Long time no see...

Hi everybody,
After a couple of years with low activity on our homesite, I think we are ready for sharing what is going on in the choir this year. Our Facebook page has taken over much of the information work that was shared here before. Still, I want to share our updatings on the blog, too. As webmaster I have renewed our homesite a little. Now you can find information in Sámi and English on the same pages. Please give some feedback on the new design. 

Since November 2013 we have worked with our new huge project, Luođit Sámis - Sounds from Sápmi. We have traveled around in Sápmi, had rehearsals and at the same time collected yoiks from the current areas. In September 2014 we visited a little coastal town called Goavkejohka or Kokelv in Norwegian. It was an extraordinary experience in many ways. It was the first time we worked with coastal Sámi yoik traditions. In 2015 we had rehearsals in Ohcejohka in Finland, Gáresavvon in Sweden, Snåsa in Norway, Anár in Finland and Guovdageaidnu in Norway. The visit to Snåsa was the first time Sámi Jienat visited a South-Sámi area. A south-Sámi women taught us vuelie from the area, and some of the amazing yoiks will be presented at our concerts. 

Recently we had our annual meeting and the Board remains unchanged throughout the project, at least one more year. The choir are invited to participate in the Arctic Arts Festival in Harstad in June. That is the most famous stage in North Norway and we are really looking forward to it! It requires a lot of practice and learning texts by heart! Did I mention that the texts are in five different Sámi languages? It is hard to learn, but very fun! 

Our next rehearsal weekend for our nomadic choir will be in Guovdageaidnu in the beginning of April. I guess our members are working hard right now because our next rehearsal will be texts- and notation free! I learn melodies very quickly, but texts...ugh! I think I have to paste up texts all over my house at strategic places, like on the fridge, TV, mirrors, bathroom, bedroom ceiling... Any other good ideas how to learn texts quickly (and to remember them!)? 

See you soon!

Marie