Joik
“A joik is an experience in life that I cannot or dare to put into words. It's about something bigger than just singing and telling a story, the joik is an expression of my feelings and memories.”
Remembering through Joik
It is said that the joik gives life to people and is a way to remember those who are no longer with us. Some remember with joy. Others with grief. Joiking is not about telling a story about a certain feeling or person. It's about expressing yourself as if you actually are that feeling or person. In this way we become part of what we joik. And often, words are not even needed to express oneself. Through the rhythm, the melody and possibly, words, a whole is formed and the message reaches through.
Our Oldest Type of Music
Today, the joik is a popular form of music, but it hasn't always been so. For a long time, we Sami have lived under oppression and our music has not been accepted in society. But thanks to our strong culture and our deep-rooted traditions, the joik has survived and today the Sami song style is probably the oldest form of music we have in Europe. I'm proud to be able to share my Sami heritage and spread our music and culture further and believe that everyone can find the joik, as long as you dare to let it into your heart.
