My 19-year old, eminently more-qualified son and fellow boardmember Dalai introduced the Sámi film at the Nordic Lights Film Festival last weekend: the feature-length documentary Arctic Superstar about hiphop artist Nils-Rune Utsi aka “SlinCraze.” Dalai mentioned that his great-grandfather, who left Sápmi with his accordion at age 24, would be surprised to know that Sámi youth are proud of their culture and helping keep it alive not only through joik, but rap. (Surprised is an understatement. Grandpa must be rolling in his grave!)

This is the 9th year of the festival and the 6th year of films from Sápmi. It was in 2012, after a screening of Suddenly Sámi, that the Pacific Sámi Searvi was created after a few of us decided to keep meeting regularly. Fast forward six years, and we are screening the film again, this time in Canada at an event cosponsored by Burnaby’s Scandinavian Cultural Society. Several members of the Canadians of Sámi Ancestry Facebook page will join us, as well as Sámi professor Troy Storfjell and other scholars. I’ll give a brief talk about my ancestral trip to Sápmi.

Below is the flyer we distributed the film festival. Please join us if you’re able.