Looking away from the fact that music is my favourite way of expressing myself by far, music has provided me with a opportunity to reconnect with my native South Saami culture and language. Performing in South Saami on stages all over the world seems natural to me, despite the fact that few people can understand it – today, there are less than a thousand people out there who can still speak South Saami! I strongly believe that we, as humans, can express our thoughts, emotions, and different lifestyles, far better if we are allowed to do so through the medium of our native languages.

Yoiking has always been a part of me, despite the fact that my family stopped yoiking several generations ago. And yet, to me the melody of a yoik seems like something that everyone, regardless of their background, can feel, embrace and understand on a deeper level.

I am fortunate enough to have been able to rediscover and reclaim the South Saami yoiking tradition, decades after it disappeared from the area where I was born. It is my hope that our traditions will continue to become more familiar and visible both in Norway and further afield, and that yoiking will come to be seen as an integral part of Scandinavian culture; something that it has always been and still is today.

Music has the power to create beautiful meetings between different cultures, but it can also help us find the internal strength we need to carry on, as well as guiding us towards our own paths in life. I feel fortunate that I have managed to find a way in which I can use my music to share traditional Saami customs, values and traditions, thereby ensuring that our culture remains relevant for Saami as well as others for years to come.

Manne åtnam aelhkemes mov vaajmoegïelem lïeredh musihken tjïrrh. Iemieligke domtoes åarjelsaemiengïelesne laavlodh. Gellie vuelieh mejtie manne leam joejkeminie leah Upmeje saemien dajveste, gusnie aahka byjjeni. Upmejesaemien dajvesne jïh åarjelsaemien noerhtedajvesne dejtie vuelide bööremes vaarjelamme jïh vïhtesjadteme. Dah vuelieh mannem viehkiehtamme joejkeme-aerpiem lïeredh jïh bååstede vaeltedh. Sïjhtem aaj goerehtidh mejtie maahtam jienebh vuelieh dehtie åarjemes Saepmeste gaavnedh.

Munnjien dan åajvahlaakan gosse scenesne tjåadtjoem. Dan buerie domtem gosse maahtam mov gïelesne almetjidie laavlodh. Mijjieh saemieh dan vualijes vuelieh utnebe mejtie almetjh maehtieh domtedh  jïh mïeledh. Musihken tjïrrh maahtoem saemiej bïjre maahtam saakestidh jïh åehpehtidh.

Vihkeles munnjien ahte noerh sijhtieh lïeredh jïh daejredh sijjen musihkeaerpiem. Manne juvnehtem saemiestidh, joejkestidh jïh mijjen gïelesne laavlodh guktie vaarjelibie mijjen aerpiem jïh vuekieh.