heritage.
NRK’s investigations are solely focused on whether she meets the criteria to be on the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll.
There are two criteria that both must be fulfilled to be able to be on the Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll. Registration there will grant you the right to both vote and stand for election to the Sámi Parliament.
The first is a subjective criterion where the person must declare that they perceive themselves as Sámi.
The second is an objective criterion where the individual must be the child of someone on the electoral roll or have at least one parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who has had Sámi as their home language.
NRK’s previous investigations have shown that registrations with the Sámi Parliament are checked to varying degrees. Not until 2023 did the Sámi Parliament require that all applications include documentation of the language criterion to be able to register on the electoral roll.
After NRK’s disclosures in 2022, the Sámi Parliament initiated investigations of the electoral roll which could result in individuals who are incorrectly registered being removed from the electoral roll. This has never happened before.
Neither the Sámi Parliament nor Sandra Borch has informed NRK who in her family is identified as Sámi. When NRK then conducts its own investigations and finds no one meeting the given criteria, we believe it provides grounds for publication.
Sources
To investigate whether a person meets the objective criteria for Sámi language, genealogy research is a central method. Key sources are census records and church books. These are sources available to everyone and are also used by the Sámi Parliament when they check registrations. NRK has used two different genealogists who have both reached the same conclusion.
Vulnerable topic
The Sámi Parliament’s electoral roll is not a list of everyone who is Sámi in Norway but who has the right to vote and stand for election to the Sámi Parliament – according to certain established criteria.
NRK is fully aware that Sámi identity is sensitive for many after the assimilation policies implemented in Norway. Precisely for this reason, we have chosen to focus our investigations on the complaint cases that already exist.
Our goal with the examination of the electoral roll is to strengthen and develop Sámi democracy, not to cast doubt on people’s Sámi identity.
Sandra Borch in her Sámi outfit for the first time on the Sámi National Day in 2015.
Borch then ran for election in three periods for the Centre Party in the Gáisi electoral constituency, aiming to become a representative in the Sámi Parliament.
She first stood as number six on the list in 2013, then as number three in 2017, and as number eight on the list at the most recent election in 2021.
In NRK’s case, published earlier this week, two genealogists examined Borch’s Sámi roots and found that she does not qualify for the objective requirement to be on the electoral roll.
However, the day before publication, she posted a statement on Facebook stating that her Sámi affiliation is a central part of her identity and that she wants to contribute to Sámi societal development.
Sandra Borch grew up in Lavangen in southern Troms. The municipality, which has just under 1000 inhabitants, is part of the management area for S
Published
07.11.2024, 20:21
Updated
07.11.2024, 23:12
Ely how one defines Sámi identity can vary and is often subject to personal, cultural, and familial interpretations. The Sámi Parliament aims to provide a structured means of representation for those who meet specific criteria, but this system also raises important questions about identity, legitimacy, and inclusivity.
The issues surrounding the electoral roll highlight a critical discourse about who gets to claim Sámi identity and the implications of that claim. The fact that the Sámi Parliament has begun investigating its electoral roll signals a proactive approach to maintaining the integrity of Sámi representation. It is crucial, however, that such investigations balance the need for correct representation with respect for individual identity claims.
While the case of Sandra Borch has garnered significant attention, it underscores a broader conversation about Sámi identity in Norway today. Many people may feel connected to Sámi heritage through familial ties or cultural practices, but the parameters for political representation are specifically defined, which can create friction between personal identity and formal criteria.
This situation exemplifies the tension between objective measures of identity—such as language and lineage—and subjective self-identification in a heritage-rich community. The Sámi Parliament’s approach may evolve as these discussions continue, reflecting a need for inclusivity while also upholding established criteria that ensure only those who meet specific confirmable connections to Sámi culture are allowed to influence its political landscape.
In light of these complexities, it is essential to engage in open dialogues that not only affirm personal narratives of identity but also seek to honor the community’s political and cultural frameworks. Understanding the nuances of Sámi identity will help navigate the discussions surrounding political representation, legitimacy, and cultural preservation in contemporary Norway.