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It is summer and the sun is shining. So shining that nights are simply clear like the day. The midnight sun is fascinating. It never passes the line of horizon and never it goes down. Over there, over the Arctic Circle, the tiny village of Sevettijarvi is so small that only a few red wooden houses are lying along the main straight avenue joining Inari (Finland) to Kirkenes (Norway).

By which miracle would it be possible to meet a traditional singer of Leu'dd ? The size of the village is an advantage and the small museum which lies in its centre is a mandatory hotspot for any traveller going there. The latter consists of a chalet made of a clear wood and a cosy ambiance reign thanks to the old and silent woman. Her knowledge of each mind living in Sevettijarvi would reveal a precious source of information.

At a short distance from the museum, Elias, 76 years old, is a local celebrity for singing traditional Leu'dd songs. Born in 1933 at Petsamo, he learned singing with his parents and grand-parents in the pure Sámi tradition.



Elias accepted to sing in the presence of a recorder and when came the instant of singing, he requested to be posted as close as possible to the lake which borders his house. This request sounded like an harmony between the song and the environment. ou will find hereafter several live recordings of Elias by Laurent D'Alvise.

Live recording n°1, Sevettijarvi (Finland) by Laurent D'Alvise

Live recording n°2, Sevettijarvi (Finland) by Laurent D'Alvise

Live recording n°3, Sevettijarvi (Finland) by Laurent D'Alvise

Joik definition (src)

A joik, (also spelled yoik), luohti, vuolle, leu'dd, or juoiggus is a traditional Sami form of song.

Originally, joik referred to only one of several Sami singing styles, but in English the word is often used to refer to all types of traditional Sami singing. According to music researchers, joik is one of the longest living music traditions in Europe, and is the folk music of the Sami people. Its sound is comparable to the traditional chanting of some Native American cultures.

The joik is a unique form of cultural expression for the Sami people in Sápmi.[3] Each joik is meant to reflect a person or place. This does not mean that it is a song about the person or place, but that the joiker is attempting to transfer "the essence" of that person or place into song - one joiks their friend, not about their friend. It usually has short lyrics or no lyrics at all. This type of song can be deeply personal or spiritual in nature. Improvisation is not unusual. However, there are other forms of joik (in the expanded sense of the word) that have a more epic type of lyrics. Joik is traditionally chanted a cappella and often dedicated to a human being, an animal, or a landscape as a personal signature.