Saami yoik on the Nenets tundra
Andrey Vokuev, Naryan-Mar
The acknowledged Saami artist, Johan Sara Jr., went to Naryan-Mar to find Nenets voices for the Barents Spektakel 2010.Johan Sara Jr. visited the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and tasted 40-degrees frost and raw reindeer meat in December. His goal was to select a Nenets singer for the great event in Kirkenes among the participants of the Nenets Festival “Sava Sø” (“Lovely Tune”) that was held in Naryan-Mar in December, 8-11.
In 2010, the annual Barents Spectacle in Kirkenes will last 5 days in February. Indigenous artists from all over the Arctic are invited to the Festival. Representatives of indigenous people of Norway and Sweden, Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Chukotka and Nenets, Alaska, Greenland and Canada will appear on the stage together, only once and only in Kirkenes.
The Ethno-Cultural Centre organizes the Festival for the people who are fond of both traditional and modern Nenets songs. Thus, Johan Sara Jr. got the opportunity to listen and record dozens of singers from remote area in the tundra and settlements in the okrug without making long trips by helicopter or snowscooter. His mission was a success but the name of the selected singer is kept in secret until the decision is taken by the organizing committee in Kirkenes.
The schedule of work of the Sami musician in the Nenets okrug was rather tough and as a result Johan Sara became famous in okrug. He had meetings with the Association of the Nenets people "Yasavey” " and pupils and teachers of the Children's school of arts.
To crown it all Johan Sara took part in the final concert of the Festival where he performed several pieces from his latest album “Orvoš”. He also surprised the audience singing together with Ekaterina Taibarej, Nenets singer from Krasnoe settlement. Their ”Song of Shaman” being a combination of Sami joik and Nenets guttural voice accompanied by drum beats fascinated the audience and carried listeners to the vast tundra together with seven white reindeers.
Check out the program for Barents Spektakel 2010!
Text and photo: Andrey Vokuev, The Norwegian Barents Secretariat in Naryan-Mar, Nenets AO.
