A Sámi midwife concerned about the lack of cultural competence in women’s health and childbirth invited me to join a project collecting birth stories from northern Sápmi in Norway.

I discovered that birth stories in Sápmi were a rich research field where being present in the narrative and forming a connection with the approaching child were crucial. The midwives insisted on conducting interviews themselves, choosing their interviewees, and having their names included in the stories. I was deeply involved in the process.

This project was a means of valuing Sámi knowledge systems. It didn’t result in peer-reviewed articles, but personal stories that stand as the women want them to stand and can be used for whatever purpose the storytellers want, including exploring their Sámi identity and culture. Co-creation happens where people live, where they want to be, and when the work is useful for the knowledge holders.