Vuoiŋŋat

Marja Viitahuhta

Finlande / 2025 / Expérimental, Animation / 4’30”I2600824

Vuoiŋŋat
BO Images Bande annonce

SYNOPSIS

[EN] This cameraless video work features animated, digital northern lights and a luohti (a Northern Sámi yoik) by indigenous sami musician Ánnámáret on homeless, wandering spirits. The vocals endeavour to envoke the memory of the remains of Sámi people that were dug up from burial grounds in Sámi territory about a hundred years ago in the name of genetic research that happened for racist reasons. The remains have only recentely in the past few years been reburied in Inari, Utsjoki, and Nellim village graveyards in Sámi territory. The alternately fragmented and lucid imagery in the animation was created by modifying Louis Bévalet's drawings of the northern lights in the Alta region from 1839. The vocals are accompanied and carried by Ilkka Heinonen's jouhikko and Turkka Inkilä's electronic music. This work continues the multiannual collaboration of the 4-membered working group that has released a series of video works as well as two music albums and performs also live on concert halls and festival stages. Image sources: Nordlys nord for Bossekop, 6 January 1839, 6:27 p.m. / Northern Lights by Alta, observation 16 January 1839, 10:05 p.m. / Northern Lights by Alta, observation 19 January 1839, 7:40 p.m. / Drawings: Louis Bevalet, Prints: Sigismond Himely, Publisher: Arthus-Bertrand & Co, Photo: Nasjonalmuseett / Ivarsøy, Dag Andre

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