DeanuInstituhtta is a knowledge centre for salmon fishing and for the river-based Sámi culture of the region. The institute conducts research and documentation within the field of traditional knowledge, with specific emphasis on the Tana River and the Tanafiord area. Local knowledge pertaining to reindeer herding and traditional livelihoods of the region is another field of interest for Deanu instituhtta.
DeanuInstituhtta is organized as a foundation owned by local salmon fishing and reindeer herding associations in addition to a publisher and a documentation company. The organisation has a council of five persons. The idea is that the institute will develop projects in collaboration with relevant institutions and research environments for the benefit of the region and its inhabitants. Locally this will be with the Joddu project of Deanu municipality and on a national level with The Wild Salmon Center in Norway.
The Deatnu / Tana watercourse covers three Sámi municipalities: Deatnu/Tana, Kárášjohka/Karasjok in Norway, and Ohcejohka/Utsjoki in Finland. All together there are close to seven thousand inhabitants in the region, which makes up the biggest continuous Sámi settlement area in the world. Most of the people in the region are Sámi themselves or Sámi descendants.
The board:
Harald Gaski
Chair of the board (professor in Sámi culture and literature)
Hartvik Hansen
Deatnu waterways salmon fishing association
John Trygve Solbakk
ČálliidLágádus
Máret Elle Varsi Kemi
Reindeer district No.9, Čorgaš – Deatnu
Mihkku Solbakk
Noras ANS
Owners:
Deatnu waterways salmon fishing association
Noras ltd.
Reindeer district No.9, Čorgaš – Deatnu
ČálliidLágádus/Authors’Publisher Ltd.