Sami children celebrated at Jokkmokk winter market

The winners of the Tjále sámen writing competition were celebrated at the Jokkmokk Winter Market. The event at the Sami Library brought together children and young people who had written poems in Sami.

Over 90 entries in Southern Sami, Ume Sami, Pite Sami, Lule Sami and Northern Sami were submitted to the competition last autumn. During the celebration, some of the winners read their poems to an audience of around 40 people. Afterwards, there was a party with child-friendly bubbly and coffee.

The audience listened attentively as the poems were read.

Tjále sámen is a collaboration between Polarbibblo, run by the Norrbotten Regional Library, the Sami Language Centre, the Sami Library and Tjállegoahte. The competition aims to strengthen and highlight the Sami languages ​​and give young people a chance to use their mother tongue in a creative and fun way.

– We are so happy about the great interest, says Cati Kuoljok at the Sami Language Center. All poems can be read at Polarbibblo.se and are also published in an almanac.

The almanac, which was presented during the poetry festival, is illustrated by Sunna Kuoljok. An exhibition of her pictures was also shown during the event. Towards the end of the celebration, the organizers revealed the theme of this year's competition: Heroes of Sápmi!

Here you can read all the competition entries.

Text: Linda Kvenås
Photo: Peter Bjurström