There were a number of proposals that the municipal board had to decide on. Among other things, it was about if the street names would get a hybrid name with a suffix in the form of “gata” or “väg” in Swedish. This is written by SVT Norrbotten.
The alternative was street names entirely in minority languages with the suffix “luodda” or “geaidnu” in Sami and “tie” in Finnish and Meänkieli.
The municipal board chose the latter, following a proposal from Samilistan’s Åsa Larsson-Blind.
– It is important to show that Kiruna is a multicultural society, says Åsa Larsson-Blind (SL).
In 2000, Kiruna became an administrative municipality for Sami, Meänkieli and Finnish, which means that you have the right to receive childcare and elderly care or communicate with authorities in your own language, and that the languages are made visible in society.
Police and emergency personnel have warned
The issue of street signs in the minority languages was raised a few years ago and since last year the municipality has worked out proposals, which have since been submitted for consultation. From the Police’s side, it was recommended that the names should be in Swedish only, as their command center is in Umeå and it has been seen that there are problems with pronouncing certain place names.
And that is why the Moderates voted for the names to be in Swedish only.
– The street names are primarily about safety, so then you have to put identity politics aside, says Stefan Sydberg (M).
Åsa Larsson Blind from the Samilistan believes that you can adapt the names so that it does not become more difficult than necessary.
Not sure what the names will be
The decision in the municipal board was about a principle, what the actual street names will be is something that the municipality will start working on.
It is about preparing to be able to register current street names in Swedish and all three minority languages at the Land Survey. That is to say, a street name that is signposted in Sami must also receive a parallel official registration in Swedish, Finnish and Meänkieli – and that is not possible today.