Saernieprieve 13 – Dávvirat Duiskkas – tsïengelen/ goevten 2024
Imagine being able to touch and examine minutely a hat that once may have belonged to your great grandmother or cultural heritage from your own area but of a kind that you have never before seen until it comes into view at a museum in Berlin, where it has been kept in the deposit – as in a time capsule – for generations? This was the rare opportunity presented to the seven duojárs[i] or craft artists from the Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish side of the Sámi land, who were recently gathered in Berlin for Museum Europäischer Kulturen’s third and second last workshop of their provenance research project (2022-2024). [ii]
In the last days of February 2024, I visited MEK’s workshop. While I was interested in learning more about the methods of this pioneering project, I also wanted to follow up the contributions of “our” duojárs, Ellinor Guttorm Utsi from Deatnu/Tana and Ellen Berit Dalbakk from Skániek/Evenskjer. In October 2023, all the duojárs had visited MEK for a week in order to get to know the Sámi collection of almost a thousand objects. With inspiration from the historical collection, the duojárs will make a new product. The product will be presented in an exhibition taking place at MEK later this year.
From February 19 to March 1, 2024, the duojárs were again gathered in Berlin, this time to work in the temporary workroom – “Ámmuin” – MEK has installed for this purpose. In addition to being cleansed, most of MEK’s Sámi collection had been brought up from the deposit in the basement to the workroom on the second floor and re-organized in new cabinets in ways that are practical to the duojárs. Three large cabinets – one with shelves for textiles – provide easy access to the objects. The room also contained workstations, a station for photo documentation, and a station for literature, photos, and archival material. A custom-made catalogue of the collection was provided to all the duojárs.
Most of the duojárs are working on several projects. The motivations may differ from project to project. Some duojárs may have received requests or wishes from their local communities to document particular objects or seek particular knowledge in need. The projects are of course also conditioned by the duojár’s expertise and background. Other times the historical objects themselves call for attention and for various reasons. Some objects may speak directly to the duojár’s heart. The wide range of emotions triggered by the objects were revealed in the workshop. The MEK project management and the duojárs discussed various projects, which ones to choose, and how to develop them for the exhibition. The discussion was educational and moving. We are looking forward to seeing the new objects in MEK’s exhibition and learn about their coming into being.
Jïjnjh heelsegh
Cathrine Baglo
[i] An anglification of the North Sámi word duojarát (plur.) – duojár (sing.).
[ii] The Sámi Collection at the Museum Europäischer Kulturen – A multi-perspective approach to provenance research (pressemelding) – Norges museumsforbund (museumsforbundet.no) (Press release);
https://museumsforbundet.no/nyheter/vare-vytnesjaejjah/ (Dávvirat Duiskkas’ Newsletter 10).
[i] The Sámi Collection at the Museum Europäischer Kulturen – A multi-perspective approach to provenance research (pressemelding) – Norges museumsforbund (museumsforbundet.no) (Press release);
https://museumsforbundet.no/nyheter/vare-vytnesjaejjah/ (Dávvirat Duiskkas’ Newsletter 10).
