Gaup

Lena Susanne

Norwegian Sápmi, Norway

E-mail
lena.gaup@same.net

Phone/Mobile
41426180

Educational Background:
Multi-Disciplinary cand. mag. in Humanities and Social Sciences, Sámi language and history plus one-year exchange at the University of Greenland, Institute of Cultural and Social History (2003). 

Master"s of Indigenous Studies Thesis Title:
History of Sámi Reindeer Husbandry in Greenland: The Transmission of Traditional Knowledge from Sámi reindeer Herders to Greenlandic Apprentices.

Thesis Topic/Question:
How did Sámi reindeer husbandry function in the Greenlandic context, in terms of both the cross-cultural and natural environments? How successful was the transmission of traditional knowledge from Sámi reindeer herders to Greenlandic apprentices? Why did reindeer herding not follow the Greenlandic authorities’ intentions and become an important industry for Greenland?

Thesis work funded by a travel grant for Sámi students, Centre for Sámi Studies.

Motivations for applying to the MIS program:
I wanted to have an education with an indigenous perspective where I could learn about international indigenous and Sámi issues within disciplines other than Sámi language. Having studied history at the University of Tromsø, I felt there was a lack of perspective when it came to Sámi and other indigenous issues. After my exchange studies at the University of Greenland, where the focus was very much on Inuit and indigenous issues and methodology, I was happy to see that the University of Tromsø was developing a Master’s of Indigenous Studies program. Also, I liked that the MIS program was interdisciplinary since I already had an interdisciplinary degree.