Letters from Kven descendants in the US

THE KVENS

With the ratification of "The European Framework Convention for Protection of National Minorities" by the Norwegian parliament on December 11 1998, the Kvens finally achieved their rightful status as a national minority. Until recent years, Kvens have been considered immigrants by the authorities.

The Norwegian Kven Foundation has issued a small pamphlet outlining the Kven history and culture: The Kvens - A forgotten minority in Norway. Three of the sections: History, Number of Kvens, and Norwegianization are published here.

Some English web sites:

Documentation of Kven culture: bibliographies and databases
Kveeniland.com (English/Finnish site on the Kven people. Includes the history of the Kvens, collections of Lapland photos and a post office for sending virtual postcards from Lapland.)
Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
Consortium of Minority Resources COMIR
Origin of the Finnish People in the Light of Science and Mythology
Virtual Samiland (Sami resources)
Links to the North Calotte Area
Writers of Tornio Valley
Alphabetical listing of Nordic authors
The Auroral Observatory (University of Tromsø)
Acta Borealis (A nordic journal of circumpolar societies from University of Tromsø)
The Aurora database is the common library system of the libraries of Lapland.
The Land Sales Act of 1902 as a Means of Norwegianization (by Regnor Jernsletten, 1986)
Research into the Post-War Saami Society (by Henry Minde, 1992)

Genealogical Research
Population counts 1865, 1875 and 1900
National Archives of Norway
Swedish Church Records Online
DIS-Norge (Genealogical Research Forum)
NICs InfoCenter
Genealogy / Slekt in Troms Norway (Tami Jenson, US)
Finnish Emmigrants to Northern Norway (Tami Jenson, US)
The Genealogical Society of Finland
FamiliySearch: Internet Genealogy Servie (The database of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

The Norwegian Kven Foundation was founded in 1987.