The Áltá and Deatnu confl icts and the articulations of nature

This chapter introduces two major conflicts over the use of Sámi lands and natural resources. These are the Áltá dam controversy from 1979 through 1982 and the Deatnu fishing dispute that started in 2016 and is still ongoing. The chapter illuminates the complexity of the relationship between Sámi political action and environmentalism. Moreover, the chapter shows how the nature and human-nature relationship was articulated during the conflicts. According to the chapter, during the conflict of Áltá, the nature and Sámi human-nature relationship was most clearly articulated in light of local practical dimensions, i.e. the possibility to use the land on the terms of the Sámi people. At Deatnu, the message was in some ways similar: The protesters claimed self-determination and defended the Sámi livelihoods. However, concurrently, they explicitly emphasized the significance of the holistic and spiritual human-nature relationship.