Fri Dec 19 05:15:40 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the text:
Sami Reindeer Herder Battles Wind Farms Threatening Indigenous Way of Life in Norway
Tana, Norway – Ellinor Guttorm Utsi, a Sami reindeer herder from northern Norway, is locked in a battle against the Norwegian government’s plans to construct hundreds of wind turbines on traditional Sami grazing lands. Utsi and her community fear the projects will devastate reindeer migration routes, harm delicate ecosystems, and ultimately destroy their centuries-old Indigenous way of life.
For generations, Utsi’s family has herded reindeer, a practice deeply intertwined with Sami culture and identity. “It is not just our livelihood, but an integral part of Sami culture,” Utsi explains. “a way of life built on respect for nature, community and continuity.” However, the proposed wind farms, slated for construction in Corgas, will disrupt crucial summer grazing areas and sever migration routes.
Utsi notes that “We know what wind turbines do to reindeer. The animals avoid the areas entirely. If these projects go ahead, the land will become unusable.”
The struggle is particularly painful for Utsi and other Sami due to Norway’s historical policies aimed at assimilating the Sami people. Past generations were forbidden from speaking their language or practicing their cultural traditions. While those policies have been officially abandoned, Utsi argues that the government’s disregard for Sami land rights echoes this painful past.
“We were forced to speak the national language instead of our own. We were not allowed to speak Sami in school or sing Sami songs,” Utsi recalls. “These policies were designed to erase us, and they left deep scars that remain today.”
Utsi highlights the irony of the situation, pointing out that Norway already produces abundant electricity and questions the environmental justification for sacrificing Sami land. She explains that “We are told this is about green energy and the future. But at what cost, and to whom? Norway already has abundant electricity.” She further states that Sami people are already experiencing the impacts of climate change on reindeer herding and need these lands to survive.
Despite tireless efforts to engage with energy companies and government officials, Utsi feels unheard. She participates in protests and continues to advocate for the protection of Sami land rights. She has explained repeatedly to authorities what the ramifications of such a construction would mean but feels as though those choices are already decided.
Utsi’s fight has garnered support from Amnesty International, which has recognized her struggle as part of its Write for Rights campaign. She hopes their involvement will raise awareness of the plight of the Sami and pressure the Norwegian government to reconsider its plans.
“I will not stop,” she vows. “I cannot sit back and watch our land be taken. As long as I have the strength to fight, I will.”
First Piper 