The Saami Council Honorary Award to Hans Ragnar Mathisen

Photo: Saami Council

The artist, social activist and pathfinder Hans Ragnar Mathisen, Áilo-Máhtte-Hánsa, has been awarded the Saami Council Honorary Award 2026. Through a lifelong body of work, he has shown the way for how Sápmi can be understood, drawn and narrated from a Sámi perspective. The award was presented in connection with the 23rd Saami Conference in Ohcejohka.

Per Olof Nutti, President of the Saami Council

Photo: Saami Council / Piera Heaika Muotka

Hans Ragnar Mathisen has left a lasting mark on Sámi society through a long artistic career. As a visual artist, activist and community builder, he has contributed to making Sámi culture, history, landscapes and belonging visible, and has strengthened the understanding of Sápmi as one shared Sámi area across state borders.

Mathisen made his debut at the Autumn Exhibition in 1970, and has since developed a rich artistic practice that includes lithographs, watercolours and paintings with political, philosophical and spiritual themes. Through his work, he has highlighted Sámi perspectives and forms of expression, and has made important contributions to how Sámi history and society can be understood and communicated visually.

Mathisena vuosttaš čájáhus lei čakčačájáhusas 1970's, ja son lea dan rájes buvttahan bargguid main leat earret eará litografiijat, akvarealla govat ja eará govat main leat politihkalaš, filosofalaš ja vuoiŋŋalaš fáttát. Son lea iežas bargguid bokte čalmmustahttán sámi perspektiivvaid, ja bidjan návccaid dasa mo sámi historjá galgá muitaluvvot, ja mo sámi servodaga sáhttá áddet.

Mathisen is particularly known for his pioneering work with artistic maps of Sápmi. Through his maps, he has challenged state borders as the starting point for how our area is understood. Instead, he has drawn Sápmi with our own names, our own forms and our own perspectives. The maps have made Sámi place names visible, often using local spellings, and are therefore also an important contribution to Sámi languages, traditional knowledge and historical continuity.

- Through his art and maps, Hans Ragnar Mathisen has taught us to see Sápmi with our own eyes. He has shown the strength that lies in us as a people defining ourselves, our territories and our stories. His life's work touches the very foundation of the Saami Council's work: strengthening unity among Sámi people across state borders, says Saami Council President Per-Olof Nutti.

About the Honorary Award

The Saami Council Honorary Award is presented every four years to a person, organisation, association or institution that works tirelessly for the Sámi people. The award may be presented for work that has strengthened unity in Sámi society, contributed to preserving and protecting Sámi traditions, ways of life, ways of thinking, languages or other intangible traditions, or for work that has preserved and promoted these values also in modern society.

The Saami Council Honorary Award 2026 is awarded to Hans Ragnar Mathisen - Áilo-Máhtte-Hánsa - from Searvegeaddi in Deatnu and Romsavággi, for his many years of cross-border work as an artist, activist and community builder, and for his pioneering work in making Sápmi visible through Sámi maps.