IS IT OK FOR A NON-SAMI PERSON TO JOIK?

Is it ok for Espen Wensaas to joik?

When I did a lifestream on Instagram where I answered some questions about joiking I actually realized a few things about the use of joiking amongst non-samis.

I am realizing that a lot of non-sami people are actually using the joik as it is meant to be used.

But first; It is possible for everybody to joik. Physically it is possible for everybody to learn it. There are no physical restrictions to it.

If you are not Sami, and you want to learn joiking, I invite you to first ask yourself: Why is it that you want to joik? What is it that is missing in you that makes you want to incorporate a foreign culture into your own? Maybe its the connection to nature and the authentic ancient expression straight from the core (that is often what people who are learning about sami culture are looking for). 

Or maybe it is just for fun, to learn a new skill, to have fun with it?

The reason why you want to learn yoking will tell you if and when it is ok for you to joik.

The main thing is to always do it in respect of Sami culture.

The joik has a lot of uses and occasions and reasons to why we would joik, - and one of them is for meditation and grounding.

After experiences and conversations about the joiking and sami music I realize that joiks and sami music are often used for meditation purposes. This is fantastic, and I am really happy that people all over the world benefit from sami music this way! <3 br="" nbsp="">
If you are alone on the mountain or at your house or wherever in private- and you feel like joiking for the purpose of coming closer to nature, to yourself, to ground yourself or to enter meditative state, to honor gods, feelings and people or anything similar - I would encourage you to do so.

You are not being disrespectful to the sami gods if you do this. in contrary - I think you are honoring them - as long as the joik is coming from a respectful place in you. A joik is always the right thing to do to honor someone, so I think it is a really good idea to joik in those occasions.

But another thing is to step on stage, perform a joik, and call this a sami traditional way of joiking. If you do this, then you must be sure that you know what you are talking about, that you are respecting the sami culture, that you have done your research and history-lessons. Because the moment you go public, you might be asked questions you are not prepared to answer.

But for yourself you can do whatever you want, and as long as you have respect and good intentions with it, I encourage you to learn joiking as it is a blessing to have in life.

Have fun experimenting! 

Are you non-sami who wants to learn to joik? Why do you want to learn it? Do you think it is ok for non-Sami people to joik? What do you use joik for?