{"id":2020,"date":"2019-11-04T13:04:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-04T13:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nordligefolk.no\/?p=2020"},"modified":"2026-02-09T13:24:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:24:27","slug":"nils-aslak-valkeapaa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nordligefolk.no\/en\/nils-aslak-valkeapaa\/","title":{"rendered":"Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4, also known as \u00c1illoha\u0161, is one of the foremost and most pioneering S\u00e1mi artists of all time. Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 saw everything as a unity, and was keen for S\u00e1mi culture to be in constant development. He blurred the boundaries between genres and peoples, combining poetry, joik and visual art into a powerful whole.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e1mi multi-artist Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 grew up in a reindeer-herding family in Beattet\/P\u00e4ttik\u00e4 in Finland. The last years of his life he lived in Skibotn in North Troms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4's artistic career began in the 1960s with joik and music. He was concerned that joik should not become a museum artefact, but be further developed and brought to the public. At a time when joik could only be heard in close circles, and was seen by many as a sin, this did not happen without resistance. In 1968, Valkeap\u00e4a released his first album \u00abYikuja<\/em>,\u00bb in which he combined the joik with instruments and sound effects, something that had never been done before. The release attracted attention and anger in many circles, but also gave him star status, especially among the younger generation in S\u00e1pmi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nils-Aslak
Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4. Photo Unknown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\"Joik is the folk music of the Sami. It's free, and you can do almost anything you want. It has no beginning and no end. It just is.<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By combining joik with modern instruments and popular music, Valkeap\u00e4a ensured that joik was brought out into the public sphere and became an art form both in concert and on disc. He continued to experiment, drawing inspiration from jazz, classical and music from other parts of the world. Together with Finland's foremost jazz musicians: Seppo Pakunainen and Esa Kotilainen, he released several albums, including \u201cSami eatnan duottariid\u201d in 1978. The title track is often referred to as S\u00e1pmi's second national song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4's innovative music was seen and recognised far beyond the country's borders. The so-called bird symphony, Goase du\u0161\u0161e, was awarded the jury's special prize in the international radio competition Prix Italia in 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The author Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4a made his debut as an author with \u201cTerveisi\u00e4 Lapista\u201d (Helsing fr\u00e5n Sameland) in 1971. In the book, he confronts the West and the abuses and prejudices to which the Sami people are subjected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The message of nature, indigenous thinking and worldview are recurring themes in Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4's work. His greatest recognition as a poet came when he was awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 1991 for his book Beaivi \u00e1h\u010d\u00e1\u017ean \/ The sun, my father<\/em>. A work that, through poetry and photographs, provides a unique insight into S\u00e1mi and indigenous culture, language and sense of nature. He caused a stir when he unfurled the Sami flag during the award ceremony and accused the Nordic states of not wanting to let the Sami into the Nordic Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 published a number of poetry collections. The most recent Eanni eann\u00e1\u017ean \/ Earth my mother<\/em>, was published in 2001. Here he speaks to all the world's indigenous peoples. He sees himself as a guest on earth, and visits his brothers and sisters in other parts of the world. In the book, the voice of the indigenous peoples is expressed in poems and images, shedding light on their place in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Nils-Aslak
Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

when I was a child
<\/em>I wonder
why I didn't have wings
like other birds<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

and if I am no longer a child
it still amazes me<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4, from Beaivi \u00e1h\u010d\u00e1\u017ean \/ The sun, my father, 1990<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1994, Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 performed at the opening of the Olympic Games in Lillehammer. The joik he performed was created especially for the occasion, and was later released on disc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 dedicated his art primarily to the S\u00e1mi people, but also to indigenous peoples around the world. All his books of poetry have been published in S\u00e1mi, and several have been translated into a number of languages, including English, German, French, Japanese, Faroese, Norwegian and Swedish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

I believe that Sami is one of the finest languages in the world. It's made to express itself lyrically. Sami has many beautiful words. A single word can be a poem. As a poet, I feel that the language is a great help, because it is a poem in itself. Sami is also important in music. It sounds uninterrupted, it's like listening to music.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The multi-artist<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 not only distinguished himself as a musician and poet. He is known for his paintings, whose motifs are often linked to ancient Sami traditions. He participated with drawings and paintings in exhibitions around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was also a sculptor, photographer, essayist, playwright and actor. In the Oscar-nominated film Ofela\u0161<\/em> (The Wizard) from 1987, Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 played the leader of the siida - Siiddaisit. He also composed the opening melody for the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4's many talents and unique charisma made him a leading star not only in S\u00e1pmi, but also among indigenous peoples worldwide. He was the cultural coordinator of WCIP (World Council of Indigenous Peoples) 1978-81. He visited other indigenous peoples around the world and initiated the first festival of indigenous art and culture, Davvi \u0160uvva in 1979.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\"I've deliberately chosen places that I feel harmonise with my ideas to a certain extent. That's why it doesn't matter much to me whether I'm in Paris or New York. It's still so different. And what I do is different for them.
<\/em>I'd rather travel to the Indians in Peru, to Greenland, Siberia, or places where I don't have to explain why I do such stupid things.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nils-Aslak Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Inspirers<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

For Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4, it was important for Sami artists to organise themselves, and he played a key role in establishing the Sami Writers' Association. He also initiated the foundation of the Sami Artists' Association, of which he was also an honorary member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1996, Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 was involved in a car accident not far from his home in Beattet\/P\u00e4ttik\u00e4. He fought his way back to his feet and realised his dream of settling down by the fjord when he built the house L\u00e1ss\u00e1g\u00e1mmi \/ Svaberggammen in Skibotn. The land was given to him as a gift from Storfjord municipality when he turned 50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4 died in November 2001 after a long journey in Japan. He is buried in Birtavarre in K\u00e5fjord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valkeap\u00e4\u00e4's groundbreaking approach to art has given him a very special status in Sami and Nordic cultural life. His strong voice can still be heard, and his philosophy and multimedia art productions operate in ever new contexts. His art is used as a reference and inspiration for S\u00e1mi artists, cultural workers, activists, researchers and others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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