Afanasyeva, A. Forced relocations of the Kola Sámi people: background and consequences / by Anna Afanasyeva. - Tromsø: University of Tromsø, 2013. - 82 p.: ill., map, portr.

34 The relocation of the two studied settlements Varzino and Jokanga were a result of these introduced economic policies. The situation of Voron’e occupies a peculiar position among the other settlements as the elimination of this village was implemented in connection with building the hydroelectric power station. The territory of the village and pasturing territories were flooded under water in 1964 by the authorities. Additionally, in contrast to the two previous settlements, situated on the Northeastern part of the Kola Peninsula, Voron’e was located in the Northwestern part of the Peninsula. The Eastern part is characterized by closed military areas with restricted entrance rules, 115 which complicated the access of the Sámi people from these areas to natural resources after the relocations. The Western part in its turn traces the involvement of industrial practiced, which hindered the access of indigenous peoples to these territories after the relocations as they were submerged under water. 3.5 Conclusion The relocations gradually started from the 1930’s -1940’s, with the implementation of collectivization programs. The process was quite heterogeneous in reference to all the Sámi groups of the Kola Peninsula. The smallest Sámi settlements were already closing in the 1930’s, while some of the bigger villages were rearranged decades later in the 1950’s -1970’s. The structure of relocations can be indicated with two waves or stages, aligned with the mentioned policies: the policy of collectivization in the 1930’s -1940’s and the 1950’s-1970’s policy of economic centralization and amalgamation of collective farms. During the first stage of relocations the Sámi winter settlements were eliminated in attempt to make a shift from semi-sedentary to sedentary way of life. The first collective farms were established in the summer settlements, where the Sámi settled on a sedentary basis within their traditional resource territories. When the policy of amalgamation was carried out in the 1950’s-1970’s the Sámi were already accustomed to sedentary life in summer settlements. The policy presupposed liquidation of the small collective farms as well as the summer settlements they were located in, causing change in the settlements’ geographical distribution and displacement from traditional territories, influencing daily living conditions, cultural and language environment. 115 Wheelersburg, Gutsol 2008: 5.