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.

35 4 The Kola Sámi and the implementation of relocation policies The previous chapter touched upon the two policies which framed the relocation practices carried out on the Kola Sámi community. The current chapter will provide descriptions and analysis of the three case studies on the forced relocations of the Kola Sámis. The focus of analysis will be devoted to the three Sámi settlements mentioned in the first chapter of the thesis: Varzino, Jokanga and Voron’e. Varzino and Jokanga will be discussed in one paragraph due to their similar backgrounds within the relocation policy, and Voron’e will be regarded separately as it was eliminated due to development-induced activity. The main focus of this chapter will concentrate on displacement of these three settlements. Emphasis will be placed on experiences of the community members who have been involved in relocation practices directly or indirectly. 4.1 Relocations of the three studied Kola Sámi settlements During my fieldwork I interviewed approximately three informants per one settlement or study area. Two informants from Varzino were born in its summer settlement in times of the collectivization policies. The third, and oldest informant was born in the winter settlement before the implementation of collectivization policy and displacement to the summer settlement. These informants represent the last generation of the Varzino community. The other members have already passed away. 116 The two informants from Jokanga represent the last generation who have been directly involved in the relocation processes. I conducted interviews with three informants born in Voron’e. These interviews represent the most sensitive data I have gained in the course of the fieldwork, perhaps due to the peculiarity of the situation connected with restricted land access issue because the village was flooded in result of the hydropower construction. The village was flooded in 1964 according to administrative decision of the Murmansk Regional Executive Committee. The situations of the relocations themselves were different from the point of view of the informants. Though most of the informants stated that relocation measures were highly unnecessary and undesirable, Informant A expressed a different opinion: can you imagine how hard is to be nomadic? It is a hard life to move around. Here you have electricity, you don’t have to bring water, and you have hot and cold water. It was 116 Informant C, Informant B.