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Historic Repatriation: German Museum Returns Sacred Drum to Norway's Sámi People
In November 2023, a sacred Sámi ceremonial drum was reunited with the indigenous people in Norway's South Sámi region. The event marked 300 years since the drum was taken by force from its shaman owners during a campaign to convert the Sámi to Christianity.[1]
The Sámi community and the Norwegian government extend heartfelt gratitude to the Meininger Museen, the Kulturstiftung Meiningen-Eisenach, and German authorities for their role in repatriating this precious ceremonial drum. This first repatriation of a Sámi object from outside Scandinavia makes an important milestone for the Sámi people. The drum's return aligns with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the ILO 169 Convention, and related UN and UNESCO resolutions advocating the restitution of indigenous ceremonial items and human remains.
The drum, known as the Frøyningsfjell or the Folldal drum, is exceptionally rare and holds profound significance for the Sámi people. It is among the most well-preserved drums, with a fully documented history and a detailed chart explaining its symbolic engravings. Seized in 1723 while Norway was under Danish rule, the drum was brought to the Danish King in Copenhagen. It was later given as a wedding gift to a German relative, eventually finding its way to Schloss Elisabethenburg and the Meininger Museen in Thüringen, where it was meticulously preserved for 267 years.
Thanks to the good will and cooperation of the Meininger Museen, the Kulturstiftung Meiningen-Eisenach, and German authorities, the drum now resides at the Samien Sijte Museum at Snåsa, Norway, where it is displayed as the centrepiece of the museum's permanent exhibition.
[1] In Sámi religion drums were believed to be powerful tools for connecting with nature's spirits and navigating life's challenges. Among the majority society there were beliefs that drums could be used for sorcery and witchcraft. The shaman, before being executed, was compelled to explain the drum’s inscriptions - a valuable source for today's cultural scholars and historians.
