New main exhibit: De čalbmi ii olat guhkibuidda/
Then the eye reaches no longer // 2024
There – infinitely far away – the sky meets the sea. Then the eye reaches no longer. But thoughts and longings float even further away. For them there are no fences, no sea, and no sky either. – Bæivve-Algo, Anders Larsen, 1912.
This is how the exhibition begins, and the title is taken from Anders Larsen’s novel Bæivve-Algo, which was published in 1912. The exhibition tells about everything that embraces our heritage, including everything that the eye cannot see. It follows the tracks of Sami settlements in the Nord-Troms region, and shows that it is also present in the times we live in right now. All this, and much more, is remembered and told from distant and recent history. The cultural historical objects – the Bååstede objects are the backbone of the stories.
Although much is unknown about the objects today, they are carriers of traditional forms, symbolism and ornamentation. They pass on silent wisdom and traditional knowledge found in language, duodji, living conditions and spirituality. The story begins with all this.
Photo: Ørjan Marakatt Bertelsen
Work on the new main exhibition at Davvi Álbmogiid Guovddáš/ Center for Northern People was initiated in 2022, and continued in 2023. However, due to technical reasons, the opening of the exhibition was postponed. On 6th of February 2024, we were finally able to open the exhibition. It has reused some parts from the previous exhibition called Mii, and also carries elements from our Sea Sami culture, with the Bååstede objects as the icing on the cake. Those objects are central in the exhibition. Part of the documentation work has consisted of documentation and contextualisation of the Bååstede objects, and extracts are included in the exhibition’s texts. Through the cultural-historical objects, we can follow the traces of Sami settlements in the Nord-Troms region, and show that this is also present in the times we live in now.