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Internationally known language researcher - Spokesperson for the Sami People, chairman, headmaster, and cabinet member.

Just Knut Qvigstad was born 4 Apr 1853, in Lyngseidet, Lyngen, Troms, Norway. He collected Lapish folktales and published them in the book "Lappisk eventyr og sagn", (Sami Fairy Tales and Legends) . He also published Lappish appellative place names from the entire Lapp linguistic territory, it is an analysis of the form and meaning of these place names and a list of place names borrowed from Nordic and Finnish.

After some time studying in Kristiania he moved as one of the few academic leaders from the north back to Tromsø teacher college, where he worked for more then 40 years. His knowledge of the Lapish language and contributions through his research have given the world new vision of the Lapish people. He was a manager of Tromsø Museums Lapish division, and a member of the management of the museum. Through active work in the Høyre political party he was a cabinet member in the government and a minister of the church in 1909.