and now, for something....

...completely different.

I reaaaally want to see this movie.





because it's nils gaup and it looks amazing and intense and about something that I, for all my years as a villager in sameland (and, more soberingly, a leder of sameland) totally missed. wow. yikes.

for ally'all non-norwegian speakers- it's about the events of November 8th, 1852, when a group of saami revolted against the leader (and moonshine distributer) and the priest of a nearby town (kautokeino). several people were killed, others beaten severely, and the backlash was swift and severe. like all things involving religion/ indigenous cultures/land expansion/politics, it's messy. like whoa.

Take clashing religions, burgeoning religious conversion, and extremist religions, add the problems inherent when a homesteading culture moves into a nomadic/herding culture's region, with a bonus dash of open/closed/open/closed political boundaries (which the reindeer don't care about, of course, knowing that the good stuff is just...over...there...and when 'there' happens to be Russian-held Finland, 'there' is reaaally far away). mix the above concoction with widespread -and spreading- problems with alcohol addiction and over taxation/fines and a lovely blend of both us-them and 'smart us' vs 'ignorant native' and...well.

boom.

granted, I can't imagine trying to set this up for the kids...but...there are so many parallels to things from US history and in current events that I also can't imagine not trying to teach this- without getting sued by their parents would be a plus- and we've done other messy things. (zerbezian day? yeee. shudder.) and theoretically most kids that we'd do this with a serious level of detail would have already gotten most of this in their US history.
of course, I'm probably wrong based on what some of my ed-major friends have told me, but hey. we can but hope. and if they're not getting in their US classes...then they really need to get it from somewhere.


...


the fact that Mikkel "litt samisk, heeeelt fantastisk" Gaup is a lead actor and, at least in the trailer, has a steamy scene is, of course, a small bonus.

and it's finnmark! heia finnmark!