For the Sámi, the indigenous people of the Sápmi region, which spans the northernmost parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, storytelling through song has been a part of their culture for centuries. Referred to as joik, this melodic chanting is used to describe everything from emotions and landscapes to animals and people. “It’s a lot more than music,” explains Frode Fjellheim, a Norwegian musician, composer and joiker, as well as a professor at Nord University in Levanger, not far from Trondheim, where he lives. “It’s a way of communicating, a way of expressing feelings often combined with storytelling. If you tell a story and mention A JOIKThe music of the Sámi people, RENAISSANCE your grandmother, she which has been around for would actually have centuries, is experiencing a joik. If you want a resurgence thanks to to tell your children contemporary musicians who are blending the melodic chanting with mainstream genres like pop, rock and jazz. BY TAYLOR HUGO PHOTO BY JARLE HVIDSTEN JARLE BY PHOTO 12 VIKING FEBRUARY 2021 sonsofnorway.com directions, there are joiks practice, there aren’t many without instrumental to describe the rivers, the written records of joik. accompaniment,” according mountains not using words— Legend has it that the Sámi to a 2018 article published just sounds and syllables. It’s people got these chants from in the “International Journal sort of an extension of the Arctic fairies and elves. The of Circumpolar Health” that language that was used in oldest joiks are believed studied the link between joik daily life.” to have been recorded by and the health of the Sámi As Sámi National Day priests and missionaries people. “The melodies with approaches on February in the 1700s and 1800s, regular rhythmic and melodic 6, learn more about the making it one of the earliest patterns could often be freely history of joik, and meet vocal traditions in Europe. played with and improvised some of the musicians who Joiking is “characterized on” to express “anything are responsible for its recent by a special vocal technology at the joiker’s perception resurgence. that utilizes nearly the at the given moment. [...] whole range of the human According to joikers you do A Complicated Past natural vocal potential, not joik about something, As a predominantly oral and was originally you joik the thing itself. [...] It can be a way of recalling something or someone, or of giving a musical name to something or someone.” In the past, joik had also been used as part of healing rituals and to achieve an altered state of consciousness, which could explain why it was thought to be a form of sorcery in the early 17th century. As Christianity swept through Hailing from Tana in Norway, there was mounting northern Norway, Ella pressure from the Norwegian Marie Hætta Isaksen government for the Sámi combines joik and Sámi people to assimilate. This lyrics with modern pop meant they were banned and electronica sounds. from speaking their own She also performs with language, and joiking was her band ISÁK. Follow punishable by death until her on Instagram @ellamariehi Mari Boine’s music is the beginning of the 18th inspired by and infused century. By that point, the art with her Sámi roots. Her of joiking had disappeared music blends rhythms from much of the Sápmi of jazz, folk and rock. region. Boine is an activist who Growing up, Mari Boine has worked tirelessly for the recognition and was taught that joik was preservation of the the work of the Devil. “My indigenous Sámi culture. parents, especially, chose mariboine.no to believe all the lies the colonizers and their priests PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM BY GREGOR HOHENBERG, HEIKO JUNGE / NTB / JUNGE HEIKO HOHENBERG, GREGOR BY BOTTOM TO TOP PHOTOS SKUBATZ MARZENA BY PHOTO 14 VIKING FEBRUARY 2021 sonsofnorway.com sonsofnorway.com VIKING FEBRUARY 2021 15 St. Olav for “Spirit in the Sky,” which The resulting song, “Vuelie,” the indigenous culture, as her artistic also earned a Song of the is part of the opening scene. well as produce a version diversity. Year nomination at the “I have written a lot of of “Frozen II” in the Sámi “My culture, Norwegian Grammys. music for choir inspired by people’s native language, my ancestral Elle Márjá Eira, from a joik. One of these pieces called “Jiknon II.” Platinum-award heritage, is my Kautokeino-based reindeer got the attention of Disney While today’s musicians winning music breath,” says herding family—a common when they were searching for are careful to respect the trio KEiiNO made Boine. “I am an profession among the Nordic elements in the first roots of joik, these types their debut in artist, one who Sámi—emerged from the ‘Frozen’ movie. I made a new of collaborations are 2019. Their sound carries the old small municipality of 3,000 version for the film called essential to its survival. combines dance- songs and the to perform her electronic- ‘Vuelie,’ which is actually “If a tradition should be pop with Nordic old wisdom, joik music on a global stage, the South Sámi word for kept alive, it must always folk and joik. joik,” Fjellheim says. “It was develop in some way,” says keiino.com and one who both solo and as part of the carries the three-piece band Snoweye a pleasure to work together Fjellheim. “I think that’s told them about our musical torch given by the ancestors alongside Led Zeppelin’s with Disney, and it was a what’s happening today. heritage,” she says. “They with the flame that should John Paul Jones. fantastic opportunity to There’s a lot of new ways of accepted the demonization never go out.” “Despite the continuous spread the music to quite a combining joik with other of the joik and, of course, battles to maintain our broad audience.” music. Also, traditionally, Fast Facts were horrified when their A Twist on Tradition languages and cultural After the first “Frozen” joik was used just within daughter started to perform In recent years, Sámi culture identity, there has been a movie drew some criticism the family and in a very About Joik these songs.” and joiking have seen a positive change in recent for cultural appropriation, small space, but now it has This unique form of cultural Nevertheless, Boine felt revival, led by people like years. Today, it feels safe Disney signed a contract also moved to the concert expression for the Sámi people she had no choice but to Boine who don’t want their to be Sámi,” 25-year- with Sámi parliament stages where it’s being is not just about music. become a musician. “The heritage to disappear. The old South Sámi musician representatives ahead of the performed and recorded. music chose me. I just had Sámi Act was officially Marja Mortensson told production of “Frozen II.” When it does survive this • Joik is one of Europe’s oldest vocal traditions. to go where it took me,” added to the Norwegian Visit Norway. “It’s like This agreement stated that far, I guess it will survive says the singer-songwriter, Constitution in 1987, the [joiking] traditions are Disney would accurately for another thousand years. • For a long time, joik was forbidden. whose voice has become safeguarding the Sámi being revitalized. There and respectfully portray Time will tell.” The Sámi Act was officially added synonymous with joiking people’s language, culture is a growing awareness, to the Norwegian Constitution since she made her debut and way of life. Joik is now especially among people in in 1987, safeguarding the Sámi in the 1980s. Boine has taught in schools from my generation.” Elle Márjá Eira is people’s language, culture and way since released 14 CDs, kindergarten through college, But this musical tradition a multi-talented of life. received numerous awards celebrated at festivals, isn’t just experiencing a artist, composer, • Joik is a melodic chanting used for her work and was even and incorporated into resurgence in its native director and to describe everything from appointed a knight in the mainstream musical genres Scandinavia. It’s spreading to producer from Kautokeino. emotions and landscapes to Royal Norwegian Order of like jazz, rock and pop. the U.S., too. If you’ve seen ellemarja.com animals and people. For example, the 2013 Disney box-office KEiiNO—a trio smash “Frozen” and its 2019 • Joik is about expression of spirit. that combines sequel “Frozen II,” you’ve There’s no one way to do it. dance-pop with likely heard joiking, even if Nordic folk and you didn’t realize it. Born into a reindeer joik—placed As Disney was working herding family, Marja sixth while on the Hans Christian Mortensson’s music is representing Andersen–inspired tale rooted in her Sámi way of Norway in about Queen Elsa and her life. She has worked with To listen to five Sámi joik the 2019 sister Princess Anna, they musician Frode Fjellheim songs from Karasjok, Norway, to bring new life to Eurovision reached out to Fjellheim to check out bit.ly/2VZ4evi Sámi joiks. contest with reimagine one of his existing marjamortensson.no their song compositions for the film. PHOTOS TOP TO BOTTOM BY JACK GUEZ / GETTYGUEZ/ JACK KRISTENSEN JØRN IMAGES, BY BOTTOM TO TOP PHOTOS HVIDSTEN JARLE PHOTO, STOCK ALAMY / CHRONICLE CREDIT: BY BOTTOM TO TOP PHOTOS 16 VIKING FEBRUARY 2021 sonsofnorway.com.