Indigenous Group Calls For Sámi-Inspired Skins To Be Removed From Final Fantasy 14
The Saami Council, a group representing the interests of the indigenous Sámi people, has called on Square Enix to remove an attire set from Final Fantasy 14. The skins in question, the “Far Northern” set, heavily resemble attire worn by the Sámi people, with everything from the design to the colouring on the outfits matching traditional Sámi clothing.
However, The Saami Council doesn't oppose the Far Northern Attire set as a matter of sensitivity alone. In a statement, the council says that it is instead treating the matter as a breach of intellectual property, as it has previously only approved these cultural inclusions after a thorough consultation. In aid of this, the council calls on Square Enix to enter a "meaningful dialogue with the Sámi people," perhaps to get the skins released with their consent.
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"This is not about sensitivity or whether the depiction is appropriate. These elements are Sámi cultural property and Square Enix has infringed on our rights," says council president, Áslat Holmberg.
"The Sámi people’s position has been made very clear, particularly to entertainment companies, specifically in the agreement that the Sámi people have with Walt Disney Animation Studios."
The statement then links to an agreement between the council and Disney, allowing the studio to represent Sámi culture in Frozen 2. This agreement guaranteed the council a say in how their culture was depicted, and recognition for this in the film's credits.
On Twitter, the council says it previously wrote to Square Enix in late January, but its concerns were "dismissed". It says that it will approve "appropriate and respectful" cultural references, so it seems that the
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