Elle Hallala, an artist from Ohcejohka, forsakes modern art. After the death of her grandmother she is agony: All the years devoted to art career she should’ve used on learning the endangered Sámi knowledge and skills. Elle turns her back on painting and international glory, and retires in Gabbaduottar, her ancestral lands. She finds cure in fishing and Sámi duodji crafts until strange dreams begin suggesting that everything is not in its place after all.
Goatnelle is a novel about ambivalences, polarities, art and Sámi ways of being. Published by DAT.
Critically acclaimed in Finland, where Niillas Holmberg’s debut novel Halla Helle was reviewed as “The Magic Mountain of Sámi culture”, its French rights were acquired by Editions du Seuil, who released French edition on February 16th 2024 with the title “La Femme grenouille“ in a translation by Sébastien Cagnoli.
Halla Helle is the first novel by Niillas Holmberg. It takes a deep look at Sámi culture and cultural differences through the eyes of Samu, a son of a priest from Southern Finland. He becomes attached to a Sámi visual artist Halla Helle. Halla Helle was nominated for the Runeberg Litarature Prize in 2022. Published by Gummerus.
“Halla Helle is the Magic Mountain of Sámi culture” -Helsingin Sanomat
The Norwegian translation of Juolgevuođđu, translated by Endre Ruset and Niillas Holmberg. The translation was due when Juolgevuođđu was nominated for the Nordic Literature Prize in 2020. Illustrations by Inga-Wiktoria Påve. Order from the publisher DAT.
Jalkapohja is the latest poetry collection of Niillas in Finnish, published by Gummerus in 2019. The book is also a major work of illustrations by the Sámi artist Inga-Wiktoria Påve. Niillas won the Kirsi Kunnas Poetry Award with Jalkapohja.
“Top of the poetry year 2019.” - Turun Sanomat
Juolgevuođđu is the sixth book of poetry by Niillas, published by DAT in 2018. The book is also a major work of illustrations by the Sámi artist Inga-Wiktoria Påve. Order here.
Jalatald is the Estonian translation of the awarded poetry collection Juolgevuođđu. It is translated by Ott Heinapuu and published by Allikaäärne in 2018.
A German volume of Niillas’ poems, translated from North Sámi by Katrin Merz. Published by hochroth Verlag. Order here.
Niillas' fourth collection of poems was published by DAT in July 2016. The book is written in Northern Sámi. Order here.
Niillas’ first collection of poems in Finnish was published by Palladium Kirjat in 2015. Illustrations by Hanna Lehikoinen. Sold out.
A Norwegian translation of amas amas amasmuvvat, published in late 2015 by DAT. Translation by Rawdna Carita Eira. Order here.
