07 Altasaken
01 Chain from Stilla
«Prior to the first confrontation with police in 1979, we obtained modestly thin chains. Using pliers, the police cut them easily. We had a sort of crisis council to discuss how to get hold of a stronger chain. The seal hunting vessel, Polis, was out of service, and had massive chains. They proved beneficial. The police didn’t even attempt to cut them.»
Alfred Nilsen, People`s Action Leader (1979-1982), 2022
«We used the chains from Polis again in 1981. We also had a new chain made of special steel, as well as iron belts and “metal muffs”. Meanwhile, the police had learned how to use angle grinders, and quickly cut us loose.»
Alfred Nilsen, People`s Action Leader (1979-1982), 2022
02 Iron belt
«The Iron belts worn around the waist had been made based on measurements taken during summer. That was a mistake. We could barely get them on over our winter clothes. One of our people hid the key to the collars in their shoe, but the police found it right away. We knew we had “spies” among us, to say it that way. Using the key, the police more easily unlocked the chained activists.»
Alfred Nilsen, People`s Action Leader (1979-1982), 2022
03 Civil disobedience
«Eventually, we had two groups in Alta, Alta Committee, Altautvalget came first, and then The People’s Action against the Dam Construction of the Alta-Kautokeino Watercourse, Folkeaksjonen. The members of Altautvalget originally discussed whether civil disobedience would be going too far. Was it in-line with the style of Gandhi’s teachings that we were inspired by? But after a while, I don’t think anyone disagreed. Still, civil disobedience was challenging, and I received many suggestions for using dynamite and other means.»
Alfred Nilsen, People`s Action Leader (1979-1982), 2022
04 Non-violence
«We had the support of several fractions of people and groups. No one ever expressed that we were going too far. We were determined never to physically resist the police and considered our actions in accordance with civil disobedience. It was crucial to us to stay within the limits of non-violence. Riots of any kind were not tolerated. Looking back, this is one of the things I’m the proudest of.»
Alfred Nilsen, People`s Action Leader (1979-1982), 2022
05 Jacket badges
The jacket badges became important symbols, worn both by members of Folkeaksjonen’s local supporters and people all over the country. In addition to the membership fee, proceeds from badge-sales helped finance Folkeaksjonen. “The Stilla Ten” project, was an incentive to contribute financial support and was a great source of help. Both ten Krones and much larger contributions were donated from people who supported the cause.
06 Stilla information
The sign was made for the Stilla Camp in the autumn of 1979. Here, new arrivals were registered upon arrival and departure. Activists were introduced to carefully designed camp rules. Cooking, security, toilet routines, protection against the cold, and general order were particularly crucial. This was meticulously planned by Folkeaksjonen, and was, in turn, respected by the activists who were given responsibility for different duties.
07 The red anorak
The red anorak—together with a coat made of a reindeer skin, Beaska and traditional Sami clothing, Gákti is the foremost symbol of a Stilla activist. This one was purchased by Jørn Thomassen before his fieldwork in Svalbard in 1978. Jørn was active in the environmental movement; when the conflict regarding the Alta-Kautokeino watercourse came to a head in 1979, he travelled north to stop the construction—wearing his red anorak. In one of the drawstrings hangs a figurine from the enormous cake that the Stilla activists celebrated with in the autumn of 1979. For a moment, they thought the construction had been stopped for good.
08 Nutukas, the warmest footwear
«All the support we got from Alta! Particularly in the weeks after the police action—with that 46 kg cake! They brought 50 liters of soup, waffles, cigarettes, and chocolate. They had spent an entire day cooking soup, and half an hour before midnight, they brought it to us. We ate homemade bread all the time, and we received all these great clothes, footwear, and equipment! People brought all of it so that we would get by, they brought us new and necessary things. Whenever we went into town to shower at people’s houses, they’d ask: Is there anything more we can do? You could tell that the community had our backs.»
Kristin Braa and Karoline Frogner
09 Kjell Deraas, from the rest camp
«From a distance it all looked like an absurd theater. The early morning ours had an almost sacred ambience before the police action launched. Quiet. Beautiful. Norwegian flags and flags with Sami colors. The sound of joik and the Norwegian national anthem as the police came marching. The anticipation was replaced by sadness when everything seemed to be over, that the ‘zero point’ fell so quickly.»
10 Police Raid in Gargia
Bjørg and Ernst Halvard Larsson welcomed the last core activists with open arms at Gargia Lodge. They ate in the lodge and camped outside, while undertaking pinpoint operations in Stilla. Bjørg was given the nickname Mother Gargia. On January 21, 1981, four busses filled with police showed up at the lodge. Bjørg was able to prevent them from ransacking the lodge, but they tore down the campsite without hesitation.
11 Scapegoats
The linoleum print depicts four of the leaders – Tore Bongo, Per Flatberg, Alfred Nilsen, and Svein Suhr. In March 1983, the men were all convicted to conditional sentences and substantial fines under the incitement paragraph of law.