Acclaimed singer, musician, activist, and cultural icon Mari Boine first took part in a Christmas project early in her career, back in 1987. Now, almost 40 years later, she returns with the same spirit with the release of her timeless single “Vuonagiid Juovlasálbma” (Nordnorsk Julesalme).
One of Norway’s most beloved Christmas songs, “Vuonagiid Juovlasálbma” is now reborn in Sámi, Boine’s heart language. The Sámi translation by Isak Samuel Hætta inspired her deeply, carrying a spiritual bond to nature (luondu) that continues to resonate through her music.
Boine’s new interpretation blends cultural heritage and emotion, celebrating the enduring connection between language, land, and song.
Mari comments: “For a long time, I have wanted to bring Nordnorsk Julesalme – a song already performed beautifully by many – into Sámi, my heart language.
I envisioned a quiet, meditative version – like skábma, the long winter darkness before Christmas and the Solstice – a time when we slow down, look inward, summon gratitude, and draw close to those we love.When I first heard Isak Samuel Hætta’s Sámi translation, Vuonagiid Juovlasálbma, I was deeply moved. His poetry carries a spiritual bond to the land and to nature (luondu), a connection that has also shaped Trygve Hoff and me. That is the feeling I have tried to bring into this version. Around it, Stein Austrud has painted a musical landscape that is luminous — like light moving across snow”, says Mari Boine.”