Elsa Laula Renberg

Elsa Laula Renberg (née Elsa Laula, 29 November 1877 in Storseleby outside Vilhelmina – 22 July 1931 in Brønnøy Municipality) was a Southern Sámi activist and politician. Alongside Torkel Tomasson and Johan Enok Nilsson she established and served as the leader of the first Sámi political organization "Lapparnas Centralförbund". The Swedish policy of "lappskatteland" or "Sámi tax land" taxed Sámi for the land they lived on but did not legally give them the right to own or work on the land. Due to this and other policies such as The Reindeer Gazing Act Elsa's family was prohibited from working the land as they did not own it in the eyes of the government. In July 1899 Elsa's father Lars and brother Matteus tragically drowned days before a court hearing regarding the use of their land. Two days later Elsa Laula Renberg had an audience with King Oscar II representing Sámi from Åsele, Vilhelmina, and Lycksele. She delivered a letter outlining issues such as perceptions of Sámi as beggars and alcoholics with the largest emphasis on the right to land use. Around the same time in August 1904 the first Sámi political organization, "Lapparnas Centralförbund" (Central Association for the Lapps), was established and led by Elsa. The association was short lived and met only once due to lack of funding, however it acted as a catalyst for the growing presence of a Sámi national identity and presence in politics, spawning local associations across Sweden. Nordin writes "The Lapps are doomed to ruin and death. It cannot be helped. But it is the Swedish Authority's duty to make the death as painless as possible.", the responsibility of the colonial state is denied in this case and the settlement of Sámi land is framed as a natural and "inevitable" due to the nature of their lifestyle. The focus on education was likely in resistance to the Havika Sámi School, a private boarding school which prohibited Sámi language and was seen as a method of Sámi Norwegianization.

From 1906-1913 Sámi politics thrived and in 1917, in association with the Brurskanken Sámi Women's Association, the first pan-nordic Sámi National Assembly was held in Trondheim on February 6. Elsa served as the chairwoman and gave the opening speech at the assembly followed other prominent Sámi voices such as Daniel Mortenson and Torkel Tomasson. The assembly gathered around 150 participants and discussed issues such as reindeer herding, education, and further organizing. During the assembly Torkel Tomasson gathered support for a Sámi newspaper, Samefolkets Egen Tidning, that still runs to this day under the name Samefolket (The Sámi People).

Death and legacy Elsa Laula Renberg died at the age of 53 of tuberculosis in Brønnøy Municipality. She is hailed as one of the foremost influential Sámi activists and politicians. She fought against discrimination via Sweden's “Lapp ska vara lapp” policies and advocated for political organization for Sámi rights.

In 2017 her birthday (November 29) was recognized as Sámi national flag day. The Assembly of 1917 that she organized, is seen as a galvanizing event for Sámi politics and national identity and February 6, the first day of the Sámi Assembly of 1917, is now Sámi National Day.

The formation of the Assembly of 1917 also led to the development of Sámi Council and Sámi parliaments in Norway, Finland, and Sweden who continue to advocate for Sámi rights and issues.