Rájácummá – Kiss from the Border
Rájácummá – Kiss from the Border
Niillas Holmberg, Jenni Laiti and Outi Pieski, 2017-2018
environmental community art work; eight photographs and a lithograph (printed in Helsinki Litho)
The project consists of eight lines of poetry placed in the Deatnu River valley, where the border between Finland and Norway lies. The work deals with self-government by local Sámi people and issues concerning the use of land and waterways. It proposes equal status for nature and people based on reciprocity and respect. Life and mobility in this model are based more on sustainable co-existence and the features of the region than on national borders.
land is the question, the answer is land
scoop the water along the stream, cut the branches along the grain
let the river be the bridge
clean water, the sacred song
lucky feather as an amulet
blessing
only take what’s needed
the answer is landgažaldat eana, vástádus eana
álo álmmastit miehterávdnjái, miehtemurrii álo njáskat
johka ieš min šaldi
buhtes čáhci, sáivaluohti
leavvedolgi várjalussan
buressivdnádus
váldit dušše maid dárbbaša
vástádus eana
Photos by Ville-Riiko Fofonoff