Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Norwegian Festival Special
Songstress Mari Boine says performing at Riddu Riddu is like “coming home”.
A festival where diversity belongs In 25 years, the Riddu Riddu festival has gone from a small gathering of youths who wanted to meet and discuss matters of the heart, to a grand-scale festival celebrating pride, diversity and identity. Firmly rooted in Sámi tradition and a will to uncover and discuss imperative issues for indigenous peoples worldwide, Riddu Riddu has built bridges across borders, ethnicities and cultures. By Julie Lindén | Photos: Riddu Riddu
In 1991, a group of young people gathered for a barbecue party in the municipality of Kåfjord. They spoke about issues of identity, roots and why having a Sámi background was still closely connected with feelings of shame. By immersing themselves in the bountiful Sámi culture, the youths made a decision essential to their identities: to be proud of their ancestry. “Going into our 25th year, we feel much like those young people – we’re this energetic, inspired 25-year-old, hungry to learn more about ourselves and the world,” says Karoline Trollvik, festival director. Today Riddu Riddu is made up of 120 staff, plus 200 volunteers, who lay the groundwork for each inclusive festival
experience – events ranging from concerts, films, seminars and courses in traditional knowledge, to the children’s festival. Here, more than 100 children can learn the Sámi language, how to make a campfire or how to hoop dance. Numerous artists have performed on-site over the past quarter century, counting international names such as Angelique Kidjo and Buffy Saint Marie. Norwegian and Sámi songstress Mari Boine has contributed greatly to the festival’s Sámi foothold, saying that the festival “feels just like coming home”. This year, Norwegian pop comet Sondre Justad and Swedish/ Sámi Sofia Jannok will bring additional northern charm to the festival, both artists emphasising their sense of belonging in the northern regions of Scan-
dinavia. What is more, you will be able to experience these performances by the river, while breathing fresh mountain air under the midnight sun. “The meetings between people – especially indigenous peoples – top the list for me,” Trollvik says when pondering the greater purpose of the festival. She explains that one year saw Mayan youths use Riddu Riddu as a safe, informal setting to explore and explain their culture, something they had never experienced before. “They were used to having their heritage problematised, and their chins dropped once they realised participants at Riddu Riddu were genuinely interested in what they had to tell. That moment is what this festival is about.” Riddu Riddu 2016 is held on 13-17 July. Enjoy free camping at the family and main camps.
For more information, please visit: riddu.no
Issue 84 | January 2016 | 51