Ánnámáret´s Bálvvosbáiki album release Aug 16th at Ijahis idja festival in Inari

Sámi artist Ánnámáret releases an album that reconciles the ancient Sámi worldview with the present day and asks where are the places of worship of this time? Ánnámáret joins the ancient gods and witches in this time.

The music on the album Bálvvosbáiki (Bálvvosbáiki) combines the old traditional Sámi yoiking and the old Karelian/Estonian tradition of the jouhikko bowed lyre with a completely new electronic soundscape. It is the result of a collaboration between musicians Ánnámáret (yoik), Ilkka Heinonen (jouhikko) and Turkka Inkilä (electronic music). The music on the album is further complemented by video art created by media artist Marja Viitahuhta. The working group's Sámi-Finnish multi-artistic collaboration has received international attention and the anticipated album will continue the collaboration that has been in place since 2019. Ánnámáret's yoiks or luohti´s, are the starting point for the album and video art.

Bálvvosbáiki album cover. Photo credits Marja Viitahuhta. Graphic Design Jussi Karjalainen.

"While making the album's luohti´s, I reflected on what makes our everyday life as Sámi Sámi and how the beliefs of the Sámi tradition are still reflected in it. There are some glimpses of my reflections on the album and central to these luohti´s is the Sámi relationship to nature, whereby people are part of their environment, not its owner but its user, taking into account the heritage of past generations and preserving the conditions for life for future generations. The land, plants, animals and man together form a whole that are interdependent. The reindeer is the life-giver in the Arctic environment and has given the album its own luohti´s," says Ánnámáret, explaining the creation of the album’s luohti´s.

The album will be released on Friday 16th of August at the Ijahis idja festival in Inari. Ijahis idja is an indigenous music event that has been held in the church village of Inari since 2004. It is the only festival in Finland focusing on Sámi music.

The album will be released in all digital formats. A link to the track files and physical copies of the CD for media use can be requested by email: anna@annamaret.fi

Release date Friday 16th of August at the Ijahis idja festival in the Sajos Auditorium of the Sámi Cultural Centre.

Published by Uksi Productions Ltd.

Digital distribution: Supersounds Music

The project is supported by Kone Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre, Avek, Sámi Regional Education Centre and Sajos.

Band:

Ánnámáret aka Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman: yoik

Ilkka Heinonen: Karelian/Estonian bowed lyre jouhikko

Turkka Inkilä: electronics, shakuhachi

Marja Viitahuhta: video art

Further information and contact details for interviews:

Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman

anna@annamaret.fi

+358(0)40 540 5985

https://www.annamaret.fi/