Sami words, and Sami Spirit

Mari Boine 

I have been listening to the music of Mari Boine since I came to live in Norway. She has always transported me to a place of intense creativity. Her music meant even more to me as I wrote Where The Ice Burns because of its setting in Finnmark, and the importance of the Sami experience in the novel. The first victims of the witch hunts in seventeenth century Finnmark were Sami.

Mari Boine Singing Elle

I love the sounds of Sami words, although I do not know their meaning. Once I read the English translations I know that the spirit of them have infused me. The deep connection between nature, the landscape of the north, and the human heart is a constant inspiration in my writing. 

The song Elle from the album It Ain't Necessarily Evil was one I played time again. Elle is on the soundtrack to the film, The Kautokeino Rebellion, the true story of a revolt in the town of Kautokeino in northern Norway in 1852 by a group of Sami because of injustices against their people by the Norwegian authorities. I found the film very moving. 

Image from the Kautokeino Rebellion

I have included the Sami lyrics to Elle, as well as their English translation to show you the poetry and the beauty of Mari Boine's musical vision. But it is not just her words, but also her voice that has such power. One moment fragile, the next forceful, as if she can sing as a child, and a wise woman. 

Mari Boine

So here are the Sami lyrics to Elle, followed by the English translation that I found on the link below.

Elen Skum (Elle)

De rahpasii giđđaeatnu fas

De dulvvi miel luoittašeimmet

Jiekŋaidja gárttai viimat vuollánit

Bieggabártnažan

De girdilin biellocizažiin

De joradin guovssahasain

Vuoibmás vuoiŋŋ ahagas šogádeimme ovttas

Mu bieggabártnažan

De rahtase jienaheamit fas

De golggiihii sátnerávdnji

Gálbmon gáttiin go mii viimat gávnnadeimmet

Bieggabártnažan

Go váccašat ealloravddas de...

Go guođuhat suhkesoivviid...

Almmiravda ealaska ja sugada

Mu bieggabártnažan

Image from the film Kautokeino Rebellion

English lyrics to Elle

And to the spring river opened up again

And so we let ourselves drift with the flood

The night of ice had to give in

My dearest son of the wind

Surely I flew with the bluethroat

Surely I danced with the northern light

In the strongest breath we exhaled as one

My dearest son of the wind

The lips of the silenced people bursted out in speech

The stream of words once again were flowing

Over the frozen riverbands when we finally came together

My dearest son of the wind

When you're walking alongside the reindeer herd

When you guard the reindeer oxen with the great antlers

All of the horizon comes alive and starts to move

My dearest son of the wind

(The lyrics were found on this link:http://lyricstranslate.com/en/elen-skum-elle-elle.html)