Paper short abstract:

North Scandinavian Sami yoik-tradition (traditional way of singing) became an emblematic phenomenon in the Sami nation-construction (and the music industry) as their indigenous heritage, during the last decades. Christian, esoteric and Neo-Pagan narratives collide in the contemporary discourses.

Paper long abstract:

I study Sami culture and language(s) for 25 years. I speak North and Lule Sami, and conducted fieldworks since 1999. Yoiking is a vocal singing tradition of the Sami, an indigenous minority of Northern Scandinavia. Yoiks have many elements of sacred and profane symbols and have numerous functions: means of communication, expression of identity, an instrument of entertainment, a system to classify and identify the environment. The Sami never say that they yoik ‘of’ someone/something; they always use the accusative, since the yoik is a type of musical incarnation. Yoiking was prohibited by the Norwegian and Swedish authorities from the 19th century, and yoiking was demonized as a pagan habit. We are witnessing a spread of national awakening among the Sami in the last decades, and the yoik became one of the core and emblematic phenomenon, as cultural heritage. Survival strategy is mixed with radical indigenous-discourse, nation construction, and heritage-keeping attitude. New Age esoteric spirituality, Neo-Pagan and Ethno-Pagan narratives on shamanistic roots appear in the yoiking. The Sami society is far from being homogenous since many Christian groups would rather build the Sami future on Christian foundations. Although, there are ambiguous amalgamations as well. Some Christian communities adopt yoiking in a different context, and add new narratives to it. I outline the diversity of discourse and the overlapping narratives: the complex relation between New Age spirituality, urban shamanism, indigenous discourse, Ethno-Paganism, and Christianity. It is hard to divide religious discourse from nation-construction and media marketing in this ambiguous contemporary religiosity.