In February 2023, the National Museums of World Culture transferred ownership of 476 objects from the collections of the Museum of Ethnography, as well as one object from the collections of the Museum of World Culture, to Ájtte, the Swedish Mountain and Sámi Museum in Jokkmokk. Most of the objects had already been on long-term loan to Ájtte since 1988, when the museum was founded – and had been regularly used in the museum’s activities.
In May 2025, the National Museums of World Culture decided to transfer an additional 64 objects originating from Sápmi to Ájtte and to transport them to Jokkmokk. These objects belonged to the same collections as those transferred in 2023. For unknown reasons, however, they had remained at the Museum of Ethnography when the decision on deposit was made in the 1980s.
Both transfers were carried out in accordance with Section 10 of the Museums Act (2017:563) and the Regulation on the Disposal of Objects by State Museums (2017:564). The regulation, which allows state museums to “transfer museum objects as gifts to other museums within the public museum sector,” aims to promote the active management of state museum collections. The National Museums of World Culture consider that these transfers have enabled much more active stewardship of the objects concerned. The objects are now placed in a context where the Indigenous Sámi people are deemed to have greater access to them, even though Sámi naturally live throughout Sweden. Ájtte can to a greater extent develop knowledge about them and make them available for research and education, not least for students at the renowned handicraft programs at the Sámi Education Center in Jokkmokk.
The objects are important sources of knowledge for us Sámi; they are ties to our ancestors, says Elisabeth Pirak Kuoljok, Director of Ájtte. In the objects – duodji – our Sámi history is told, as they were used in daily life.
The National Museums of World Culture continue to manage cultural objects from different parts of Sápmi in the collections of the Museum of Ethnography and the Museum of World Culture, which are not part of the transferred collections. These objects are left to future decisions and dialogues, possibly with other parties. The authority has so far not received any claims for transfer or restitution from any other Sámi party or institution regarding the remaining collections. The authority is well aware that there are more stakeholders in Sápmi who may have an interest in the collections it manages.
