guorga
Poetry yoik is here
'Guorga' comprises Niillas Holmberg and Jakop Janssønn, in search of the lyrics and curves of the forgotten joik. They have invited some of the best musicians in Sápmi and Norway, such as Marja Mortensson, Marius Neset and Daniel Herskedal. Guorga performs cross-genre music forging a unique picture through song and poetry.
Debut album Guorga was published in 2021.
Music video
Check out the music video of our first single Duoddara modjegobit, directed by the award-winning film director Katja Gauriloff, published in May 2020!
LYRICS
The English translations of the lyrics/poetry by Niillas Holmberg with assistance from Olivia Lasky.
VAJÁLDUPMI
Leago vajálduvvan luođi dajahusaid ozus
dehálut dat mii gávdno
vai dat mii láhppo?
Bealistan sáhtan lohkat
ahte násttit eai gávdnon planetários
Láhppon luođi dajahusat
eai gávdnon smierus suhtus, bábersuovas
Láhppon luođi dajahusat, bohtetgo dat millii doppe
gos intellektuella ruoná doaktárat bissehedje váimmu
vai dan laggan ii heađuštivčče
erttetdávttiid militaristtalaš ortnega?
Jos báhcán leat dušše dávttit
sávan gávdnat fálládávttiid fávllis inge fiervvás
sávan bliántan dolggi man áimmus gávnnan
DÁLKEMEARKKAT
Eaigo dálkemearkkat doala
doala deaivása?
Iigo arvi beaivvádahkan dieđe:
dál dat áigot headjavuoján leŋget?
Dáidet dálkemearkkat oarbbes
geažotbealj´ go miesážat
Ja de gosa mii daid merket
jos daid suohpangiehta olaha?
GEAIDNOFIERBMI
1925, Ohcejogas reive eiseváldái
”Ehket galgga deikke geainnuid hukset
mii eat hálit rádjegozáhusa
eatge skuvlaráhkkanusa
telfonlinjá eatge maidige
man gohčodehket ovdáneapmin”
1930, Suonnjelsiiddas reive eiseváldái…
Dál dat orru, dál dat orru
dego livččen beaiveloddi gišvvardeamen
geaidnofierpmádagas man heavdni gođii
Beaiveloddi dat gal árvidii
ah´ geaidnu dat ii buvtte
dat ii buvtte baicce doalvu iige atte baicce váldá
borrá iige biepma
2020, goruhan lea infrastruktuvran
láhččojuvvon, ruvkebargui
Dat oidnet mu resursan
Dál dat orru…
BEITOT
Mun lean moardán fierpmi
Mu bivddus lea njáŋgui, vuoksái
Lean háhpohallan guliid
main ievttá beahcet, ihtá oaivi
muhto fidnen dušše otná láibbi
Mun lean batnán suohpana
velába munnje, olgeš bojái
18-sallasaš ain oanehaš
lean háhpohallat ovdáneami
muhto aiddo go darvehin
dat nulppagii
Mun lean gárdon, ealljárit čuoigan
giellamis giellan, divvomis divvon
Gárddit leat divvasis
muhto balan reanttus
go mu gillii vihket loatnasánit
BUOLLIT
Leatgo don šat leahkiminge
vuosterávnnji haga?
Leago vuostálastin oassin du iešvuođas?
Jos friijavuohta olahuvvo, gosa dainna?
Leago vuostálastin oassin du identitehtas?
Ále don sáva munnje ráfi, sáva munnje ráfi
Mun áiggon buollit
Sáva munnje ráfi, sáva munnje ráfi
Fertetgo don čorpmastallat
vai du hávit eai rahpas?
Ráfi ovddas soahtan lea
románttalaš paradoksa
Vuoi verddežan gieris, geige gieđa
kolonialisma lea absurda vuohki dánsut
Ále don sáva munnje ráfi…
OAIDNI
Ja mii dal de leige maid dat dajai
dat dat gal de báŋádii
Mii dal de leige maid dat dajai
dat ruohtastii
ja maid lešge dadjan
dat dat gal de girdilii
Oaidni lea riegádan, oaidni lea riegádan
muhto gii son su duostá njámahit?
gii son su máhttá njámahit?
Oaidni lea riegádan, oaidni lea riegádan
muhto gii son su muitá vuhtodit?
gii son su suitá vuhtodit?
gii áimmahuššá hearkivuođa?
gii bajásgeassá geasekeahttá vulos?
Oaidni lea riegádan…
Oaidni lea čákŋalan…
Muhto mo leš… dán áiggehan
dán áiggehan merrii riegádit
dakkár merrii gos buokčaladdama
atnet mearkan mielahuvvamis
mearkan mielahuvvamis
Oaidni lea čákŋalan…
MODJEGOBIT
Okta, guokte
golmma vieljaš máinnas
njeallje, na dasa vihtta
viđa, guđa vári duohken raba seahka
áhččán árbesilbbat
čieža vuomi ovtta ijas
gávcci, ovcci olbmo fámut
Makkár muođuid árben
jos vajálduvvan muođut eai gávdo
eai duoddara modjegobiinge?
Čalbmedearis speadjalasten
čalbmečiegas jorggehin
njunnegeažis várdádallen
njálbmečihkii čierastin
gulbmeguolggaid bolttodallen
geađđasiid suotnjalin
bealljeguoras beljohallen
makkár, makkár muođuid árben
jos vajálduvvan dajahusat eai gávdno
eai duoddara modjegobiinge?
NIEHKUME
Boso eret borggaid, suovaid
raba munnje daid metaforaid, giellagovaid
Vuojet eret muođaid, savddaid, gásttadagaid
cavgil munnje daid metaforaid
Bija eret arvviid, šlahtiid, čođuid, rášuid
ivtte munnje daid metaforaid, giellagovaid
Lokte mierkká oađašeaddji ovddas
čuvges munnje daid metafo–
Mun eahcán du nieguid
niegadan du eahccima
Eahcán du nieguid
Niegadan du eahccima
HÁHTEŽAN & NJÁVEŽAN
Mun njielastin mu iežan suoivana
ja dál in leat šat bahá, in buorre
Njávešeani vuonjal lean
Háhtešeani varit maid
Mun oainnestin dan biipostáinnaha fal
ja dál in leat šat in áldu, in sarvvis
Njávešeani vuonjal lean
Háhtešeani varit maid
NUBBI MIESSI
Láhppálas, láhppen dan luođi
muhto nubbi miessi ruohtasta sadjái
Lotkkodehkoset noađđehárdut
lodjudehkoset hirron verddet
kránjáid bálggis ii galgga savvot
Laskadehkoset addeš gieđat
loikadehkoset suossasuonat
ja nubbi miessi ruohtasta sadjái
Livžžodehkoset loavddahealmmit
lávostalloset gáktehealmmit
ja nubbi miessi ruohtasta sadjái
OBLIVION
When searching for the
lyrics of the forgotten yoik,
what’s more relevant: the thing to be discovered
or something the search takes away?
For my part I can say
that stars is not what I found in the planetarium.
The lyrics of the lost yoik
were not discovered from brittle anger
smoking papers
Will I find the lyrics of the forgotten yoik
where intellectual green doctors stop hearts
to support the militant order of ribs?
Should only the whale’s skeleton remain
I’d still want to find it in open water
not on shore
I wish to find a quill in the sky
WEATHER INDICATORS
Have the weather indicators
lost their validity?
Doesn’t sunny rain
forecast a wedding?
The indicators seem like
unmarked reindeer calves
How do we mark them
if we grasp them?
THE WEB OF ROADS
1925, a letter from Ohcejohka to officials
”Do not build roads here
we don’t want border control, not a school
Telephone line or anything
you call development.”
1930, a letter from the Suõʹnnjel sijjt…
It seems now, it seems now
as if I’m a butterfly wriggling
in spider’s web of roads.
This butterfly did figure that roads
don’t lead in but out, don’t give but take:
they eat and don’t feed.
2020, my body is set
as infrastructure for mining
They take me as a resource
It seems now...
CATCHLESS
I’ve prepared a fishing net
My net is long and deep
I’ve been after fish
with yesterday’s tail, tomorrow head
but all I’ve got is the present bread
I’ve prepared a lasso
For a boy with my ability
18 fathoms it too short
I’ve been after development
but just as I catch it
it sheds its antlers
I’ve been snaring
preparing and repairing
The snares are set
but I dread the interest rate
for my snares are trapping loanwords
IN FIRE
Can you exist without upstream?
Is protest one of your attributes?
If freedom is achieved, what to do with it?
Is protest part of your identity?
Don’t wish me peace, wich me peace
I wish to burn.
Wish me peace, wish me peace
Are you defending wounds with fists?
Fighting for peace is a romantic paradox
Give me your hand, my dear friend:
colonialism is an absurd dance
Don’t wish me peace...
THE SEER
And whatever they said
it swam further
Whaterver they said
it galloped on
Whatever they said
it flew further
A seer is born, a seer is born
but who dares to breastfeed them?
Who knows how to brestfeed them?
A seer is born, a seer is born
but who remembers to lull them?
Who can afford to lull them?
Who nurses their sensitivity?
Who brings up without dragging down?
A seer is born…
The seer has entered…
But in these times
we’re born into a sea
where diving is considered
a sign of lunacy
The seer has entered…
DIMPLES OF THE TUNDRA
One, two
the story of three brothers
four, five
The bag is not to be opened until five
six hills have been crossed
The herloom of my father
seven valleys in a single night
eight, the power of nine men
What kind of face will I inherit
if the forgotten face won’t be found
even in the dimples of the tundra?
From the apple of the eye
I gazed at my reflection
at the corner of the eye I turned around
the nasal tip was my vantage point
to the corner of the mouth I sled
the eyebrows I rummaged
to the temple sneaked
by the ear I hearkened
What kind of face will I inherit
if the forgotten lyrics won’t be found
even in the dimples of the tundra?
OUR DREAM
Blow away the snowfalls, the smokes
Unconceal the metaphores, the symbols.
Drive away the hazes, the drizzles, the dews
Hint at the metaphores, the symbols
Put away the rains, the sleets, the icy showers
Unveil the metaphores, the symbols
Lift up the mist from the eyes of the sleeper
Lighten up the metapho–
I cherish your dreams
I dream of cherishing you
I cherish your dreams
I dream of cherishing you
HÁHTEŽAN & NJÁVEŽAN
I swallowed my own shadow
and now I’m not bad nor good any longer
I’m the two-year-old
female reindeer of Njávešeani
I’m also the two-year-old
male reindeer of Háhtešeani
I saw the hermaphrodite reindeer
and now I’m no longer the female I was
nor the male
I’m the two-year-old…
A NEW CALF
I lost the yoik in my absentmindedness
but a new calf will come to life
Let the burdened shoulders be soothed
let the timid friends be retamed
neigbour’s footpath must not overgrow
Let generous hands be reproduced
let the icy veins be warmed up
and a new calf will come to life
Let the hems of a lávvu ripple in the wind
let the lávvu shelter the hems of gákti
and a new calf will come to life