Nordic Council Literature Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 31 (1991) Winner
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää
ニルス＝アスラク・ヴァルケパー
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää
Aliases:
Áillohaš / Áilu
Pen Names:
Áillohaš（Stage name / traditional Sámi name）,
Áilu（Nickname (Northern Sámi)）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1943-03-23 （Enontekiö, Finland (Sápmi)）
- Died
- 2001-11-26 （Espoo, Finland） age 58
- Nationality
- Finland, Norway
- Languages
- Northern Sami, Finnish, Norwegian, English
- Residence History
- Sápmi (Enontekiö), Finland → Skibotn, Sápmi (Norway) → Espoo, Finland
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Poet, Musician, Artist, Photographer
- Active Years
- 1968-2001
- Influenced By
- Antonín Dvořák (notably Symphony No. 9), Finnish folk/jazz musicians (Seppo Paakkunainen, Ilpo Saastamoinen, Esko Rosnell, etc.), Sámi traditional music (joik)
- Influenced
- Niko Valkeapää (godson / musician), Later generations of Sámi artists, poets and musicians
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kemijärvi Teachers' Training College | — | — | — | 在籍期間は1960年代（正確な年度不明） | Finland |
Kemijärvi Teachers' Training College
Period:
在籍期間は1960年代（正確な年度不明）
Country:
Finland
Studied for six years but did not work as a teacher
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Nordic Council Literature Prize | Beaivi, Áhcázan (The Sun, My Father) | — | Nordic Council | 受賞 |
| 1978 | Provincial Artist of Lapland | — | — | Province of Lapland | 任命（1978–1983） |
| 1993 | Prix Italia Jury Special Prize (radio) | Goase Dušše (The Bird Symphony) | — | Prix Italia | 受賞（審査員特別賞） |
Nordic Council Literature Prize
1991
Work:
Beaivi, Áhcázan (The Sun, My Father)
Organization:
Nordic Council
Result:
受賞
Provincial Artist of Lapland
1978
Organization:
Province of Lapland
Result:
任命（1978–1983）
Prix Italia Jury Special Prize (radio)
1993
Work:
Goase Dušše (The Bird Symphony)
Organization:
Prix Italia
Result:
受賞（審査員特別賞）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Joikuja
1968 Music (joik)Debut record featuring traditional joiks.
Traditional musicNature
Sámiid eatnan duoddariid
1978 Music (jazz-joik fusion)A landmark album combining jazz elements with joik; includes pieces later recognized as central to Sámi identity.
Cultural revitalizationConnection to nature
Beaivi, Áhcázan (The Sun, My Father)
1988 PoetryA Northern Sámi poetry collection exploring nature, tradition and paternal/sun imagery; awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 1991.
NatureSámi mythologyIdentity
Translations
- Translated into English (The Sun, My Father)
- Translated into Finnish
Pathfinder (Ofelaš) – film score / performance
1987 Film music / performanceComposed, performed and appeared in the 1987 Norwegian film Pathfinder (Ofelaš), which received an Academy Award nomination.
Ethnic cultureCinematic expression
Adaptations
- [Film] Pathfinder (Ofelaš) / Nils Gaup (1987)
Bibliography
- Terveisiä Lapista (Greetings from Lapland) (1971)
- Giđa ijat čuovgadat (Spring Nights So Bright) (1974)
- Lávlo vizar biellocizáš (1976)
- Ádjaga silbasuonat (1981)
- Ruoktu Váimmus (1985)
- Beaivi, Áhcázan (The Sun, My Father) (1988)
- Nu guhkkin dat mii lahka = Så fjernt det nære (1994)
- Jus gazzebiehtár bohkosivččii (1996)
- Girddán, seivvodan (1999)
- Eanni, eannážan (2001)
- Joikuja (1968, record)
- Sámi eatnan duoddariid (1978, record)
Adaptations
- Music and performance for the film Pathfinder (Ofelaš) (1987)
- A Noh-inspired play performed in Japan (1995)
Translations of Works
- Beaivi, Áhcázan → The Sun, My Father (English translation)
- Terveisiä Lapista (written in Finnish; translated into English)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Poetic prose with detailed depictions of nature and landscapeIntegration of multiple media (poetry combined with photography and visual art)Fusion of tradition and modernity (e.g., joik combined with jazz)
- Recurring Motifs
- Nature (sun, birds, bogs)Sámi mythology and traditionReindeer and nomadic lifeVoice (joik) and sound
Health
-
Injuries from a car accident1996以降After a serious car accident in 1996 he suffered health issues that led him to relocate and live more quietly
Legacy
A central figure in the revitalization of joik and Sámi cultural revival. Internationally recognized for his interdisciplinary work in poetry, music and visual art, awarded the Nordic Council Literature Prize. His legacy is preserved through the Lásságámmi Foundation and donations to the Kautokeino museum.
Museums
- Guovdageainnu Gilišillju (Kautokeino Museum) collection Kautokeino, Norway (permanent display)
- Lásságámmi (foundation site based on Valkeapää's residence) Skibotn / Storfjord, Norway Opened in 2004
Academic Societies
- University of Oulu (Honorary doctorate)
- University of Lapland (Honorary doctorate)
Archives
- Lásságámmi Foundation (Skibotn) houses papers and belongings
In Popular Culture
- Performed at the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer
- In 2022 'Sámiid eatnan duoddariid' was elected the national joik of the Sámi people at the 22nd Sámi Conference
Quotes
-
When I hear talk of conserving the culture, I see an investigator of folklore in my mind’s eye, and interpret their activities quite literally: cataloguing a dead culture.
Source: Terveisiä Lapista (1971)
Trivia
- Known by the stage name Áillohaš and nickname Áilu.
- Suffered serious injuries in a car accident in 1996.
- Won the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 1991.
- Was bisexual but concealed his sexuality during his life.