Duodji is a traditional cultural

Sami Acronyms * SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft * Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company * South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise ne ...

handicraft A handicraft is a traditional main sector of craft making and applies to a wide range of creative and design activities that are related to making things with one's hands and skill, including work with textiles, moldable and rigid material ...

. Some examples include

knives A knife (: knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...

, cases, women's

bag A bag, also known regionally as a sack, is a common tool in the form of a floppy container, typically made of cloth, leather, bamboo, paper, or plastic. The use of bags predates recorded history, with the earliest bags being lengths of animal s ...

s, wooden

cup A cup is an open-top vessel (container) used to hold liquids for drinking, typically with a flattened hemispherical shape, and often with a capacity of about . Cups may be made of pottery (including porcelain), glass, metal, wood, stone, pol ...

s, and articles of

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, garments, dress, apparel, or attire) is any item worn on a human human body, body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin s ...

. Duodji items are intended to be primarily functional and were made to be used in an everyday work environment, but may also incorporate

artistic Art is a diverse range of culture, cultural activity centered around works of art, ''works'' utilizing Creativity, creative or imagination, imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an express ...

elements.

Craft

Traditionally, Sami handicraft was divided into two sub-groups: men's and women's handicraft. Men used mostly wood and antlers as well as other bones from reindeer when crafting, while women used leather and roots. The traditional Sami colors are red, green, blue, and yellow. Duodji artists are still active in

Sápmi is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. Sápmi includes the northern parts of Fennoscandia, stretching over four countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Most of Sápmi lies north of the Arctic Circle, boun ...

and still carry on the traditions of the Duodji. Although there have been changes in the traditional Duodji, today they are considered valuable pieces of art by collectors from all over the world. Some modern Duodji artists are Olov Svonni, Martin Kuorak, Anders Sunna,

Lars Pirak Lars Pirak (27 July 1932 – 2 October 2008) was a Lule and North Sámi artist, yoiker and duodji master from Jokkmokk, Sweden. The Faculty of Arts at the University of Umeå conferred an honorary Doctorate on Pirak in 2003 in recognition of h ...

, Per Isak Juuso, and Per Olof Utsi.

Gákti

The traditional regalia, the

Gákti is the Northern Sámi word used by non-Sámi speakers to refer to many different types of traditional clothing worn by the Sámi in northern areas of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The gákti is worn both in ceremon ...

, is of special cultural importance and is mainly used for weddings, funerals, confirmations, and other cultural events. The Gákti's appearance differs from place to place, and it tends to be longer in southern Sápmi than in the north. Traditionally, leather, sinews, and wool were used to make the Gákti. Today, however, both velvet and silk can be used.

Gallery

File:Duodji salt cellar saltkar.JPG, Two salt cellars File:Duodji guksi drinking cup kåsa niibi knife kniv.JPG, Drinking cup and knife File:Duodji handväska med tennbroderi.JPG, Sámi purse (handbag) File:Duodji dohkka doll docka.JPG, Doll in gákti File:Duodji gáffe seahka coffee bag kaffepåse.JPG, Coffee bag File:Duodji gisa chest kista.JPG, Chest File:Duodji giehkta infant bed vagga 2.JPG, Infant bed File:Duodji gáffe seahka coffee bag kaffepåse color.JPG, Coffee bag

References

{{Reflist

External links

* Duodji at Design-Handver

* Doudji Institute: https://web.archive.org/web/20090819063819/http://www.duodji.info/english/index.php?sladja=46 Retrieved Jan/29/2008 * Sameslöjdstiftelsen (Sami Duodji Association): https://web.archive.org/web/20080116222630/http://www.sameslojdstiftelsen.com/?p=42 Retrieved Jan/29/2008 Sámi culture Sámi art Handicrafts Sámi-language terms

Craft

Gákti

Gallery

See also

References

External links