Guovdageaidnu Kautokeino

Guovdageainnu Kautokeino is a municipality in the county of Finnmark, Norway. The administration is located in the township of Kautokeino (Guovdageaidnu in Sámi, Koutokeino in Finnish).

Kautokeino is probably the cultural center of Northern Sápmi today. The most significant industries in Kautokeino are reindeer herding, theatre/movie industry, and the public education system.

1 The name
2 Coat-of-arms
3 Geography
4 Birdlife
5 Climate
6 Institution
7 Cultural events
8 Notable people from Kautokeino
9 External links

[edit] The name

Kautokeino is a Norwegianized form of the Sámi name Guovdageaidnu. The first element is guovda 'middle; half', the last element is geaidnu 'road'. Combined it means 'half way', as the location is half way between two traditional migrating points. It's also the geographic centre of Northern Sápmi, and is therefore historically the meeting point of the Sámi.

[edit] Coat-of-arms

The coat-of-arms is from modern times (1987). It shows a lavvu.

[edit] Geography

Kautokeino is the southernmost municipality of Finnmark and shares border with Alta, Norway to the north, Karasjok to the east, Nordreisa and Kvænangen in Troms county to the west, and Enontekiö in Finland to the south.

At 9704 km², it is the largest municipality in Norway. A total of approximately 10000 lakes cover 640 km². Gender ratio amounts to 86 women for every 100 men. More than 50% of the population is less than 30 years old.

The Kautokeino River runs from a lake at the Finnish border, north through the townships of Kautokeino and Máze before it leaves into Alta municipality and changes name to Altaelva. The river is collectively known as the Kautokeino/Alta-vassdraget and was the site of a major political controversy in the late 1970s and early 80s.

[edit] Birdlife

Lying south in the county, and bordering with Finland, Kautokeino has a very interesting birdlife. There are virtually thousands of lakes in the municipality, and these combined with the Alta waterway system provide habitats for a whole host of wetland species. Whooper Swan can sometimes be found while Spotted Redshank are not uncommon. Check Bird Watching In Norway- Kautokeino for more information.

[edit] Climate

Kautokeino is located in the Arctic highlands of Northern Norway. During five weeks of summer, the sun doesn't set, and during six weeks of winter, the sun doesn't rise.

Average precipitation is 360 mm/year, which is one of the lowest precipitation in the country. It is also claimed that this is comparable to parts of the Sahara desert, with the major difference being that with the lower temperatures and greater vegetation, Kautokeino doesn't dry up as fast.

During summer, temperatures typically range between 18 and 28 °C. While this is nice for humans, the temperature, combined with 10000 lakes, makes it a haven for mosquitos. Consequently, both humans and reindeer tend to flee to the coast for the summer. Sihcjavri in Kautokeino municipality has recorded the warmest temperature ever in Northern Norway: 34.3°C on June 23 1920.

While winter usually lasts from mid-October till mid-May, the hard winter is only for December-February. During hard winter, temperatures can drop as far as -45 °C (-50 ºF) and beyond. The yearly average temperature over the last 30 years is -2.7 °C.

The dry climate, however, makes the cold temperatures more bearable; -6 °C in Kautokeino feels the same way as +8 °C feels on the coast. The dryness combined with cold also makes Kautokeino a prime spot to watch the Aurora Borealis.

[edit] Institution

Several Sámi institutions are located in Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino, including:

Beaivváš Sámi Theatre. The National Sámi Theatre. As a national stage company, they play a major role in making Sámi history and culture visible.
Sámi Joatkkaskuvla ja Boazodoalloskuvla is the Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School. The high school has emphasis on Sámi, rather than Norwegian culture. Most teachers speak Sámi as their mother tongue allowing for classes to be taught in Sámi. In addition to ordinary courses, students can also study duodji (traditional Sámi crafts) and reindeer herding. In fact, it is the only high school in the world that features a reindeer herding class.
Sámi allaskuvla - the Sámi University College. The College has national responsibility for Sámi higher education, including teacher-, and journalist-training. The college attempts to develop the syllabuses on the basis of Sámi needs, and attempts to develop Sámi as an academic language.
Nordic Sámi Institute. The Nordic Sámi Institute is a Sámi research institution. Research topics include the Sámi language, culture, reindeer husbandry and legal research. The institute published the DIEĐUT magazine.
Sámi giellaraðði - the Sami language board.

The Sámi are also internationally active with regards to indigenous people issues and reindeer husbandry. Therefore, the following institutions are also located in Guovdageaidnu/ Kautokeino:

Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
International Centre For Reindeer Husbandry.

[edit] Cultural events

Kautokeino still functions as the cultural center of Northern Sápmi today. Easter is the traditional time when Sámis gather from all over the place, to participate in weddings, confirmations, and of course, the Sámi Easter Festival. This festival includes concerts, reindeer races, Snowmobile races, ice fishing competitions and the Sámi Melody Grand Prix, a Sámi version of the Eurovision Song Contest.

In June, the annual Kautokeino Walk / Bicycle Ride, has Sámis return to Kautokeino, just to walk a few kilometres, or ride a bicycle for twice the distance.

In August, there is the White Fish festival, as well as the Autumn Festival. The latter is a weekend-long party full of concerts, but also includes Snowmobile races on the river, which, for the record, is NOT frozen in August. If you go too slow or make too sharp a turn, the snowmobile will sink.

[edit] Notable people from Kautokeino

Ole Henrik Magga - the first president of the Norwegian Sámi Parliament and currently the president of the UN permanent forum for indigenous people.
Ingor Ante Ante Mihkkal Gaup - Joiker
Ingor Ánte Áilo Gaup (Iŋgor Ántte Áilu Gaup) - Musician and actor
Niko Valkeäpää - Musician, winner of the Norwegian Spelemannsprisen in 2004. (Originally from Finland, but he lives in Kautokeino.)
Nils Gaup - director who earned an Academy Award Nomination for his movie "The Pathfinder"
Håvard Klemetsen - a nordic combined skier with a gold and bronze team medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.

[edit] External links

Kautokeino Municipality Official Website
Destinasjon Kautokeino Tourist office
Kautokeino.Com is the major online "meeting point" (mostly Norwegian and Sámi)
Sámi Joatkkaskuvla ja Boazodoalloskuvla
Sámi University College
Beaivvas Sámi Teahter

Municipalities of Finnmark
Alta \| Berlevåg \| Båtsfjord \| Gamvik \| Hammerfest \| Hasvik \| Karasjok \| Kautokeino \| Kvalsund \| Lebesby \| Loppa \| Måsøy \| Nesseby \| Nordkapp \| Porsanger \| Sør-Varanger \| Tana \| Vadsø \| Vardø