The 2023 literary event centered around the theme of Čuovga (Light) took place on Saturday evening in Umeå, where Jörgen Stenberg performed his joik in front of a packed crowd. Stenberg’s poem explores the temperature difference of 8 degrees, which is affecting the Arctic reindeer. He expressed his concern and frustration about people’s inability to distinguish between a natural forest and a plantation. He considers this to be a serious threat to the reindeer’s existence, and ultimately, to the human race’s survival. The event showcased several performances that highlighted the exploitation of indigenous people, and the collaboration involved several organizations, including Creative Europe, Art Act, the Norwegian Cultural Council, the Swedish-Norwegian Cooperation Fund, Musikk i Nordland, and Giron Sámi Teáhter. Composer Jakop Jansønn’s work featured texts by Ánne Márjá Guttorm Graven, Niillas Holmberg, Niilas Helander, Rose-Marie Huuva, Ánná Káisá Partapuoli, and Jörgen Stenberg. The soiree was an “activist performance,” according to Patricia Fjellgren, the artistic director. Listen to Jörgen Stenberg’s performance in Čuovga in the clip above.
The 2023 literary soáre on the theme is Čuovga (Light) was given on Saturday evening in Umeå.
– The reindeer is an arctic animal. A temperature difference of 8 degrees is what my poem is about. I feel very worried, says Jörgen Stenberg, who during Littfest gave his joik in a packed Folkets hus in Umeå.
In an interview with SVT Sápmi, he describes concern and frustration that people generally do not understand the difference between a real forest and what he calls a plantation.
– A threat to the reindeer’s existence, a threat to our existence. But I still get strength here that we are getting the message out and that there are several of us who have to do something, says Jörgen Stenberg who, among other things, met the author of the book Skogslandet earlier last week.
A collaboration in Sápmi
Voices that were heard at the soiree expressed great concern and anxiety over the exploitations that, in parallel with forestry, affect the indigenous people.
– It’s an activist performance, says Patricia Fjellgren, who was the artistic director.
Composer Jakop Jansønn’s work interwoven texts by Ánne Márjá Guttorm Graven, Niillas Holmberg, Niilas Helander, Rose-Marie Huuva, Ánná Káisá Partapuoli and Jörgen Stenberg.
The project was done in collaboration with Creative Europe, Art Act, the Norwegian Cultural Council and the Swedish-Norwegian Cooperation Fund, Musikk i Nordland and Giron Sámi Teáhter.
Hear Jörgens Stenberg in Čuovga in the clip above.