Sarakka Gaup is an actor and studies at the Statens Teaterhøgskole, KHiO, in Oslo. Now she is writing a play she calls “Sámi bucketlistu”, a so-called list of things one wants to do before a certain time. – The theme of the play is, among other things, the so-called “Sámi barometer” that has arisen in our society, explains Sarakka. The play is about a young girl who wants to be as Sami as possible, says Sarakka, and she tries to learn everything about Sami society. Then she writes a Sami bucket list. – The goal is to become a Sami superhero, a ČSVer, says Sarakka with a smile. How did you come up with these goals for her to achieve? – Because I myself have tried to learn as much as possible, so I almost have a Sami bucket list myself that I have written and tried to carry out, she explains. New Sami playwrights Sarakka is one of four who won the writing competition Sápmi muitala/narrator. The Sami national theater Beaivváš and Dramatikkens hus in Oslo are collaborating on the project to bring in new stage texts about Sápmi. SAMI STORIES: Mette Brantzeg leads the project which will promote Sami drama. Photo: Aslak Mikal Mienna Mette Brantzeg leads the project for Beaivváš and believes it is important for several reasons. – All the Sami theaters have a social mission which is to support and strengthen the Sami culture and what is going on in Sápmi, she says. – The four who have been chosen take the pulse of what is happening in Sápmi right now. What is relevant, what is it that occupies people and not least the younger ones, Brantzeg explains. – I’m always looking for a voice that touches me, says artistic director at Dramatikkens hus in Oslo Line Rosvoll, who is one of two mentors for Sarakka Gaup. – That drug that sort of shouts out, that speaks to you after you’ve put the script down and stopped reading, that maybe bothers you at night when you’re going to sleep. Sarakka’s play did just that. MENTOR: Line Rosvoll is artistic director of Dramatikkens hus, a national competence and resource center for the development of new Norwegian drama. Photo: Maien Gaup Sandberg / news – This lead role gives herself absolutely impossible deadlines and she has to do projects to prove her Sami identity, which is partly harmful, impossible and completely utopian. – This is both comical, inspiring, hurtful, touching and really cruel at times, because she drives herself so hard that you think “little girl, this is not going to work”, says Rosvoll. Based on personal experiences – I can feel from time to time that I am not Sami enough myself. And that is not a sustainable, healthy or true thought. I know I’m Sami, and I don’t really need to prove my Sami identity. Nevertheless, a doubt has arisen in me, says Sarakka. Sarakka believes that she has created this barometer for herself. – I don’t want it to be such that I or others feel that one is not Sami enough. That is also the aim of the text I am writing, that we should remove that barometer, emphasizes Sarakka. Her mentor Line Rosvoll believes the play is about big human themes, such as wondering who we are and what we are going to do. – I know that some people cried when they read this play, I laughed so much because it is so strange, she says. – I told the others in the jury that we have to watch out for her here because it’s great, it was a Netflix series of 12 episodes. So it’s so much fun, says Rosvoll.
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Sarakka Gaup is one of four who participate in the project Sápmi tells – news Sápmi
