Contesting Hegemonic Narratives

This article explores how Sámi youth engage with Sámi literature and film as an act of decolonisation and philosophical self-determination; it focuses on their reception of fictional texts and their relationship with truth. Drawing on reviews published in Š Nuoraidmagasiidna, a Sámi youth magazine, this research demonstrates how young reviewers interpret literature as an alternative narrative of truth; it challenges Nordic national regimes of truth and histories of colonialism through the revival of Sámi stories. Using qualitative analysis, this research highlights the pragmatic ways Sámi youth read and evaluate literature, emphasising its role in verifying or falsifying historical and contemporary Sámi realities. The findings suggest that for Nordic countries to achieve meaningful truth and reconciliation, there must be space for ‘gulahallan’, a Sámi term referring to communication and an understanding of Sámi perspectives on truth, particularly those of Sámi youth. These receptions are tools for navigating personal and collective experiences within and beyond colonial structures. This study also proposes a pragmatic educational philosophy of Sámi literature that addresses both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students. By centring Sámi youth voices, this research underscores the decolonial potential of literature to inspire identity formation, foster dialogue and cultivate understanding across cultural divides.