ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the complexity of how nature and its resources figure in Sami intangible heritage by means of the story of Anja and her family. The use of intellectual property rights to protect indigenous intangible heritage has been the subject of a long-term debate, first initiated at a time when an intangible heritage convention did not seem to be a future prospect. Sami rights in Norway have been developed through a long and thorough process. There are a number of mechanisms in place to correct for the difference between Sami and the non-Sami Norwegian majority, such as the Cultural Heritage Act or the Reindeer Herding Act. The skills needed to maintain cultural engagements with nature must develop and adapt and, these days, arguably include politics, journalism, law and midwifery. The main challenge for Norwegian intangible cultural management is to bridge the divide between cultural and natural heritage.
