Vindens veier

by Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, Laila Stien (Translator)

"Valkeapaa is one of the Sami people, an indigenous ethnic group (formerly called Lapps) of northern Scandinavia and Russia. He was born to a reindeer herding family, but left to become an artist. The breathtaking drawings and the dazzling jacket and endpapers are his. . . . The drawings often continue seamlessly over the edges of the pages, so that a single line across a double page turns, as the page turns, to a horizon line, following the lines of the poetry. . . . It is clearly, very clearly, lyrical, expressing an organic relation to the natural world."--The Beloit Poetry Journal

"His poems rise directly from the Yoik tradition, at once intimately personal, traditional and evocative of a huge landscape."--W. S., Merwin Translation Review

Genres: Poetry

318 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Laura Hartmark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valkepaa writes: "It was not the wind you heard. It was me, my voice." If this does not make you want to read this collection of arguably the most haunting poems from arguably the most important Sapmi / Laplander / Native arctic poet, then, as Screamin' Jay Hawkins sang, "there's something wrong with you."

[Katrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book, both in the art and in the words. I'm really glad I got to read it through school. I'm also really glad I bought it. I want to have in my bookcase, and take it out now and then when I need to relax, and just look, and read, and let it do it's magic again and again.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful collection of poems. And a lot of the poems really strike a chord in me. He writes beautifully and simply about life, love, meaning, solitude, nature and society.

[Elisabeth Gryting Saunes · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most beautiful books I've read.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stunning. This is my first deeper exposure to Sami way of life and culture, and this was such a gorgeous introduction. Much of it was reminiscent of haiku--even Valkeapää's illustrations reminded me of Japanese brushwork. What a treasure.

[Merete Bratsberg Aae · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Livet // skrive i luft med pust // risse med handa i vann» Omtale av Vindens veier av Nils-Aslak Valkeapää. Diktsamling, 1990.
Boka har både tekst og illustrasjoner. Den er original skrevet på samisk, gjendikta av Laila Stien. Vinden blåser i mange retninger, og vi følger vindens bevegelser når vi leser. Da kommer vi innom små fortellinger om livet, som for eksempel en gutt som må gå på skole, bo på internat, snakke et nytt språk, vi møter et «jeg» som lever tett på naturen, som forteller om landskapet og de samiske verdiene, om kulturen som holder på å bli borte, det er joik, reinsdyr, vidder, små blomster, mørketid, livets lyder, alt som forandres, kjærlighet som kommer og forsvinner, om ærefrykt og stolthet. Det er brødre og søstre på flere plan. Indianere nevnes også.
Innimellom er det fine illustrasjoner og noter.
Det er stor variasjon i det grafiske oppsettet av tekstene. De er korte og lange om hverandre. Språket er enkelt og poetisk.
Jeg har personlig ikke noe tilknytning til samisk kultur, men synes likevel jeg kunne kjenne igjen følelsene av behovet for å være stolt av det man kommer fra, identitet og hvordan naturen også er inni oss.
Eksempel på fin formulering:
«Jeg drar nå
for å kunne komme tilbake
Reiser langt
for å kunne være nær. «

[Ragnhild Yndestad · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I very much appreciate with Valkeapää's writing is the auditory quality of his poetry. With very few words he manages to convey the sounds of the tundra, wind and water, falling snow, the chiming of distant bells. A vivid and powerful collection of indigenous poetry.

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was truly stunning.

[Panda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastiske dikt om det å være menneske, om naturen, og om det å være same

[Ceallaigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

”Here there is a little of everything
and if you have eyes to see with
you don't need to search

Northern lights flare up
ice pearls ignite
mountain fox tracks decorate the tundra
and every new day you wake up
to the laughter of ptarmigans

This that they call the dark season”

Valkeapää’s TREKWAYS trilogy is a collection of lyrical writing, gorgeous illustration, and vocal musical annotation for yoik. Illustrations feature reindeer & other animals & aspects of the Sápmi landsacap as well as self & others’ portraits, and sights & people from Valkeapää’s travels in Greenland & North America, all in black & white monochrome. Each of the three sections speaks intimately & emotionally to Sámi life, the author’s interiority & Indigenous philosophy, memory, respect & pride for Sápmi, as well as the universality of the Indigenous perspective—“and all this / so familiar / have I been / here before”—land back & Indigenous sovereignty activism, & the unshakeable persistence of Indigenous realities & Spirit.

Click here to read my full review of TREKWAYS OF THE WIND by Nils-Aslak Valkeapää on storygraph complete with my full thoughts, further reading suggestions, and more of my favorite quotes!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CW // genocide, culturcide, ecocide, racism (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't recommend this book more highly. The poetry and the illustrations go hand in hand to show what the writer means and feels when he tells stories about the Sami.