“Media daily reports on the new optimism in the north, an optimism caused by the great resources of the region. I believe it is important we remind each other that the greatest resources of the north is the people living here”, says Hamran.
See the first portrait: Trine Danielsen Beddari is Living with nature.
“When our politicians speak about resources, they speak about oil, gas and minerals. And you get the idea that they forget about people.”
This is the background for why she set out to make nine documentary portraits of people in the north, from Norway, Russia and Finland. Trine Hamran is a video journalist, documentarist and social anthropologist with a passion for north.
“I want to hear from the small scale entrepreneurs, women in the primary industry, the young people of the region, indigenous people. And you will not find men in suits among the nine people I have portrayed”, she says.
The portraits will be presented on the pages of Barents Observer starting from today, one story every day, until the celebration of 20 years with Barents cooperation next week. You will also find them on the webpages www.borderstories.no.
“Much has happened in this region over the last 20 years, also thanks to the Barents cooperation. But we all need to rise our voices to take part in what will happen for the next 20 years”, says Hamran.
She has observed that politicians often tell people from the north to speak with one voice, in order to gain power.
“But whose voice is then to remain silent, for this diverse region to appear as one unity?”
“I think that we must keep telling the stories about our diversity in the north. Therefore I am making these nine portraits of people with different passions, who see different challenges and have their own solutions.”
