Sami joik on the Nenets tundra

Next year the annual Barents Spectacle in Kirkenes will last 5 days in February. Folk singers from Arctic areas all over the world are to be invited to the Festival. Representatives of indigenous people of Norway and Sweden, Republic of Saha-Yakutia, Chukotka and Nenets, Alaska, Greenland and Canada will appear on the stage together only once and only in Kirkenes. It was the reason why Johan Sara visited the Nenets autonomous okrug and tasted 40-degrees frost and raw reindeer meat in December. His goal was to select a Nenets singer for the great event in Kirkenes among the participants of the Nenets Festival � �Sava Sø� � (� �Lovely Tune� �) that was held in Naryan-Mar in December, 8-11.

The Ethno-cultural Centre organizes the Festival for the people who are fond of both traditional and modern Nenets songs. Thus, Johan Sara got the opportunity to listen and record dozens of singers from remote tundras and settlements in the okrug without making long trips by helicopter or snowscooter. His mission was a success but the name of the selected singer is kept in secret until the decision is taken by the organizing committee in Kirkenes.

The schedule of work of the Sami musician in the Nenets okrug was rather tough and as a result Johan Sara became famous in okrug. He had meetings with the Association of the Nenets people "Yasavey� � " and pupils and teachers of the Children's school of arts.

To crown it all Johan Sara took part in the final concert of the Festival where he performed several pieces from his latest album � �Orvoš� �. And surprised the audience singing together with Ekaterina Taibarej, Nenets singer from Krasnoe settlement. Their � �Song of Shaman� � being a combination of Sami joik and Nenets guttural voice accompanied by drum beats fascinated the audience and carried listeners to the vast tundra together with seven white reindeers.