Mari Boine (born Mari Brit Randi Boine; 8 November 1956) is a Norwegian
Sámi
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 ...
singer. She combined a form of Sámi
joik
A joik or yoik (anglicised, where the latter spelling in English conforms with the pronunciation; also named , , , or in the Sámi languages) is a traditional form of song in Sámi music performed by the Sámi people of Sápmi in Northern E ...
singing with rock. In 2008, she became a professor of
musicology
Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, ...
Mari Boine was born and raised in Gámehisnjárga, a village on the river
Anarjohka
Anarjohka (, or ''Anarjohka'', , ) is a tributary of Tana River (Norway), Tana River. It is about long, with a drainage area of about .NVE Atla ...
in
Karasjok Municipality
or (Northern Sami language, Northern Sami; ) (also: ) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Finnmark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Karasjok (village), village of Kara ...
,
Finnmark
Finnmark (; ; ; ; ) is a counties of Norway, county in northern Norway. By land, it borders Troms county to the west, Finland's Lapland (Finland), Lapland region to the south, and Russia's Murmansk Oblast to the east, and by water, the Norweg ...
county,
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
.
Boine's parents were
Sámi
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 ...
who made their living from salmon fishing and farming. She grew up steeped in the natural environment of
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 ...
, but also amidst the strict Laestadian Christian movement with discrimination against her people: for example, singing in the traditional Sami joik style was considered "the devil's work". The local school Boine attended reflected a very different world from her family's. All the teaching was in Norwegian.
Anti-racism
As Boine grew up, she started to rebel against the prejudiced attitude of being an inferior "Lappish" woman in Norwegian society. For instance, the booklet accompanying the CD ''Leahkastin'' (Unfolding) is illustrated with photographs with racist captions like ''"Lapps report for anthropological measurement"'', ''"Typical female Lapp"'', ''"A well-nourished Lapp"''; and it ends with a photo of Boine herself as a girl, captioned ''"Mari, one of the rugged Lapp-girl types"'' and attributed ''"(Photo: Unidentified priest)"''.
When Boine's album '' Gula Gula'', originally released on her Iđut label in 1989, was rereleased on
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel (born 13 February 1950) is an English singer, songwriter, musician, and human rights activist. He came to prominence as the original frontman of the rock band Genesis. He left the band in 1975 and launched a solo career wit ...
's RealWorld label in July 1990, its front cover showed an iconic image of the
tundra
In physical geography, a tundra () is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: #Arctic, Arctic, Alpine tundra, Alpine, and #Antarctic ...
of the far north, the eye of a
snowy owl
The snowy owl (''Bubo scandiacus''), also known as the polar owl, the white owl and the Arctic owl, is a large, white owl of the true owl family. Snowy owls are native to the Arctic regions of both North America and the Palearctic, breeding mo ...
. The front cover, unlike the 1989 version, did not show the name of the album, or the name or face of Mari Boine herself; the back cover printed the name 'Mari Boine Persen', the Persen surname identifying her as a Norwegian rather than a Sámi. On the 2007 release on her own Lean label, the album cover explicitly names Mari Boine with her Sámi surname, and shows her in traditional robes as a
shamanistic
Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...
dancer of her own people, while the white background, like the snowy owl of the original release, hints at the snows of the north.
Boine was asked to perform at the
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, were an international winter multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Hav ...
in
Lillehammer
Lillehammer () is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. Some of the more notable villages in the munici ...
, but refused because she perceived the invitation as an attempt to bring a token minority to the ceremonies.
Musical style
Boine's songs are strongly rooted in her experience of being in a despised minority. For example, the song "Oppskrift for Herrefolk" ("Recipe for a Master Race") on her breakthrough CD ''Gula Gula'', sung in Norwegian unlike the rest of the songs which are in
Northern Sámi
Northern Sámi or North Sámi ( ; ; ; ; ; disapproved exonym Lappish or Lapp) is the most widely spoken of all Sámi languages. The area where Northern Sámi is spoken covers the northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Geographic distr ...
, speaks directly of "discrimination and hate", and recommends ways of oppressing a minority: "Use bible and booze and bayonet"; "Use articles of law against ancient rights".
Boine's other songs are more positive, often singing of the beauty and wildness of Sápmi, the Sámi lands of northern Scandinavia. The title track of ''Gula Gula'' asks the listener to remember "that the earth is our mother".
Boine sings in an adaptation of traditional Sámi style, using the "
joik
A joik or yoik (anglicised, where the latter spelling in English conforms with the pronunciation; also named , , , or in the Sámi languages) is a traditional form of song in Sámi music performed by the Sámi people of Sápmi in Northern E ...
" voice, with a range of accompanying instruments and percussion from indigenous traditions from around the world. For example, on ''Gula Gula'' the instruments used include drum, guitar, electric bass clarinet, dozo n'koni, gangan,
udu
The ''kim-kim'' or Udu is a plosive aerophone (in this case implosive) and an idiophone of the Igbo people, Igbo of Nigeria. In the Igbo language, ''ùdù'' means 'vessel' or 'pot'. This is a hand percussion instrument and it is one of the mos ...
,
darbuka
The goblet drum (also chalice drum, tarabuka, tarabaki, darbuka, darabuka, derbake, debuka, doumbek, dumbec, dumbeg, dumbelek, toumperleki, tumbak, or zerbaghali; / Romanized: ) is a single-head membranophone with a goblet-shaped body. It is ...
frame drum
A frame drum is a drum that has a drumhead width greater than its depth. It is one of the most ancient musical instruments, and perhaps the first drum to be invented. It has a single drumhead that is usually made of rawhide, but man-made mat ...
hammered dulcimer
The hammered dulcimer (also called the hammer dulcimer) is a percussion-string instrument which consists of String (music), strings typically stretched over a trapezoidal resonant sound board (music), sound board. The hammered dulcimer is set bef ...
,
bouzouki
The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute fam ...
quena
The quena (hispanicized spelling of Quechua ''qina'', sometimes also written ''kena'' in English) is the traditional flute of the Andes. Traditionally made of cane or wood, it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole, and is open on both ends or ...
,
charango
The charango is a small Andes, Andean stringed instrument of the lute family, from the Quechua people, Quechua and Aymara people, Aymara populations in the territory of the Altiplano in post-Colonial times, after European stringed instruments we ...
and antara.
In 2017, she released ''See the Woman'', her first English-language album.
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'', in its 2010 F&M playlist of songs "they just can't turn off", describes "Mu Ustit, Eŋgeliid Sogalaš (My Friend of Angel Tribe)" with the words "Norwegian Sami singer Boine, with this soft, melancholy and utterly mesmerising song."
Johnny Loftus, reviewing Boine's ''Eight Seasons/Gávcci Jahkejuogu'', wrote that "Boine seems to have been inspired, collaborating with producer
Bugge Wesseltoft
Jens Christian Bugge Wesseltoft (born 1 February 1964) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, and producer, son of jazz guitarist Erik Wesseltoft.
Career
In 1989, Wesseltoft collaborated with the Knut Riisnæs Quartet and was soon after ...
for a collection of pieces weaving her alternately supple and intimate, angry and otherworldly vocals into moody arrangements tinged with jazz influence and electronic programming." While there was a degree of cliché in that, wrote Loftus, it worked well, concluding: "Boine's voice, filtered at first behind the halting notes of a guitar, builds in strength over the brooding electronic rhythm, until her Joik overtakes the electronics completely, becoming fully responsible for the song's deep, chilly atmosphere. Let's see a keyboard's hard drive do that."
Awards
In 1993, Boine became the first recipient of the
Áillohaš Music Award
The Áillohaš Music Award is an annual Sámi music award created to commemorate Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, Nils-Aslak ''Áillohaš'' Valkeapää's 50th birthday in 1993. The winner of the award is announced on Holy Saturday in conjunction with ...
, a Sámi music award conferred by
Kautokeino Municipality
Kautokeino (; ; ; ) is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Finnmark Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the Kautokeino (village), village of Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino. Other villag ...
and the Kautokeino Sámi Association to honor the significant contributions the recipient or recipients has made to the diverse world of Sámi music.
In 2003, Boine was awarded the
Nordic Council Music Prize
The Nordic Council Music Prize is awarded annually by NOMUS, the Nordic Music Committee. Every two years it is awarded for a work by a living composer. In the intervening years it is awarded to a performing musician or ensemble.
The Nordic ...
. She was appointed knight, first class in the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for her artistic diversity on 18 September 2009. On 7 October 2012, Boine was appointed as a "statsstipendiat", an artist with national funding, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon any artist in Norway.
Boine has received other awards as follows:
Memberships
Boine is foreign member of the
Royal Swedish Academy of Music
The Royal Swedish Academy of Music (), founded in 1771 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in ...
.
Discography
* ''Jaskatvuođa Maŋŋá/Etter Stillheten'' as Mari Boine Persen (Hot Club, 1985)
* '' Gula Gula (Hør Stammødrenes Stemme)'' (Iđut, 1989)
* ''Salmer på Veien Hjem'' as Mari Boine Persen with Ole Paus and
Kari Bremnes
Kari Bremnes (born 9 December 1956) is a Norwegian singer and songwriter.
She got an MA in language, literature, history and theatre studies from the University of Oslo, and worked as a journalist for several years before deciding to dedicate h ...
(Kirkelig Kulturverksted, 1991)
* ''Møte i Moskva'' with Alyans (BMG Ariola, 1992)
* ''Goaskinviellja/Eagle Brother'' (Lean, 1993)
* ''Leahkastin/Unfolding'' with Roger Ludvigsen, Helge A. Norbakken, Hege Rimestad, Gjermund Silset, and Carlos Z. Quispe (Sonet/Lean, 1994)
* ''Eallin — Live'' (Antilles/Lean, 1996)
* ''Radiant Warmth'' (Antilles 1996)
* ''Bálvvoslatjna/Room of Worship'' as Mari Boine Band (Antilles/Lean, 1998)
* ''Remixed/Ođđa Hámis,'' (Jazzland/Lean, 2001)
* ''Eight Seasons/Gávcci Jahkejuogu'' (Lean/EmArcy/Universal, 2002)
* ''Idjagieđas/In the Hand of the Night'' (Lean/Universal, 2006)
* ''Kautokeino-Opprøret'' (Music from the Movie ''
The Kautokeino Rebellion
''The Kautokeino Rebellion'' (, ) is a 2008 film based on the true story of the Kautokeino Rebellion in 1852, in response to the Norwegian exploitation of the Sami community at that time. It was directed by Nils Gaup and was released in January ...
'') with Svein Schultz and Herman Rundberg (Sony/ATV Music, 2008)
* ''It Ain't Necessarily Evil/Bodeš Bat Gal Buot Biros: Mari Boine Remixed Vol. II'' (EmArcy/Universal, 2008)
* ''Čuovgga Áirras/Sterna Paradisea'' (Lean/EmArcy/Universal, 2009)
* ''Áiggi Askiis – An introduction to Mari Boine'' (Lean, 2011)
* ''Gilvve Gollát/Sow Your Gold'' featuring the
Norwegian Radio Orchestra
The Norwegian Radio Orchestra (Norwegian, ''Kringkastingsorkestret'', abbreviated as KORK) is a radio orchestra affiliated with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (''Norsk rikskringkasting AS'', or NRK). Its principal base is the ''Store Studi ...
(Universal, 2013)
* ''See the Woman'' (MPS, 2017)
* ''Amame'' with
Bugge Wesseltoft
Jens Christian Bugge Wesseltoft (born 1 February 1964) is a Norwegian jazz pianist, composer, and producer, son of jazz guitarist Erik Wesseltoft.
Career
In 1989, Wesseltoft collaborated with the Knut Riisnæs Quartet and was soon after ...
* '' One World One Voice'' (Virgin, 1990)
* ''A Week in the Real World – Part 1'' (Real World, 1991)
* ''A Week or Two in the Real World'' (Real World, 1994)
* ''Beginner's Guide to Scandinavia'' (Nascente, 2011)
* '' Nordic Woman'' (Grappa Music/Fuuse Mousiqi, 2012)
With
Jan Garbarek
Jan Garbarek () (born 4 March 1947) is a Norwegian jazz saxophonist, who is also active in classical music and world music.
Garbarek was born in Mysen, Østfold, southeastern Norway, the only child of a former Polish prisoner of war, Czesław Gar ...