Silent Knowledge: Reviving Embodied Practice in Sápmi

By Natalia Magnani

Draws on a contemporary example of Indigenous cultural revival in S pmi to unpack the social and political dynamics of crafting cultural memory through embodied practice.

Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, Natalia Magnani follows a collaborative project between Finnish builders and S 'm (Skolt S mi) reindeer herders and fishers of northeastern Finland to build a traditional Petsamo root-sewn boat. As these makers adjust their environmental perceptions and relearn barely remembered root-sewing and woodworking techniques, their revival of traditional modes of material production suggests a "loud" silent, or tacit, knowledge: that is, they gain uncodified skills and wisdom through experiences that are socially meaningful and politically empowering.

Magnani demonstrates that embodied practice can mediate tensions about cultural authority by positioning non-Indigenous participants in supporting roles, while keeping Indigenous people firmly at the center of their own history.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0774873329
• ISBN13: 9780774873321
• Release Date: November 2026
• Publisher: University of British Columbia Press
• Length: 192 Pages
• Dimensions: 6.0" x 9.0"