The first Sámi National Assembly was held at the Methodist Church in February 1917. The 1917 assembly was the first successful attempt to organize a political meeting for all Sámi people in Norway. However, the majority of the participants were from the southern Sámi area. Elsa Laula Renberg was the driving force behind the meeting and a central figure at the event. The chairperson of the meeting was Daniel Mortenson from Røros, and Johan Roska from Nesseby was the vice-chairperson. Reindeer husbandry, reindeer herding laws, schooling, and political organization were the main topics discussed. The meeting began on February 6, which is why this date is celebrated as Sámi National Day. The second Sámi National Assembly was held in Östersund in 1918. 

The 1917 National Assembly was not only about politics and serious matters but also about encounters between people. An elderly Sámi woman from Trondheim was so overwhelmed with joy that she couldn’t speak when she met so many of her people in the city for such an important cause. Love also blossomed during the assembly. Brita Nursfjell from Namsos and Hans Fjellstedt from Glen likely met during the assembly. For them, the meeting was about more than politics. They became a couple, and Hans visited Namsos shortly after the assembly. They got engaged and planned to marry. The future seemed bright. However, no wedding ever took place. Hans was diagnosed with stomach cancer and died shortly thereafter. He did, however, manage to leave a significant sum of money to his beloved Brita. In this way, Hans helped Brita move forward with her life.