ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the position of the Sámi both inside and outside Finnishness during the years 1965–1980, the rise of the Sámi Renaissance and new, more radical Sámi identity politics. The Sámi in Finland were often represented in media discourse as part of the Finnish society and Finnishness, “our minority”. This common imagery was present for example when tourists were attracted to Finland and provided a representation of “genuine Finland”. At the same time, the Sámi were also considered as very different from the Finns: the Other, a strange and exotic tribe. Even today they are rarely acknowledged in debates around multiculturalism in Finnish media. Using newspaper and other media data, the chapter seeks to uncover how and why the Sámi were never really seen as disturbing the image of Finnish homogeneity.
