Moblogging Jokkmokk 2004

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Ive just finished five hours of didgeridoo playing after practicing with the band. I was hoping to be able to upload some pictures but without another computer I cannot (I have returned to an empty shop in the centre of Jokkmokk). The Japanese Throat singer Tatsuya told me the reason he came to Jokkmokk originally [...]

I am waiting for Therese to return so we can go out, but while I was doing that I started reading through the blog (imagine that :-) Something has happened that exemplifies one of the main benefits of the blog, immediate (or at least often with very little time-lag) sharing of information. On this post [...]

And b.t.w., the flute was made of plaster… by Therese

I got an interview with one of the members of Orientexpressen, Dan Lundberg, who told me that the reason why the band got together and started playing in the first place was because there was a group of dancers who wanted to dance to this type of music. At first they mainly played dance music [...]

and now for the dancing…will post more later! by Stephanie

It is, after all, national Sámi day, and this festival is, after all, about the Sámi. I went over to the ice-skating rink this evening to a sea of color. Everyone was dressed in Sámi finery, which is very beautiful! After everyone sat, children dressed in different regional styles of Sámi dress came on stage [...]

Jokkmokk during the market is very expensive I have discovered. Prices could almost be compared to those in our neighboring country Norway. I have just returned from having a late dinner at some restaurant / disco / pub establishment, where I once more made this observation. The place was packed with Sami people dressed in [...]

Orientexpressen has existed as a band for 29 years. They started playing together in a rehersal room in Söder in Stockholm. At that time there were not many Swedes playing the Balcan music, which is their specialty, but now there are all the more – something which they are excited about. The woman who’s going [...]

Our friend at the museum (picture below) has been very helpful. Today he took me behind the scenes to meet the man who prepares all of the displays for the museum. I took a small video of our conversation. He spoke about the importance of keeping materials as natural as possible when conserving items for [...]

So, back to the explanation about “Dance house”. After the Framn?s ensemble have finished, the main attraction of the evening (Orient-expressen) will perform, and then the evening will end with a big dance party where the audience (including me) will get to try some dance moves. Sounds exciting! As you might have heard from the [...]

Now there’s also a choir singing with the band. Click on the link below for a little sample… Download file by Therese

I am now at Västra Skolan, where thers’s going to be a “dance house” tonight. I am now getting an explanation of what “dance house” actually means: First there will be a concert part, beginning with “Framn?s Folklore Ensemble”: Download file by Therese

But I am not sure that she will be really comfortable in her dancing shoes! by Stephanie

I conducted an interview with the head handler after the races and asked him if the reindeer enjoy the sport, and how they get them to run in little circles (interview in Swedish). Sorry Mark, it is not whisky in their fodder, although I do wish I had some of the special hot chocolate that [...]

Lennart Lundmark, historian and author, gave a lecture on the S?mi and race biology at Ajtte earlier today. He talked about how the S?mi have been treated during the last 100 years under the cover of race biology research and refers to the time period as ?hundred years of humiliation?. During the 19th century the [...]

I moved from the market area to the frozen lake today to see the winter activities. I had not gone down there before, and I get the feeling that I have missed a lot. In one corner they were riding sled pulled by dogs, in another racing reindeer. This was the area that I focused [...]

The streaming from Västra skolan seams to be working now. I hope that will be the case tomorrow as well. We will be streaming at fairly low quality since we are unable to use multiple streams due to lack of bandwidth between us and the server. by Anton

by Therese

Why don’t you join us in the chat? Would be nice to interact with you! by Therese

An observation I made at the story telling event earlier today was that all of the speakers started out by speaking in Sámi and then they switched to Swedish so that the majority of the audience would be able to understand. One of the men, Lars Pirak, explained that Sámi was the only language spoken [...]

While running back and forth between one activity and the next, it is sometimes difficult to keep in mind that the point of the market is not the activities, historically, it never was. The point of this gathering has always been socialization. This is a time for people who have not seen each other in [...]

return to the wireless area having spent the last 4 hours in a small room filled with musicians and instruments. The bredth and beauty of the music being created in this room is startling. From the ancient roots music from Dartmoor, to rhythms of Siberia, the didgeridoo of Australia and now the tonal singing of [...]

From the story telling event earlier today: Three Sámi dressed in traditional clothing are telling stories from their life and jojking. One of the men telling stories is a priest, Johan Mörak, who talks about how the Sámi always have been a religious people. According to Sámi tradition, the bear is a sacred animal, and [...]

This is what my desktop looks like when trying to communicate with the team (and others) in the chat room at the same time as reading the blog, and checking the stream from the school (great “instant” feeling to that one). (It is a good thing I have two extra screens…) Anton is doing very [...]

The sign says Reindeer Skins for sale…there is only one, but it is fresh! by Stephanie

Sorry I haven’t been able to update for a while… I was going to publish my posts inbetween the story-telling and the lecture, but the network was appearently down. But, no sad faces, you’ll get to see the posts I’ve written during the afternoon in a minute! I will blog more on my experience with [...]

audio post powered by audblog this is mongolan overtone singing called hoomii.It is from western part of mongolia.There are some small tribes which have the same stile of singing around Altai mountains. I learnt this singing and their folkmusic instrument Morin Khuur in Mongolia.I think this singing also tell how amasing way the humanbing can [...]

We have been having problems with some of our access points, but now we are back in the store and blogging. You are about to get an amazing audio post from Jim! by Stephanie

Both Stephanie and Therese reported the network to be very slow at the museum so I went there to check it. I wonder if I eventually will have time to look at the actual exhibitions here and not just running around will my tablet PC. There seems to be some sort of radio source disturbing [...]