My first shaman festival - Isogaisa.

www.isogaisa.no

The holy fire

It is funny, I have been brought up in Karasjok. The capital of the sami people they call it (they call Kautokeino that too..., but anyway). I have never experienced the things I saw other people at Isogaisa experienced through shamanism. Sjamanism is the old religion of the sami people, before the christians came and taught us it was sin.
Of course, my childhood consisted f many more supernatural things then maybe children in the citys more south experienced. I have many stories about supernatural things happening to me and my family. My grandad had this foreteller that always came before he himself entered the house. That way my grandmother knew when he was coming. I had a incident with this young crying girl who came to me missing her mother terribly. She had the nicest sami dress on. My mother said it could be a girl who had been taken of the huldra, and they had told her her mother died, when in fact she was taken. When I was a teenager we used to tell fortune in the coffee beans, and we heard many superstistios stories and myths, but we were never allowed to talk about it in the open. I am very sorry to say that my sami religion was very much lacking in my upbringing. When I was a child I heard there was only one sami shaman left. That made me very sad. I thought that this religion was gone already, that there was no way that there could be more sami shamans unless this one shaman would teach someone new to be a shaman. But where would this shaman find anyone to teach? They would be all to busy with work and kids....it has to be someone who is strong and ready for it. Being a shaman is not a easy job... this is what I thought when I was a child. And I remembered I wished that I could be a shaman, except I wasnt ready to commit to it just yet. I wanted to do other things first. I wanted to live life without worries and troubles. This is what I have wanted all my life. Just to live life peacefully without any worries. This is how I look upon my childhood like. There was nothing to fear in the world. Being a shaman means you would have to meet fears of other people and see things that are not always good.

I honestly thought that there where hardly any shamans left. I knew there where people you could see things, and tell the future and heal people, but I didnt know some of them also where shamans. We had learned a bit about shamanism in shcool, and I found it very interesting.
But becomeing an adult, ten years later, I learned that there where alot of shamans! I dont know if they had been there all the time hidden, or what. But suddenly I found myself surrounded by alot of shamans and psychics. Since I was a teenager I have been into alot of diffrent nature religions. Well, first I was christian. I have been baptised and confirmed, but after I went to a christian bording shcool, I found that christianity is not for me. After that I read alot of books on different themes and alternative religions, and found that the nature religions where closest to my heart. I read tarot cards, used pendulants, candles, herbs, arometheraphy and read tons of book from writers mostly from the US. I found most of the religions had too many rules and rituals, and would be just too overtaking of my life.

So now lately I have found back to the religion of my ancestors. When I was younger I didnt feel worthy of it in some way. I didnt feel I was serious and commiting enough for it. That I wasnt enlightened enough to start studying. But now I feel differently. I dont feel any pressure to be or do anything then else than what I can do. I don´t have to do rituals every day, or at all. I can still say that I belong to the old sami culture, and the shamans are the ones who guide me. I know now that there is no other religion in the world that is better for me. There is nothing else that is more right. I am a part of this culture, that is why everything I have experienced of the shaman world seems so right, natural and effortless these last years. It just comes naturally to me.

I got some good advice at the festival this weekend "Dont try, just do". Everytime I have tried to practise anything for people that need proof, or if I do it just to check if it works, or whatever, I have failed. These kind of practises dont work if we "try". They only work when I truly am committed and in it with my heart.



Fredrik and me after the initiation of the drums.



Alot of personal religious stuff here. These are my thoughts after this festival....
At Isogaisa a handicrafter Frederik Prost had a workshop going over the entire weekend where we got to make our own drum. I made one, and it turned out pretty good! :D I am very happy with it. I have been missing one, and been looking for one for a while now, and nor that I got the chance to make my own, I figured that must be it. The first night after starting making it dreamt about the drum. I dreamt that it was the right thing for me and it would help me alot. Now the leather is drying still. In a few days I will be able to try drumming.
www.fredrikprost.com

The isogaisa dance went really well. We all danced it together on friday and saturday night. Everyone joined in on saturday. It was so much fun! I was very excited too see how it would go, and it went so much better then I had imagened! :D



Dancing the Isogaisa dance



Status update:
hjemme igjen fra Isogaisa! Så mye nye inntrykk! Helt utrolig bra! :D Takk til alle jeg møtte der! E fortsatt helt ør...

My own Radio-Show in Switzerland! First show on monday!

Yes, I know! You probably don´t believe me. My father didn´t... He was like "Yeah, sure Elin. Thats sounds very likely!" But it is true! I have already made my first show, and it will be braodcasted monday 22nd of August at 19-20!
The show will be braodcasted on a radio station i switzerland called Toxic.fm and the name of the show is FROST. They have a very easy working livestream! Just go to the webpage and press LIVESTREAM.
www.toxic.fm


The thing is that when we were playing in Switerland this february people there really liked our concert! They wanted to know more sami music. The organiser of the festival Felix van den Berg is the one that has the FROST radio shows every week where he presents nordic folk music. He has trouble finding sami music down there in Switzerland, so he asked me for help. Then one day he thought of asking me to actually make a whole show with sami music, oresented by me. And I said yes of course! :D
I will be doing an hour long show every other month. This is so much fun! This first show I have made my own top 10 sami musicians of my life. :D

I did this radioprogram in a very easy way. I used my recorder that I use for recording song-ideas and just used it to record my voice. The day I had planned to finish this program I actually felt like going fishing and barbecue by the fire, so I decided to do that. So the first show is actually recorded by a fire in my hometown Karasjok.

TRIBAL WEEKEND IN COPENHAGEN

Tribe of Gaia (Dud Muurmand, Lisa B.Jørgensen and Louise Heichmann) -organisers and teachers of Tribal CPH.

Last weekend I was staying in Copenhagen for the Tribal CPH. It a weekend full of Tribal. ATS and Tribal Fusion. On the flight back home I was thinking about the improvisational styles of Tribal. I learnt Tribal in Australia. I first took some courses of the Improvisational Tribal style of the studio I was taking classes in. They had made their own format, and it was alot different then the ATS -Caroleena style. I was trying to remember the moves we learnt, and it was kind of fun. I find that style alot easier actually. I have dances ATS alot the last year and I am still struggeling with it. My biggest problem is to choose one move to do. So typical be being undecisive. In the first format there was this shimmy (not 3/4) that was kind of the step we always begin with. Kind of the starting point of the basic step or something. That made it a bit easier for me, to give me time to think...hehhe

I just realised how important the first classes are. My first tribal fusion teacher was actually Rachel Brice. This could be why Fusion has come so easily to me, and why the ATS format is so hard for me to learn. I am always thinking back to what we did the first time we did in The Tribal style class in Australia. Now that I have been teaching more and more I have to think that I am actually making the future of my students. In the beginning when I started to teach, I did it just because the was hardly anyone who knew any tribal. I was the only teacher. I knew more then othes, but maybe not enought. But the students I had then have actually helped me make the dancer and teacher I am today. If I had not taught tribal, I would probably just forgot everything I learned, and I would not be as good as I am today. I know I am a better teacher now that I have dedicated to this. Before I was just teaching until someone else would come and teach...But after a while I started liking it so much that I decided I don´t want to stop. A big thank you to my students the first years for sticking with me! :D

Status update:
sleeeeping....dreaming about Det Blå Hus in CPH where the tribal workshops where this weekend...

Mu video Lihkku Niehku lea Svisj´as NRK3! Jeeeee!My video Dream of Fortune is on Svisj TV NRK3! Late at night though..but yay!

Photos from Festspillene i Nord Norge.

Festspillene i Nord-Norge 2011 from Steve Nilsen on Vimeo.

Si ifra om du ser videoen min på svisj. (når dem begynner å sende det igjen) :D

I am happy the youngsters from my home town Karasjok who where at Utøya are OK!// Lihkkus leat buot Kárásjot nuorat birgen...! <3

Terror attacks in Oslo

We have been worried about Islamic terror attacks in Norway. It would not be a big surprise if they would attack... But this was a Christian Norwegian extremist. A nationalist and Anti-Islamic man. 32 years old, grown up in the west side of Oslo. He placed a bomb in the building where amongst others the prime ministers office is. Killed 8 people and numerous people hurt. Then he goes to a gathering of AUF (Youth organisation of the labour party. The party of the prime minister). They have a gathering every year at Utøya where they have concerts and seminars. They are there to learn about politics and to have fun. He goes over on the Island, dressed as a policeman. He says "Help has arrived, come here". So when the youngsters come to him he starts excecuting them. 84 killed youngsters.

This is just so unbelivable for all of Norway. The whole country is in shock and grief. They don´t have anything else on TV. And I just have to turn off the TV not to cry all the time. But people stand together and support and help each other. The Norwegian people have been really good to each other after this, and I think Norway will stand stronger. There is no way I can imagine how the relatatives of the killed ones feel. Its such a tradegy! I wish I could help... There are at this point still people missing both in the building and at Utøya Island. People have been waiting hours to hear from their loved ones, not knowing if they are ok. Thank god that so many are safe. Condolances and love to you all!

This whole thing just reminds me of a splatter movie of some sort. Its bozarre to think that alot of movies actually are inspired by events like these... *chills*

I am now wondering of this person who did this... Why would he do this to his own people? If he is anti-Islamic and violent, why didnt he blow up the moscee or something? Norway is with the labour party in front a very open country with freedom of speech and has welcomed alot of muslisms to the country. But I wonder if he has ever been to other countries. I have lived in a few other countries, and have been to alot of them. Before I went abroad and saw how other people live I didnt think much of Norway and just wanted away...but now I have seen how people in other countries live and realised that Norway is not that bad. The Labour Party is heaven compared to alot of the other countries I have been to. It´s just unbelivable that anyone would do that Norway, whatever reason...There is democracy in Norway. What gives him the right? In his written anti-Islamic manifest he says that people will thank him one day, and they will see that he is right...

So crazy, still so real...

My brain is in total vacation mode. Just playing with my kitten Lynxie I got on tuesday! :D She is the cutest!

My Cat Lynxie - Most beutiful cat in the world

19th July 2011
11 am
I had a deal with the owner of a cat that I will take her cat because she can´t care for it anymore. But after she said I could have it I have not heard from her since. I was going to get it the day after I come back from Gothla, which was yesterday. Last chance to be on my way to fetch the cat was at 11. Because it is a 2 hour drive to the cat, and I had booked the plane and everyting for the cat and I that evening. Still no answer from the owner, so I give up. I look for cats on the internet and find a few kittens I like.

12 am
I talk to the owner of Main Coon kittens whom I can buy from the same day if I want.

15 pm
I drive to look at the kittens and fall hard for the girl they have. She looks So much like a lynx! Se is a bit shy but curious. I cant resist, so I have to get her!

16pm
We arrive back to the apartment in Oslo. Lynxie has only mjaued a few times during the car ride. We let her out from the cage in the apartment, and she runs straight under the bed and stays there until we lure her out again because we have to go to the airport. She shows no interest in food or sandbox.

17pm
We put her inside the cage with some food to go to the airport. She is calm and looks to be sleeping half the time. She mjaus a few times, but seems to be ok when I say her name and try to calm her.


21pm
We arrive to her new home. I show her the sandbox straight away, and she goes off to explore the house. She hides under a bed again and stays there until I get her from there and show her the sandbox again. She must be having to use the sandbox! She hasnt been since we got her! She explores the livingroom a bit but gets scared of her own reflexion in a mirrot and hides under the sofa.

23 pm
Lynxie is still under the sofa. We figure she feels safe there and let her stay there. Maybe she will eat and use the sandbox at night while we are sleeping.

20th july 2011
7 am
I wake up and Lynxie is stil under the sofa. Doesn´t seem to have used the sandbox nor ate any food. I get worried and take her out from under the couch and take her to the bedroom and close the door. She gets her own little hiding place, and I place her food and sandbox in the bedroom. This makes her feel much comfortable and when she sees no dangers she goes straight to the food to eat. I am so relievied! After that she uses the sandbox! :D

8 am
Lynxie is playing with her toys!

9 am
Lynxie sleeps next to us in bed.


11 am
Lynxie did not allow anyone to pet her before. She had stayed two days in the apartment where we picked her up, and they hadn´t had any luck with petting her, she had only stayed under the sofa and didnt let anyone touch her. But now she is purring and I get my first cuddles!



12 am
Lynxie learns not to walk on the computer keyboard. She is loving her new toys I got from Leicester! :D

21st of July

23 pm
After one and a half day with intensive playing and eating and sleeping in the bedroom, she suddenly decides to explore the rest of the apartment. She was most scared of the sounds from the stairs, but now she walked straight to the stairs, livingroom and kitchen. I was amazed and happy! :D Soon we can move the litter box and food out of the bedroom. In the time she spent in the bedroom we had seen her wild side as well. she will make an excellent hunter, she jumped from one wall to another in there!

Oh my god! Tomorrow is the day! Gothla show! Yaaaaayyy!!

Musth-concert!

Last weekend I went to see the shcizo-metal band MUSTH. I really like this band cause they bring in all kinds of genres to their music. It´s fun to listen to, and even more fun to watch! The vocalist is all over the place, high and low and everything in between. I know about this band because most of the members in the band are from Finnmark. So I always have so much fun with them. I always end up being out WAY longer then I intented just cause I am having so much fun. Nothing beats humor from Finnmark, that is true. I love it! :D

My friend Mari who was photographing and me at the concert.




MUSTH are releasing a new album in september this year, and they just made a new video with alot of blood and dead body parts... Very cute! heh... This is a live video from the Norwegian TV show Lydverket:

I am getting the perfect cat!

I am finally getting a cat! I have been wanting a cat for so many years, but have never actually bought one because I travel alot and the cat would just be miserable and alone... This cat will stay most of the time up north in Alta, but the cool part about this cat is that it like to drive cars and take walks! That means that I can take this cat with me on some of the travelling I do! :D It is so cool! The current owner says the cat think its a dog, it comes everytime she yells for him and just wants to cuddle all the time. Its so perfect for me. This means I don´t have to worry too much about my cat running away and that sort of stuff. I hope I will be able to take good care of it, even it it will probably have a few different homes to live in, like I do...

I wrote to this woman who was giving away her cat a few days ago, and she didn´t answer, so I thought I didn´t get it. But the minute I saw the add for it I understood that that was my cat! :D And today she wrote me and said she was so happy that she found a owner that liked it as it is. And I am really happy too! I feels good to know that the cat is just like I need the cat to be, instead of taking a kitten that you don´t know what it likes and doesn´t. This cat is about 1 year old. I think its name is just "pus" ..:D Like all my other cats name was when I was litttle. The best of all, it looks like a lynx/bobcat, just as I wanted my cat to! :D


Status update:
Mun oaččun bussá viimmat! Ja dat liiku biilan johtit! / I am getting a cat finally! It likes car-rides! :D

Just watched a tv-program about all the food-waste we produce. Supermakets, restaurants, consumers and even producers!

Now you can be a part of my new release!

The Arctic Fairy - CD release | Sponsume EU




I hope you want to sponse me! I would be so grateful!!