Ella Maria comments on a controversial message for the first time – NRK Nordland

“This is Sámi land” was Sámi artist and activist Ella Marie’s message when she entered the stage during the opening show of Bodø 2024 on February 3.

A large-scale opening ceremony saw Bodø become the European Capital of Culture in 2024 – the largest cultural project in Northern Norway ever. An event that will cost NOK 300 million.

There were several elements with Sámi dancers and Sámi artist and activist Ella Marie Haita Isaksen finished the ball by opening her jacket and displaying the message “This is Sámi land.”

– Many were angry

Sami's content caused many Bodo's comments to go off the rails on social media. This trick also received attention in VG, Aftenposten and several other media outlets.

Sami activist and artist Ella Marie did not comment on this trick. Before tonight, in her latest vlog on YouTube.

– After the opening of Bodø2024, there was a big controversy and a lot of people got angry at me for saying “this is Sami land”.

– He was asked to say something

– What I find funny is that the people who organized this opening asked me to say a few words while they were getting everything ready. I replied that I could. But without telling them what I intended to say.

I think they were “kind of surprised” when they heard what I said. But at the same time, they couldn't remove it before it aired, because that would also have sparked debate.

– It was censored

There were 20,000 people who received an Ella Marie Hatta jacket.

– They became See NRK censored me. I forced them to listen to my opinion. It's very comedic.

Isaksen also learned that the stunt led to controversy in the media.

After several hundred comments on social media, as well as numerous instances in the media, Bodø OD Mayor Emil Ingebrigtsen (H) was forced to issue a strong call for people to come to their senses on Monday.

– At one point, the legend Halfdan Sivertsen defended me. “It means a lot to me,” she says in the vlog.

Moreover, she says she tried to avoid reading what people wrote about her.

– which – which There was a lot of hate and it's not good for me to read. “I'm proud of the fact that I started a discussion that I think is important to have,” she says.

She adds that she is very happy with herself.

– Starting a heated debate was a pretty great one-on-one startartist.

-We and them

One of those with strong opinions about the opening act is theater critic and social theorist Anke Gerhardsen.

She said she could understand the violent controversy that arose after the opening performance.

I thought this was due, among other things, to the trick of Ella Maria Hætta Isaksen.

– It more or less says that the non-Semitic part of the population of Salten does not belong here. So when the audience comes to the opening show of Bodø2024, they can be silent observers or bearers of Norwegian guilt. I think both of these roles require standing without feeling uncomfortable.

At the same time, Gerhardsen thought it was a very good idea to promote sublime artists.

-There is an incredible amount of exciting things happening in the sublime art scene. The problem is that these artists failed to create a society that includes all residents.

– There was no shared “we.” It became “us” and “them.” I miss community. What the artist makes is completely secondary. Gerhardsen believed that the absence of “we”.

I don't agree with the criticism

The program director in charge of the opening show, Henrik Sand Dagvenrode, believed that the balance between sublime and other content was good.

– For Bodø2024, this is obviously a good sign that this is being discussed. If this had been over by the time people left the show, it would have been a failure for us. The fact that we now have a relevant debate that concerns us and the region we live in is a sign of health.