Elina Waage Mikalsen’s Stáinnarbánit – Wolffish teeth merges unexpected components such as weaving, joik, objects, and electronics, all connected by Sápmi traditions. In the performance, Mikalsen allows short repetitions to tell larger stories, such as the story of rátnu – a weaving tradition once practiced throughout Sápmi. Today, the weaving of rátnu is a living and uninterrupted tradition only in the village of Olmmáivággi, where Elina’s mother is from.

The title Stáinnarbánit is also the name of one of the patterns used in this weaving tradition. Stáinnarbánit – Wolffish teeth is a performance of soft and repetitive work, and how all objects speak, if we only listen carefully. Through her two-year guest artist stay at Borealis, Elina Waage Mikalsen explored the interplay between Sami history, identity and cultural erasure through experimental sound, music and listening practices. Her project has involved many different voices and perspectives from all over Sápmi and other indigenous communities, and the project has resulted in performances, radio broadcasts, workshops and professional days.

Bio
Elina Waage Mikalsen (NO) is a multidisciplinary artist and musician from Tromsø, Sápmi/Norway. She works with sound, performance, textile, installation and text. As a Sami artist and musician, her work often explores the spaces in between – both in history and in the understanding of the world – the voices that are absent or erased, both here and in the underworld. Her work has been performed and exhibited among others at the National Museum in Norway, LIAF – Lofoten International Art Festival, and the Singapore Biennale.

Premiere: Borealis 2024 (NO)
Part of Re-Imagine Europe – New Perspectives for Action. Co-funded by the European Union. Supported by Nordic Culture Contact, Nordic Culture Fund & the Culture Council.
This work is available for touring.
For further enquiries, contact: post@borealisfestival.no