On 20^th of August MÁHTUT organized a project campfire wrap-up event on the shore of Lake Ounasjärvi, near the village of Hetta. The day consisted of the inauguration of the traditional guollegámmi, built in Tervaniemi using traditional methods as part of the project, and discussion in a lávvu with every partner institute sharing their project activities, results, challenges and ideas. This blogpost summarizes the day with photos taken by Ørjan Marakatt Bertelsen.

The day began with an opening ceremony by the guollegámmi at Tervaniemi Beach and the gámmi makers Antti Palojärvi, Marina Falevitch and Arto Saijets shared how the gámmi came to be. The participants explored, discussed and asked questions about the building process. After the opening ceremony the participants had lunch in the lávvu by the Ounasjärvi Lake. In the afternoon Project Planner Eleonora Alariesto facilitated a discussion and the Arctic University of Tromso, Várdduo of Umeå University, Sámi Education Institute and University of Lapland presented project and workshop results by the fire while enjoying coffee.

Professor Camilla Brattland from the Arctic University Museum of Tromso shared the journey of guohppármalis and how the cod roe dumpling soup workshop was organized in collaboration with the Centre for Northern Peoples and Olmmáivággi skuvla (Manndalen school). After her presentation Camilla passed around a booklet focusing on the process of collaboration. Project Planner Marja Labba continued after Camilla and talked about the herb workshop Várdduo had organized. Marja also passed around delicacies made from birch sap, angelica and bilberry. After a break and enjoying fresh air Project Planner Eleonora Alariesto from University of Lapland presented the Skolt Sámi Community Day, Cultural Heritage Repatriation Roundtable Discussion and the Cumulative Effects of Land-use Workshops in Inari, and the Sámi Circular Economy Report, which is going to be published later this fall in the digital portal of UoL. Post-doctoral researcher Saara Alakorva from the University of Lapland also presented “Rivttes vuohki, Olmâ vyehi, Õlmmvueʹǩǩ – The Right Way : Ethical Guidelines based on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity for negotiations and cooperation with reindeer herders in Sámi reindeer herding cooperatives” by Leena Hansen, Saara Alakorva and Tiina Sanila, and explained the process behind writing the guidelines, such as organizing a workshop with Sámi Reindeer Herding Association in Levi in 2025. The day wrapped up with Project Coordinator Mika Aromäki’s presentation about the multiple workshops of Sámi Education Institute, such as the fish container and pinebark workshops, which took place in Lycksele in 2025 and will have a continuation later this year.

The lávvu wrap-up was relaxed, and the discussion remained open and all the participants also from outside the partners institute joined in the dialogue. The event ended with a project dinner at the Lapland Hotels Hetta and project team members had a breakfast meeting about future plans before heading back home. The wrap-up event was the perfect opportunity to get together and share each institute’s journey in the project over the past years. Sharing by the fire was enjoyable and everyone was happy to share and discuss the key learning from the project activities, which will be shared in the final report of the MÁHTUT Project.

Thank you, olu giitu everyone for a wonderful day by the lake, and a special thanks to Ørjan Marakatt Bertelsen for the wonderful pictures!

Eleonora Alariesto

Project Planner

University of Lapland