Lihkku beiviin/læhkoeh biejjine/vuorbbe biejvijn Sápmi/Saepmie/Sábme!!
Happy birthday, Sápmi! Today is the national Sámi day, and the day is celebrated by the Sámi all over and even outside Sápmi! It is celebrated with family and friends, food and drinks, music and joik, and laughter and games.
This day is very important for many people, even for the whole of Sápmi. And in the spirit of this day, I want to mention some of Sápmi’s most important figures in the fight against the colonization, discrimination and racism the Sámi people have faced and still faces.
Elsa Kristina Laula Renberg (1877-1931)
Elsa Laula Renberg was a Southern Sámi woman, reindeer herder, activist, politician, and much more. She was the first Sámi woman to have her writings published. These writings included discussions of the issues the Sámi faced, such as their education, right to own land, the right to vote, etc. The Sámi national spirit was high and reawakened during this time, which made her writings especially important. She encouraged other Sámi women to work and help with this cause. She founded the South Sámi Fatmomakka Association, the first Sámi activist organisation. Her battle was a long one, and she inspired the whole of Sápmi and she til this day remain as one of Sápmi’s most important activists.
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää (1943-2001)
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää (also known as Áillohás) was a Northern Sámi man, artist, singer, author, musician, illustratior, joiker, etc. He was the first Sámi arthour to recive the Nordic Council Literature Prize. He became one of the biggest artist in Sápmi, with the whole world seeing his creations. Áillohás was a pioneer for the joik, not only by bringing it for the everyone to listen, but for combining it with instruments and other genres. He never shyed away from creating art, often creating poems and photos, illustrating it with drawings and paintings, which was often Sámi-centric. He also was politicially active, often talking about the issues the Sámi faced and he was even Culturecoordinatior in World Council of Indigenous Peoples. (Link to Áillohás’s most famous poetry collection - Beaivi, áhcázan, The Sun, My Father: https://archive.org/details/sunmyfathernilsa00nils)
Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen (1998-)
Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen is a Northern Sámi woman, artist, singer, joiker, activist, actor, author, etc. She is today one of Sápmi’s most important people, due to her work as an activist. She is often looked up at as one of Sápmi’s faces. She is an active activist and dedicate a lot of her time and power to fight for Sápmi and against the colonization Sápmi faced, and all the injustices the Sámi still face today. She burns for Sápmi, and have no trouble in bringing up the issues the Sámi face with the public, especially the Norwegian public and goverment. A lot of what she does, centers around the Sámi values in the form of music and acting. She is the main character of the movie Ellos eatnu - la elva leve which has become one of Sápmi’s most important movies. (Ella Marie Hætta’s book is called Derfor må du vite at jeg er same, for anyone that wants to check it out! Please do!)
Of course, there’s way more people who made Sámi history, and I wish I could mention them all in this post! I will make more posts about these people, don’t worry. Hope that everyone who celebrates the Sámi national day have an amazing day!! Lihkku beiviin!!
(Sources; Den Store Norske Leksikon)
