Sydisdans: A New Traditional Dance in Sapmi

Abstract

I do not remember when I first heard of sydisdans. I just remember that suddenly it was there and every Saami knew what it was. In the inland of Scandinavia and Sapmi, where I grew up, events are often arranged in the villages. A local band is hired for one night and people gather from the nearby villages to dance. People may need to travel 100–200 kilometres or more to such events, but the motivation to attend is often very high among local people. Youngsters without a driver’s licence or car somehow manage to find their way to the location and back again. South Saami have been dancing with their Scandinavian neighbours at such dance events for generations, and they have developed dances together and integrated influences from the outside. Time for dancing is often integrated in Saami events, like important political meetings or sport competitions, although no competition in dance has ever taken place in a Saami context as far as I know. It was in such Saami contexts that sydisdans developed.