Sacred Natural Sites in the Arctic North: Living memory, traditions, cultural heritage and exploitation through tourism and inadequate protection

Abstract

The subject matters of better preservation and thus, protection of sacred sites, is a topic that is brought into focus here because of growing concerns regarding mining, land development and expansion of the travel industry in northern Fennoscandia, which has increased the threats sacred sites face because of fires, camping, rock-climbing and leisure activities, among others. The purpose of the planned research is to expand on such threats through photographic evidence and different narratives that present the value and indeed uniqueness of sacred sites in the Muonio area, which is in western Lapland, Finland.

Keywords

• sacred sites
• appropriation
• cultural heritage
• protection
• sieidi
• tourism