Indigenous and Minority Cultural Heritage in the Digital Age: DIGICHer Project Presents Its Results in Inari
Organisers: The National Archives of Finland and the University of Lapland
Location: Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, Menesjärventie 2, 99870 Inari, Finland
Dates: 9–10 November 2026
About the Event
The National Archives of Finland and the University of Lapland will organise an event in Inari on 9-10 November 2026, where the DIGICHer project (Digitisation of Cultural Heritage of Minority Communities for Equity and Renewed Engagement) will present its work on the digitisation of Sámi, Jewish and Ladin cultural heritage.
The digitisation of minority and Indigenous cultural heritage creates new opportunities for research, but it also raises important questions about who decides how heritage materials are used and made accessible.
The aim of the DIGICHer project is to develop guidelines and recommendations for the digital management and use of archives relating to minority cultural heritage. Questions concerning the digitisation of cultural heritage have been explored together with communities through workshops organised, for example, with Sámi participants in Inari, Utsjoki and Sevettijärvi.
We warmly welcome you to hear about the project's results and participate in the discussion on Tuesday, 10 November, from 13:00 to 16:00 at the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, Menesjärventie 2, 99870 Inari, Finland or online.
Programme
Monday, 9 November 2026
Invitation-only session: The event will begin on Monday, 9 November, with an invitation-only session where researchers from the University of Lapland will present the project's key results, as well as recommendations for policymakers and users of cultural heritage materials, to invited stakeholders.
Tuesday, 10 November 2026
Time: 13:00 – 20:00
Details: On Tuesday, the project will be discussed from the perspectives of cultural heritage institutions and minority communities.
Format: Hybrid - on site and via Zoom.
Languages: North Sámi, Finnish and English
Community workshops organised during the project have guided the development of an ethical digitisation framework. The event will present experiences and results gained through collaboration with three different communities. For example, three archival collections relating to Sámi culture were selected from the Sámi Archives of the National Archives of Finland through community workshops and digitised in cooperation with Sámi participants. The event will explore the questions and considerations that emerged during their selection and processing. These collections are:
The archive of the Utsjoki Village Fishing Waters Shareholders' Association
The archive of Inari Sámi word slips compiled by linguist Erkki Itkonen
The archive of anthropologist Tim Ingold's fieldwork in Sevettijärvi
The evening programme (from 5:00 PM onwards, on site only) features the film Talis Mater (2025), which explores Ladin culture (directed by Marco Rossetti; produced by the Ladin Cultural Institute Majon di Fascegn and Rai Trento), followed by a performance by Inari Sámi livđe artist Anna Morottaja.
Highlights & Performances
Musical Performance: A performance by Inari Sámi musician Anna Morottaja
Film Screening: A screening of the film Talis Mater (2025; directed by Marco Rossetti; produced by the Ladin Cultural Institute "Majon di Fascegn" in collaboration with Rai Trento), which explores Ladin culture.
Sign up here: https://link.webropolsurveys.com/EP/1A6841BE3350AC7B