The Biebmolassi project rests on three overarching research questions, each addressed through three work packages:
1. How can the vitalization of Sámi food traditions facilitate reconciliation and cultural resilience in the Sallto and Stuornjárga regions? (WP1)
2. What are the components and characteristics of local Sámi food systems in the study regions, considering the diversity of ecological and social contexts? (WP2)
3. How can the documentation and dissemination of Indigenous food knowledge contribute to sustainable food practices and influence policy frameworks for reconciliation? (WP1, WP2, and WP3).
Biebmolassi is a transdisciplinary project focused on Sámi food systems, utilizing ethnographic research methods like interviews and participatory workshops. It emphasizes the role of elderly Sámi knowledge holders and the concept of árbediehtu, or ‘inherited knowledge,’ which encompasses both theoretical and practical skills passed down through generations (Porsanger and Guttorm 2011). Biebmolassi explores Sámi food systems, rooted in cultural values such as flexibility and sustainability, encapsulated in the concept of birgen. This involves balancing the natural environment with societal needs, addressing physical, mental, and social health (Porsanger and Guttorm 2011, Henriksen and Hydle 2018, Hydle and Henriksen 2022). The project investigates the links between historical disruptions and cultural continuity in food traditions, aiming to foster Sámi entrepreneurship through a collaborative foodscape mapping approach.
Biebmolassi involves participatory workshops and food arenas to explore traditional practices, with a particular focus on meat, fish and other local resources. The project aims to document and describe local Sámi food systems in Stuornjárga and Sallto through collaboration with Várdobáiki and Salten Mat. It leverages previous and existing research, along with datasets and literature from WP2, to document these food systems. In its second phase, the project will co-create spaces for intergenerational knowledge transfer in close collaboration with local schools and museums, identify potential food products, and address development challenges. Additionally, it will utilize food based on the techniques from WP2 within local food arenas. Collaboration with educational projects will increase awareness, and secure intergenerational knowledge transfer, enhancing local food system development. The Nordland Research Institute, through partnerships and projects like FoodCoast (295004) and INDHOME (324598), supports this approach in Sallto, leveraging local expertise and networks.