Educational leadership in Indigenous sites: rethinking knowledge, reconciliation and schooling in Saepmie

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Abstract

This article explores the role of educational leadership in supporting non-Sámi pupils’ access to Sámi knowledge in schools across Saepmie[1]. Drawing on a review of recent research from Norway, Sweden and Finland, the article examines how educational leadership is represented through three interconnected arenas: policy, professional preparation and teaching practice. The findings reveal a persistent gap between policy ambitions and everyday educational realities, with Sámi perspectives often remaining marginal, symbolic or dependent on individual initiative. The review also highlights limited preparation among teachers and school leaders to engage meaningfully with Sámi issues. The article argues for a reconciliation-oriented approach to educational leadership that positions Sámi knowledge as a valuable resource for all learners and as an important foundation for recognition, sustainability, democratic participation and more equitable futures in Saepmie.

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Keywords

Sápmi, Saepmie, Sámi, educational leadership, reconciliation

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