Ethnic identity in aboriginal Sami adolescents: the impact of the family and the ethnic community context

The influence of parentage and ethnic community context on ethnic self-identification and ethnic attitudes and behaviour were examined in 245 indigenous Sami adolescents in northern Norway. Ethnic identity was strongly related to both parentage and type of ethnic community. Monoethnic adolescents at the coast (with great integration and assimilation) identified themselves mostly as bicultural or Norwegian, but in the highland (with strong ethnic support), they identified strongly as Samis. Adolescents with mixed parentage identified strongly as Norwegian at the coast but mostly as bicultural in the highland. Ethnic behaviour and attitudes were significantly associated with both family and regional context; ethnic self-identification was related to other components of ethnic identity.