The present issue Arctic Studies 4 (which is also Pro Ethnologia 10) contains a digest of reports which were outlined within the annual conference of the Estonian National Museum called "Identity of Arctic Cultures" between the 1315 April 2000. In addition, a few more articles on related themes have been added, the authors of which actually were expected to be involved in the conference. Yet, for different reasons, they could not participate in the conference. The publication of the conference materials will also be continued in the forthcoming issue Arctic Studies 5 (Pro Ethnologia 11).
The conference involved participants, from five countries (namely Finland, Hungary, Norway, Russia and Estonia), all being outstanding researchers. The conference involved miscellaneous subject areas, considering both geographical aspects (e.g. Ainus, North-Siberian peoples, Smi, as well as some other peoples inhabiting the areas near the Arctic regions) and also cultural aspects. The main elements of the Arctic peoples identity were seen as language, sources of livelihood, material cultural heritage, environmental conditions, overall socio-economic situation, contemporary literature tradition, as well as worldview and folk art. The topics also involved descriptions of Arctic cultures on the basis of museum exhibits and other data available in museums, and also the opinions of different researchers about essential aspects of Arctic cultures. Relevant discussions were also provided in the workshop "Changing Ethnic Identities" held within the conference.
Eva Toulouze (Tartu) gives a fascinating overview of the adaptation strategies of the Northern peoples' intellectuals in different decades of the 20th century. Arctic writers, belonging to different generations, chose various ways of survival and answering their aspiration to be a writer in Soviet society.
Kjell Olsen (Alta) examines the language and integration policies of Norway towards the Smis in the 1920th centuries. He also discusses the reaction of Smis to the constantly changing language policy.
In her paper, Helena Ruotsala (Turku) analyses ethnic mobilisation in the Finnish part of Lapland during the 1990s. She considers ethnic origin, language, way of life and folklore, as well as objects of material culture functioning as cultural symbols and self-determination of individuals to he the main factors determining ethnic identity of Smis. Ruotsala examines aspects of ethnic identity in one of the ethnic contact areas in Lapland.
Jukka Pennanen (Oulu) analyses women's role in the Kultima Smi community. Pennanen's case study is part of the Finnish-American research project "Gender Dynamics and Subsistence Systems in Circumpolar Societies". The project attempts to understand how the differences in male and female economic roles are discovered, how they connect with each other and complement each other.
Kirill Istomin (Tartu) looks at a cultural phenomenon that has probably not received the attention it deserves, namely reindeer herding among Izhma Komis. Based on his recent fieldwork material, Istomin gives an overview about current stratification and behavioural strategies of the Izhma Komi reindeer herders. He also touches upon an unusual character of gender roles in tundra Komi ethnic groups.
Vladimir Lipin (Syktyvkar) and Art Leete (Tartu), in their research, examine changes in hunter ethics and behavioural strategies of the Komis at the end of the 20th century. The article is just a short introduction to the topic that should definitely be deliberated upon more in the future.
Finally, a text of the workshop "Changing Ethnic Identities" held on the last day of the conference is provided here. The workshop was based on two articles. Firstly, Liivo Niglas (Tartu) in his paper presents his conception about reindeer as being a basic factor, a key symbol of the tundra Nenets worldview. Secondly, Marjut Huuskonen (Turku) compares in her research different wind descriptions related to the Smi identity.
The board wants to thank the Finnish Institute in Estonia, Tartu Branch Office, as well as the Tartu NEFA group and The Estonian Cultural Endowment, being the groups which supported the conference. Also, the conference was part of the grant 3134, noted as "Identity of Arctic Cultures" of the Estonian Science Foundation. The organising committee and editorial board are grateful to everybody who helped to organise the conference and the publishing of this issue.
