Traditional theatre piece brings message of Sámi people
Musical, dance work explores challenges of European Indigenous population
The Sámi are the only recognized Indigenous people of the European Union. With a traditional territory that reaches from Norway across to Russia, their presence in the region reaches back thousands of years. Traditional reindeer herders, their culture exists in unison with the often harsh living conditions of the lands in and around the Arctic Circle.
Similarly to Indigenous Peoples in Canada, the Sámi endured policies of forced assimilation. Language, spiritual belief and cultural suppression were all inflicted upon them in residential schools that also forced religious conversion. Nonetheless, they survived these challenges and today are involved in a difficult and contentious truth and reconciliation process.
Key to moving forward are issues surrounding the fact that Sámi society can't be separated from their traditional land. Those lands are now almost fully colonized. A continuing conflict relating to wind farm construction affecting historic reindeer migration paths draws parallels to similar situations affecting Canadian Indigenous people's access to traditional foods affected by dam construction, mining, and oil and gas projects.
Vástádus eana — The Answer is Land is an award-winning movement and music piece by Sámi choreographer Elle Sofe Sara that reflects this relationship of nature and community inspired by traditional practices, dances and the unique overtone singing style called yoik. The work was inspired by a poem that asks five questions about various topics that all find the answer in land.
Presented by DanceHouse and the Northwest Coast Indigenous company Dancers of Damelahamid, this work is a far cry from any dance moves you'll see at a Taylor Swift concert. That said, Sofe
Sara's work is every bit as contemporary and modern as anything in pop music. This is decidedly not a museum piece presentation of Indigenous culture.
Sofe Sara discussed Vástádus eana — The Answer is Land before the Vancouver performance.
Here are five take-aways from that chat:
1 Sámi dance
“We don't actually have a dance tradition anymore as it was all taken away by Christianity. I actually trained at Laban Trinity College in London, where I did a bachelor's degree in contemporary dance and a masters of choreography in Oslo. What I have done with this piece is adapted things that come from other traditional practices, such as the act of asking permission to enter other people's place or territories, into dance.”
2 Yoik
“We wanted to include this traditional polyphonic choir singing style right from the beginning, but it took a lot of work to find the right people to do it. After a long process of open casting calls, we found seven different voices who fit. For many of these traditional singers, being in a dance performance was something entirely new, and we worked for a number of years together for it to finally come together.”
3 Disney connection
“Composer Frode Fjellheim, who is also Sámi, actually adapted a traditional yoik from Russia titled Eatnemen Vuelie (Song of the Earth), for the opening of the film Frozen. It's very beautiful.”
4 Experiencing the same ground
“The performance begins outside of the theatre with the audience joining the performers for the tradition of asking for entry from local spirits and the land itself.”
“Then we enter from the rear and everyone takes their places. This idea is that we are all equal on the land, all existing on the same ground with nobody elevated above the other.”
5 Truth and reconciliation
“Norway's Truth and Reconciliation Commission finished its first report in June 2023, so we are just starting the, can we call it, cleanup.
“Fortunately, nothing that has happened here compares to the terrible reports we've heard coming out of Canada's residential schools. There is also a lot of interest in the work of Sámi artists, many of whom seem to spend more time abroad than at home. Maybe it relates to increased interest in our perspectives and relationship on living and the land in a changing world.”