It was in mid-September that representatives of the Sami Parliament, the Swedish Church's Sami council, the Lycksele joint association and the Southern Lapland pastorate met at Berglunda forest cemetery just outside Lycksele to discuss a suitable place for a new Sami funeral and reburial site, writes Oddasat. Of the three proposals submitted by the Swedish Church, an untouched site was chosen with a view of the Ume River.

- We chose the place because it is beautifully located towards the river and it is a natural place, says Ingrid No Sami politician and chair of the Swedish Church's Sami council.

In the ongoing repatriation work, the Sami Parliament has submitted a case to Southern Lapland's pastorate on burial of an unburied human remains. There is also knowledge about additional remains from the Lycksele area.

New grave site

It was on the Indigenous Day of August 9, 2019, that the largest repatriation of human remains to date in Sweden was carried out at the old burial ground at Öhn in Lycksele. Since the site is an ancient memorial, a new burial site needs to be available for new return.

- We know it will happen at this location. The question is only when it will happen, says Olle Thoors, an informant at South Lapland's pastorate.

He also tells us that a final report of the previous repatriation is in progress and it is hoped that it will be a good tool for future repatriation processes.

- So far, there is no timetable for when the funeral can take place. But there is hope that it will happen on Indigenous Day in autumn 2020, says Ingrid Inga.