Our Visit to Sápmi, part 2

by Elaine Hepner

    After four full days in Sirma and Tana, on Sunday morning we left for Karasjok.  We have relatives on the Balto side that Øyfrid had made arrangements to visit so we detoured through Finland where they live.  They are an older couple who own a herd of
reindeer, but their sons now manage the herd.  We learned not to ask a reindeer owner how many they have.  It's like asking, "How much money do you have in the bank?” 

    On the way we stopped at Utsjoki, Finland.  There was a museum, a “fast food” cafe and across the road, a Lutheran church.  People there are the same as here.  They like to stop for coffee and something quick to eat, but instead of hamburgers, the favorite there seems to be waffles.  

    We arrived at our cousins, the car races were on British television.  I think our arrival interrupted an exciting race.  Dinner was ready and it was a typical Sami feast I forget the details, but I know we had reindeer, boiled potatoes, cloudberries with thick cream, and much more – a delicious dinner.  They don’t speak English, but with Øyfrid there to interpret, we had a nice visit.  Even though they live a long way from other homes, they have every modern convenience.  They gave us a picture of themselves, which I really appreciated.

    We arrived in Karasjok I looked forward to this with great anticipation as this is where my grandparents were born and married and become parents of their firs three girls.  While at Saturday market in Tana a few days before, one of the newspaper reporters with a Finnmark paper asked me if I cried when I finally landed on Finnmark soil.  I told him I Hadn’t yet, but probably would in Karasjok.

    The church in Karasjok had been spared by the Nazis in WWII.  I recognized it immediately from pictures. We arrived in time for summer Sunday service at 5:00 p.m. (they only use the old church in the summer).  My mind was racing.  When I walked
in I remember thinking, "I wish I could tell Grandma."  Not in my wildest drams when I was growing up did I think I would come to the very place my grandparents had lived.

The church was built in 1805.  I don't think it has changed much except for a coat of paint now and them.  I still couldn't believe I was actually here.  This was the first real emotional moment.  We sat in the first row during the service.  We would be staying with Svein Ame and Gunhild Paulen while in Karasjok.  Gunhild sat next to me.  She looked so nice in her Sami outfit.





Quite a few hymns were sung.  Gunhild pronounced the words so clearly that I could follow along in the hymn book even though I didn't know the songs or understand the words.

    The message was in Norwegian, translated into Sami.  I didn't understand that either so I let my mind wander.  I felt transported back to 1890 when my grandparents were married.  I could see them standing there at the attar, right in front of me.  Again I thought, "Here I am grandma, right where you got married.”  I was so glad the old church was used in the summer.

    Afterwards, I was invited to come upstairs and see the organ that my great uncle Samuel Balto had given to the church before he left for American in 1898.  It was more like a loft up there and a ladder rather than stairs.  There sat me organ in shambles, but in one piece.  It looked as if it had sat right there for the 100 years.  Again, it transported me back. I felt as though I was "in touch," a very strange feeling.  Since we got home, someone here told Ed it was common for the music in the old churches to originate from the loft, so maybe the organ had been there in that spot for over 100 years.

    Øyfrid drove back to Sirma after the church service.  She was anxious to get home.  She had just hired a young man from Finland to work in the dairy.  He spoke only Sami and Finnish.  Her summer helper, Britt Marie, spoke only Norwegian.  She needed to stay close to home to be sure there wasn’t any misunderstanding.  Gunhild had a buffet lunch prepared, and a few people cam over.  We were made to feel very much at home.

    Svein Arne and Gunhild entertained us royally.  We had the whole basement to ourselves, with a private bath and a large room.  Svein Ame is a building contractor, having learned the trade from his father.  His father was contracted by the Norwegian government to rebuild Karasjok after WW II.  Gunhild is a nurse and is employed at the rest home.  She got her training in Oslo when she and Svein Ame met.

    Monday a.m. when we arrived upstairs for breakfast, Svein Ame already had a list of things we would be doing.  Each morning thereafter he would say "Are you ready for your schedule?”  Then he would say, after reading it to us, "Is that alright?"  My reply was, "You're the boss, we do what the schedule says."  It was always good.

    First stop was to the bank to get kroner, then Svein Arne took us to the knife shop.  Ed wanted more than anything else to take home a Sami knife.  Hjalmar Strømeng is the knife maker.  His knives are known all over the world.  Ed picked out one that would slice bread and cut a fair sized limb off a tree.  Hjalmar inscribed Ed's name and 'Karasjok” on the blade.  I picked out a wooden Sami cup and a small reindeer hide purse.  The cup hangs in my kitchen along with the pewter spoon, a replica of the wooden Sami spoons that I bought at the Saturday market.

    At 1:00 we were scheduled to meet with Per Edvard Klemetson, director of the Norwegian Sami Parliament.  He gave us a tour of the new and very impressive building.  The formation of the parliament was a giant step forward for the recognition of the Sami in Norway.  "The mandate of the Sami Parliament allows it to consider any matters that concern the Sami people."  Per Edvard presented us with a framed picture of the present parliament and a Sami flag.  He was very gracious and introduced us to several of his employees. 

    Laila Sandvik and Maud Larsen were "in charge" of us for the rest of the afternoon.  Our next appointment was a trip to the museum.  The guide gave us a very special tour and spent a lot of time with us.  She explained that the old-fashioned Sami cradle is as safe for a baby as the modem car seat.  In explaining the clothing, she said the women's pants were held up with a drawstring.  In the case of an emergency, they needed to have a knife on hand if the string was tied too tight!  It is a large museum,and much to see.  They provided small chairs to carry around, so you could sit down when the guide was lecturing.

    Laila and Maud then took us to see where my grandparents were born and where they lived after they were married.  Of course, none of their homes escaped the Germans burning Finnmark.  Monday night was the big night. Gunhild and Svein Arne hosted a wonderful evening.  Thirty-one relatives were there, and a traditional Sami dinner was served.  Sami traditionally use every part of the reindeer.  Rib bones are cut up and boiled.  Everyone is given a "chop stick" to push the marrow out.  It is considered a delicacy.  Svein Arne checked to see if I ate the marrow.  I held my bone up to my eye and looked through it to prove that I had eaten it.  Then he told me it was bad luck to look through a reindeer bone.  I think I was in a no win situation.  We had a good laugh.  The reindeer meet this night was boiled.  I liked it every way it was cooked.  The blood was made into pudding.  I had tasted blood pudding on the coastal voyage.  The only thing I didn't care for.  I hoped no one would notice that I didn't have any on my plate, but of course they did.  The meal also included fruits, breads, cheese, potatoes, tongue, cloudberries and dessert and dessert.  The grand finale (which I am sure wasn't traditional) was a beautiful decorated cake which said "Welcome to Karasjok Ed and Elaine."  My only regret is that I could not talk to each one of them. The older ones do not speak English. 





Dagne Biti Green and Laila Sandvik yoiked for us.  I learned that the yoik has lost its original significance.  Now, they usually tell a story and this yoik told about our coming from American and visiting them.  We brought a hand held recorder along so I have it recorded.  I also brought lots of pictures with me that I had collected of the Manitoba Expedition and my grandmother, aunts and cousins.  I gave them to all who were interested.  Meanwhile, Nils Johan Hætta was putting the finishing touches on the Biti genealogy.  I brought with me the story of my grandmother.  I read it and Nils Johan translated it for me.  I am the only descendant now that remembers my Sami grandmother.  Joseph Farvelund, a quiet man who is a widower had thoughtfully acquired reprints of old pictures of Karasjok before WWII to give to me.  His father was my grandmother's brother.

    A leather was being passed around and everyone was signing it, and then it disappeared only to come back the following night.  The knife maker brought it back, and on the top he had etched (with his computer) a drawing of the old church in Karasjok, and inscribed "Greetings from your relatives 14.7.99.  Thanks for visiting."  I was overcome with this thoughtful gift.  It is priceless to me.

    Tuesday our schedule called for a trip to Sami Radio.  Nils John Hætta, the head of Sami Radio in Finnmark, gave us a tour and introduced us to quite a few of the staff. 




He and Per Edvard Klemetson, director of Sami Parliament, are brothers, and are my cousins on the Biti side.  The difference in their last names is because during the 50s the Norwegian government forced the Sami to take Norwegian family names.  Nils Johan and Per Edvard's father took the name Klemetson.  Later, when Sami were allowed to go back to their Sami names, Nils Johan took his family Sami name back, Hætta.

    Nils Johan had coffee, tea and refreshments sent in while we were visiting.  He explained the purpose of the Sami Radio.  The brochure he gave us states NRK Sami Radio will use its programs to encourage the Sami to want to be Sami.  Also, “it is to be regarded as a precedent for correct language use.”  Its main objective is the “major factor in the presentation and development of Sami society in the years to come." Sami Radio has the further aims of "1. raise the status of the Salami language, culture and identity, 2. provide adequate radio and TV broadcasts in Salami, 3. further respect and tolerance between peoples and ethnic groups, and 4. maintain high professional skills.”  Apparently, Sami Radio has been very successful in reaching its goals.

    We went back to Paulens for awhile and listed to Sami Radio.  The interview that I had at the Saturday Market was broadcast.  I was interviewed again in Kautokeino but we were not able to hear that one.

    Another cousin, Dagne Biti Green invited us for a very nice lunch.  She also served cloudberries.  I never get tired of them.  I wish I had some right now.  Her son and grandson came while we were there.  Her son is very handsome and looks a lot like her.  Her friend Ingar was there also.  He drives a bus in Oslo.  When they found we would be flying from Kirkenes to Oslo the following Monday, they said they would be there then and would pick us up at the airport.  That was a godsend.  We didn't realize the airport was 25 miles from downtown.  Her brother Jan from Tromsø was also there for lunch.  They all spoke English.  The day after we arrived in Oslo, she called us at our hotel and told me that Ingar had given her an engagement ring.

    Tuesday evening we visited Sandviks, Laila and Johan and two sons, also a nephew was there.  They live in the country.  Ed and Johan discussed the Bible.  Johan teaches Sunday school.  He told Ed much about Laestadius.  I was visiting with Laila in another room so didn't hear the conversation.  He told Ed that a fervent Christian came from Sweden to northern Norway.  Revival came to Tana, Kautokeino and other places, but not Karasjok.  Heavy drinking was a problem with the Sami. They resisted for many years.  Finally, the priest asked for a missionary to come because of the sad conditions.  After 50 years, awakening came to Karasjok.  It is Ed's understanding that Nils Persen Biti was instrumental in bringing awakening to Karasjok.  He was my grandmother's brother.

    Laila and I and her nephew visited in the living room.  She gave me pictures of our ancestors and a very nice photo of their family in Sami dress.  It was very helpful to have her nephew, Stig Arne, there to interpret.  It was time to get some "shut eye," but not before Nils Johan came over to say that he would pick us up the next morning around 10:00 for our next adventure:  Kautokeino.  His sister and brother-in-law, Inga Laila and husband Klemet Ole Hætta and three sons, Lemet Ivar, Johan Emil, and Ole Rune live there.  Inga Laila is a grade school teacher and also writes children's text books for school.  She gave me a copy of a hygiene book she had written.  Klemet Ole teaches psychics in high school.  There is also another brother and his wife living there.  They don't speak English, so I didn't have much conversation with them.

 Their mother, Elen Klemetson also lives there.  The Hættas live on a hill which looks down on either a lake or a river, a very picturesque setting.  They had lunch ready when we arrived and were serving it on the deck.  Ordinarily it's impossible to eat outside in the summer because of mosquitos, but their deck is completely enclosed with net.  It was very pleasant.
   




How I wish I could have talked directly to Elen.  Elen's mother, Sophia, was a sister of my grandmother.  She is 85 years old.  She is very sharp and can talk long sentences without taking a breath (it seems).

    Sadly, in 1918 both Elen's mother Sophia and father Per Olson died from Spanish influenza.  When Elen was three years old, she and her brother and sister were raised by relatives.  She remembers a happy childhood. Elen was raised by an uncle (John Olsen) in Sjuosjavri.  For 27 years she helped him with a guest house that he operated for the Norwegian state.  During WW II this was taken over by Nazi Germany.  They had to give lodging to German soldiers.  In 1945 a Russian soldier who had escaped from war prison in Karasjok made his way to the guest house, only to be recaptured.  Elen was asked to come into the guest house.  Six German soldiers were loading their guns.  The Russian prisoner was lying naked on the floor.  The Germans forced the Russian soldier outdoors.  Minutes later, Elen heard six shots ring out. His body was buried a short distance from the guest house.  Elen remembers this awful execution very well.

    Elen and Joseph Farveland both remember hearing about my aunt Anna.  This is what they remember: Aunt Anna did not go with my grandparents to America in 1898.  The reason is not known.  However, in 1912 (after grandma had been widowed and married again), she sent for Anna.

    Up to this time Anna had been living with her grandfather, Per Anderson Biti.  Joseph Farveland's mother, also named Anna, had been orphaned at three years and was also raised by the grandfather.  It seems an incredible task for a grandfather to raise two little granddaughters, but they were very family oriented and they rose to the occasion no matter how difficult.

    The time came for my aunt Anna to leave for America.  When she left, her cousin Anna who she had been raised with "followed her some couple miles along the road/path to Lakselv where she left by boat."  We can only imagine how wrenching their parting on the trail must have been.  Aunt Anna had a sign around her neck with her name and destination and who would meet her.  She spoke only Sami so could not communicate along the way.

    We picked up Nils Johan's brother John along the way and had a tour of Kautokeino.  We visited the Sami College.  The college logo is a Sami leather pouch with books stuffed in on top.  In my words, it stands for "preserve the Sami heritage, but get an education."

    My husband Ed took special note of the library.  He is a "book worm," and was surprised at how large it was, both in area and the amount of books.  He said, "It's as large as some city libraries."  Teachers and students must know Sami, Norwegian and English.  Asta Balto, a cousin, teaches there.  She later came over to Hætta's and gave me some books and articles that she had written.  She also gave me a beautiful scarf that had belonged to her mother.  I wore it to the special program featuring the Sami on Scandinavian Heritage Day at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma Washington.

    Ann Dagmar Biti Mikalsen is head of the Sami Language Council at the college.  She is a sister of Gunhild Paulen in Karasjok.  She also gave me several books, one that she authored, and a leather Sami pouch.  She was at Hætta's for dinner also.  She brought some hymns along that she had translated from English into Sami.  They were familiar to us, so Ed sang in English and Ann Dagmar in Sami, together.  Ed really enjoyed that.

    I must not forget that we saw the beautiful Kautokeino church.  It was pictured in National Geographic some time ago.  We visited the cemetery behind the church. Elen Klemetson's husband was laid to rest there just seven months earlier.  We noted how respectful they are of their loved ones' graves.  Nils Johan spent a quiet few minutes beside his father's grave. 

    Juhl's silver gallery is something to see.  The Juhls live in Kautokeino, and produce their jewelry there, but it is marketed all over the world.  Meanwhile, Inga Laila with help from her husband and others were getting dinner ready.  Among many delicacies, we had smoked reindeer meat and cloudberries.  They are such good cooks!

    We had a good visit after dinner.  Most of them spoke English.  It was time to leave and go back to Karasjok.  Ed and Nils Johan decided I needed some sleep.  However I couldn't listen to their conversation in the front seat and sleep at the same time.  We passed through the place where the guest house stood.  Nils Johan told the story as we were driving along about his mother working there during the German occupation.  We got to Karasjok about 2:00 a.m.
   
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