Name Elsa Renberg | Role Politician | |
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Died July 22, 1931, Bronnoy, Norway | ||
Elsa Laula Renberg (nee Elsa Laula, November 29, 1877 in Tarnaby – July 22, 1931 in Bronnoy) was a Sami activist and politician. She was born to reindeer herders, Lars Thomasson Laula and Kristina Josefina Larsdotterb and grew up near Dikanas. After receiving training school in Stockholm as a midwife, she returned home to live near Dikanas. In 1908, she married reindeer herder, Thomas Renberg. Together, they moved to Vefsn in Nordland, Norway and had 6 children together. Elsa died at the age of 54 of tuberculosis in Bronnoy.
Life or death
In 1904, Renberg wrote and published a 30-page pamphlet in Swedish entitled Infor lif eller dod? Sanningsord i de Lappska forhallandena (Do we face life or death? Words of truth about the Lappish situation) making her the first Sami woman to have her writings published. This work discussed several issues that were facing the Sami, such as their education system, their right to vote, and their right to own land. The Sami national spirit was reawakening at the point the writing was published, making it especially important. Renburg also encouraged Sami women to work and help her in the cause.
