We are still here

Sofia Jannok is a Sami artist who also fight for the indigenous rights. In a series of Swedish tv programs we have been able to get a glimpse of her work all over the world. She travels to meet other countries indigenous and learn about their struggles for the right to exist. It’s so inspiring to see how she build bridges with her music and art.

I don’t know if you are able to watch swedish tv at Svt play, but here’s the link:
http://www.svtplay.se/varldens-sofia-jannok

In the third episode she’s in US in Minneapolis.

One song that I think most of you know in English from ABBA era, Waterloo, Sofia Jannok sings that song in Samian.

Waterloo in Samian

More songs with Sofia Jannok on youtube. Watch and listen to the song We are still here.

http://www.youtube.com/sofiajannok

There’s art making in that video too that I like. In the beginning of the song you hear a Swedish lawyer, representing the Swedish State, voice saying the Swedish State has never discriminate the samis or the “lappar” as he put it, that’s almost like saying the n-word in US. The Swedish State lost that case, the Sami village won that round in court.

The samis still, after so many years, try to get the right to live their way of life which basically means live with nature. The Swedish State still doesn’t get it. Not everyone wants to live big city life or destroy nature. It seems to be a never ending conflict. We should know better with the knowledge we have today. We should not learn samis how to live big city life, we should learn from samis how to live more near nature life!

Anna