Our international music selection for this month is Uvjamuohta (Powder Snow) by Solju,. The mother-daughter duo of Ulla Pirttijärvi-Länsman and her daughter Hildá Länsman have infused their Northern Sámi heritage, language, and traditional style of music, known as Joik, with high-production modern music that has gained recognition throughout the international indigenous music community. The artists come from the northernmost municipality of Finland in Utsokji, Lapland which is located above the Arctic Circle in the indigenous region of Northern Sápmi.
The unique Joik singing is contributed by Ulla singing while the lead vocals come from Hildá’s piercingly beautiful voice. Instrumentals played by Kris and Ulrik who are Norwegian and Finnish settlers.
This album was the duo’s first release, containing original songs exclusively in their native Northern Sámi language. Tracks on Ođđa Aigodat include samples of ritual prayers and traditional instruments that are complimented by the songs’ modern beat. Much of the sentiment from this album points towards the preservation of the Northern Sápmi territory and culture of the Sámi people, along with pacifist and climate-alarming messages—www.journeys.dartmouth.edu
