Experiencing the magic? The Saami turf hut as a cradle of stories, myths, and learning: South Saami traditional knowledge in teacher education

Abstract

In this article, we present the background and process of the building of a traditional South Saami derhvie-gåetie (turf hut) on Nord University’s campus in Levanger, Norway. The turf hut project is linked to the university’s teacher education programs in which traditional Saami knowledge is part of the curriculum. In what way can the gåetie be a cradle for ways of knowing, creating, and learning, based on South Saami traditional knowledge? The article is a discussion of the scope and experiences of the turf hut project as land-based experiential learning in an Indigenous knowledge context and how the cooperation with South Saami tradition bearers is paramount for its outcome. As we see it, the project is a step toward the indigenization of the university’s teacher education programs.