Borealis Conversations: Sami Experimentalism, Sami Listening & Reinventing Joik were meetups that explores indigenous Sámi listening cultures.

Sami Experimentalism, Sami Listening & Reinventing Joik were gatherings of indigenous artists, which gave space for complex conversations about the intersection of indigenous art and process, identity and politics. It created new relationships and fosters knowledge sharing on indigenous Sámi listening cultures. Sámi cultural practitioners from different backgrounds unpacked how listening is rooted within Sámi ways of thinking being and doing, and how this informs sound and musical practices. What role does listening play within colonial histories of language erasure, and how have policies of Norwegianisation affected the Sámi people’s own ability to listen? How is Sámi experimental music categorised? They casted an eye over the past and future of Sámi sonic experimentalism to ask what is Sámi music without yoik and Sámi text. Is it gender based? Is it based on collective memory? Is it in the blood or is it in nature? Can joik be reinvented or not? From where do we understand the secret knowledge of the Sámi culture?

Elina Waage Mikalsen (Sámi/NO) is a multidisciplinary artist and musician from Tromsø. She works with sound, performance, textiles, installation and text. Her artistic work is strongly intertwined with her Sámi and Norwegian background.

Liisa-Rávná Finbog (Ramavuol Liisa-Rávdná) (Sámi) is an indigenous scholar, duojár, author, and curator affiliated with Tampere University in Finland.

Jalvvi Niillas Holmberg (Sámi/FI) is an award-winning author, scriptwriter and musician from Ohcejohka/Utsjoki on the Finnish side of Sápmi. He works as a vocalist, composer and lyricist, and has six released albums. His literary works include prose, poetry, plays and a feature film.

Part of Re-Imagine Europe: New Perspectives for Action. Co-funded by the European Union. Presented in collaboration with Bergen sámiid searvi. Supported by Fritt Ord Foundation.

For enquiries, contact: post@borealis.no

More info:
Sami Experimentalism
Sami Listening 
Reinventing Joik

Participants included:
Jakop Janssønn (Sámi/Norwegian Norway), Ánndaris Rimpi (Sámi/Swedish, Sweden), Ellen Marie Bråthen Steen (Sámi/Norwegian, Norway), Elina Waage Mikalsen (Sámi/Norwegian, Norway), Liisa-Rávná Finbog (Sámi/Finnish, Norway), Jalvvi Niillas Holmberg (Sámi/Finnish, Norway), Viktor Bomstad (Sámi/Norwegian, Norway), Johan Sara Jr. (Sámi/Norwegian, Norway)