Rijkuo-Maja or Rika Maja (Sami or Swedish for "Rich Maja"; 1661–1757) was a

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 ...

noaidi A noaidi (, , , , , , ) is a shaman of the Sami people in the Nordic countries, playing a role in Sámi religious practices. Most ''noaidi'' practices died out during the 17th century, most likely because they resisted Christianization of the S� ...

from Mausjaur. She was known for her influence and wealth in the contemporary Sámi community and became a famous figure of the Sámi history and the subject of several legends.

Life

Rika Maja was from Mausjaur south of

Arvidsjaur Arvidsjaur (; ; ) is a locality and the seat of Arvidsjaur Municipality in Norrbotten County, province of Lapland, Sweden with 4,635 inhabitants in 2010. Arvidsjaur is a center for the European car industry. During the winter months, major car-m ...

, and belonged to the forest sami of Arvidjsaur. She was married to Nils Hindersson (died before 1730) and had a daughter. She was the owner of over 3000

reindeer The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, taiga, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only re ...

. She was famed for her great wealth in the contemporary Sámi community, and known by her

sobriquet A sobriquet ( ) is a descriptive nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym in that it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name without the need for explanation; it may beco ...

''Rika Maja'' ('Rich Maja'). The surrounding Sámis were referred to as her vassals, and at the annual great winter market day, the Swedish merchants of

Piteå Piteå (; ) is a locality and the seat of Piteå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. Piteå is Sweden's 58th largest city, with a population of 23,326. Geography Piteå is located at the mouth of the Pite River (), at the shore of ...

was forced to ask for her permission to conduct trade with the Sámi people. Rika Maja practiced Christianity in parallel with Sami shamanism, which were normal among the Sami people at this time period during the ongoing

Christianization of the Sámi people The Christianization of the Sámi people in Norway, Sweden, and Finland (Finland was a part of Sweden until 1809) took place in stages during a several centuries-long process. The Sámi were Christianized in a similar way in Norway, Sweden, and Fi ...

. Adjusting to the law, which outlawed non Christian religion, she regularly attended church in Arvidsjaur, and presented as Christian in the presence of the Christian Swedish authorities. In private and in the presence of other Samis, she practiced the Sami religion. She had a

Sieidi Sieidis (, , , ) are Sami cultural items, usually a rock with unusual shape. Sieidis are found in nature in certain sacred places, for example at the sea or river beaches or on the mountain. The word sieidi has also been used for holy rocks or wood ...

at the Akkanålke mountain, as well as sacrificial stone in the Mausjaur lake. She was active as a noaidi, and as such used a

Sámi drum 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 n ...

. It has traditionally often been claimed that only men could become noaidi and use the drum, but several women are in fact noted to have done so, the most famous being Rijkuo-Maja of Arvidsjaur as well as Anna Greta Matsdotter of Vapsten, known as Silbo-gåmmoe or Gammel-Silba, were both noted to have done so. To acquire fishing luck for herself and her spouse, she reportedly sacrificed fish of the kind she wished to acquire on her sacrificial stone at Masjaur Lake. On a famous occasion during a time of drought, she allegedly successfully summoned

rain Rain is a form of precipitation where water drop (liquid), droplets that have condensation, condensed from Water vapor#In Earth's atmosphere, atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is res ...

by performing a magic ritual. She was old at the time, and asked to be lead out to her sacrificial stone in the Mausjaur lake in ceremonial robe; after reaching the stone, she struck the water with a staff made of

brass Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, in proportions which can be varied to achieve different colours and mechanical, electrical, acoustic and chemical properties, but copper typically has the larger proportion, generally copper and zinc. I ...

in prayer to the rain- and thunder god Horagalles, and according to legend, caused the rain to fall.

Folklore and legend

Rika Maja is the subject of many legends. When she died in 1757, she asked to be given a Pagan funeral on the mountain so she could forever hear the reindeer hooves. Instead, her family gave her a Christian burial on the Arvidsjaur churchyard. After the burial, all of her thousands of reindeers, according to the legend, suddenly stormed toward the sea and did not stop until they were all drowned. In accordance to the legend, she buried a treasure of coins somewhere in the Akkanålke mountain.

References

* * Lennart Öhman: "Arvidsjaurs kyrka 100 år" * Rika Maja och Akkanålke., 2001 * Ohring, Alfr., 'Arvidsjaur: några bilder från förr och nu', Vår nordliga hembygd / utgiven till skolornas tjänst av Nils Ramselius., s. 1164, 1920 {{DEFAULTSORT:Maja, Rika 1661 births 1757 deaths Swedish Sámi shamans 17th-century Swedish businesswomen 17th-century Swedish businesspeople 18th-century Swedish businesswomen 18th-century Swedish businesspeople 17th-century Sámi people 18th-century Sámi people Sámi women People from Arvidsjaur Municipality

Life

Folklore and legend

See also

References