Demographic responses to colonization among indigenous populations: Migration and mortality in 19th century northernmost Sweden

Although history shows how colonization has exposed indigenous populations to vulnerability, there is a narrow quantitative knowledge of how they demographically responded to colonization. Swedish parish registers are unique in providing longitudinal demographic data on the indigenous populations in past northernmost Sweden: the Sami. The Demographic Data Base, Umeå University, has digitized these registers, which allows this study to conduct event history analyses of the Sami’s colonial experiences during the 19th century. If colonization added to the Sami’s difficulties to maintain their traditional use of land and lifestyle, it would be indicated by (1) untimely death among them; (2) a desire to leave their space as it was increasingly colonized. However, the propensity to depart was significantly higher among the Non-Sami people, primarily settlers, probably because it was a tough task to establish a farm in these remote cold areas. Additionally, ‘lock-in’ mechanisms might have reduced the Sami’s inclination to relocate, if this meant giving up a lifestyle and occupation difficult to perform in other settings. Their survival chances were higher than those of the Non-Sami, especially among women. In all, the findings propose that the Non-Sami individuals suffered from an ‘unhealthy migrant effect’.