Ovllá at Oulu theatre

For those who have been marginalized, othered, bullied, who have been brought up in a multilingual and multicultural family and who are interested in human rights and equality, Ovllá is a must see.

The main character is a Finnish man with Sámi roots. Due to his family situation, he had to leave home and go to boarding school. When he returns to Lapland for a music festival, he meets a Sámi woman and they fall in love. Their love story is a catalyst that opens up his history, his trauma, his identities, colonization, socialization and how they, as a couple, want to raise their child.

Classic Sámi symbols such as the kuksa, a handcrafted wooden cup, were highlighted. This could be seen as a cliché, but it could also be seen as a method to bluntly show what's in front of you, what is culture, what is important. The play is filled with symbolism that one who is not that familiar with Sámi culture would have to do research. In that sense, the script is catered to those who know nothing about Sámi culture and history and to those who are very well informed.

The music is gorgeous. The joiking is a form of story telling in itself! The operatic singing in the school and other scenes, shows not only a distinction between the characters, but also between cultures and hierarchies within institutions. The creative and intuitive flow of joiking as opposed to the strict and unforgiving nature of opera shows these social constructs in a powerful and musical way.

I was lucky to have been able to watch this performance twice. Both times showed me different aspects of the story as there is so much to catch. Also, my seat offered me different views of where my attention lands. This was a true gift to see all the details from different angles. The first time I watched the play without subtitles on my phone and the second time with subtitles. Both versions offered me different experiences of understanding and empathising with the story and characters and relating it back to my own life and my own struggles with identity through language, societal norms and location.

​Over the past few months, I've had heartfelt conversations with many people about Ovllá. It brings out all kinds of reactions, memories and curiosities in us.

​I went with a friend and this is what she thought:

Pidin Ovlan isän näyttelijästä, hän näytteli roolinsa vaikuttavasti. Pidin myös oopperan laulajista - opettaja ja rehtori olivat vaikuttavia. Esityksessä oli kuvattu hyvin sen ajan Suomen yhteiskunnan ilmapiiriä. En pitänyt siitä, että esitteessä luki ooppera, vaikka esityksessä oli hyvin vähän oopperaa. Yleistunnelma oli hyvä ja esityksestä jäi miellyttävä muisto.
​
Translation: I liked the actor who played Ovla’s father; he gave an impressive performance. I also liked the opera singers—the teacher and the principal were impressive. The performance captured the atmosphere of Finnish society at that time very well. I didn’t like that the program said “opera,” even though there was very little opera in the performance. The overall atmosphere was good, and I have fond memories of the performance.

I’m a member of the Oulu Theatre’s Audience Committee and received tickets to the performance. We aren’t critics; rather, we share the perspectives of ordinary theatregoers on social media at a time when the number of theatre reviews is on the decline.

Kuulun Oulun teatterin Näyttämöraatiin ja sain liput näytökseen. Emme ole kriitikkoja, vaan tuomme maallikkojen näkemystä teatterista someen ajassa, jossa teatteriarvioiden määrä on laskusuunnassa.

​#Näyttämöraati #OulunTeatteri #PuhettaTaiteesta​

​If you did not get a chance to see Ovllá at Oulu theatre, go visit the ​Eanangiella - Maan kieli - Voice of the Land exhibition at Oulu Art Museum. It is "a major exhibition of Sámi art and duodji explores the diversity, resilience and sustainability of Sámi culture." This is truly a special and powerful exhibition.