Sometimes in life you have to make decisions that are not so pleasant but in time they turn to be good choices and carry you even beyond. I also believe that adversities make you even stronger, teach you a lot and makes the purpose of your actions complete. With these words I am happy to join the Sustainable Development Research Group.

 I have started my career at the Arctic Centre already 15 years ago. In my research I have especially concentrated on Sámi and indigenous peoples’ rights, land use and identity questions. My approach is interdisciplinary using the methods of international relations and international law. I defended my PhD on ILO Convention No. 169 concerning the rights of indigenous peoples on February 2012. These themes are very contemporary also at the moment and they are lively discussed for example in the media. During this winter, my expertise has been used several times by the different Committees and Ministerial Working Group of the Finnish Parliament.

At the moment I am running three own projects, a MAKERA-funded project (2012-2015) on reindeer herding, other land use means in Lapland and ILO 169. In this project I have also had the possibility to hire a research assistant PhD student Laura Olsén. After the project she will continue at the Arctic Centre as a visiting researcher and will join the KEKE team also!

Another project is called OLAUS SIRMA ( 2015- ) which is a multidisciplinary and comparative research project within the boundaries of contemporary Sámi rights, culture and identity. The research project aims at cover a considerable gap in knowledge in the research area of the Forest Sámi, a people living inside and outside the current Sámi Homeland area in Northern Finland. We are organizing an interesting seminar in the honour of Olaus Sirma on June 8th-9th in Pelkosenniemi. Olaus Sirma was a Sámi priest and a poet (ca. 1655 Orajärvi, Sodankylä – 1719 Enontekiö). He was the first Sámi who got university education.

My third project is called NUORGÁV and it is a joint Nordic project about Sámi Youth and Children (2015-2017) touching about urban Sámi youth and their identity.

Along with these project leaderships I am for example a board member of the Arctic Centre Board, board member of the Graduate School Changing communities and Work and have also been actively involved with Sámi research and education working group at the University.

In my private life I am a mother of four children, 11 year old twins, 7 year old girl and almost 2 year old “baby-girl”. We live in Raanujärvi, about 60 km from Rovaniemi where we have a reindeer herding farm and work that is very practical oriented. I have also some political positions of trust at the municipal of Ylitornio where I am the Chairman of the Educational Board. This means that I am also represented for example in Lapin liitto (MYR). When ever I have spare time, I like running and cycling.

 Looking forward to cooperate with you! - Tanja -

Text and photos: Tanja Joona