Research communication with a beat: Rap single Lohpi-Lapland...

A rap single has been released through cooperation between Áilu Valle, an artist who raps in Northern Sámi, and the SápmiDem research project led by the University of Lapland. The Northern Sámi piece “Lohpi” advocates the importance of requesting consent in all development projects and land use plans in Sápmi and as a way of implementing Indigenous rights.

“Lohpi” debuted on Midsommer’s Eve at the Ohcejohka šearrá festival in Utsjoki at the joint gig of Áilu Valle and Amoc.

The lyrics were written by Áilu Valle and composed by Juan Muteniac. It recounts the internationally recognized FPIC principle aimed to protect the Indigenous Peoples’ rights. The acronym derives from words free, prior, and informed consent, meaning voluntary agreement based on relevant information provided in advance.

According to the FPIC principle, negotiations must be conducted with Indigenous Peoples in good faith and efforts must be made to acquire their consent before starting any development or land use projects that have a significant impact on the lives or livelihoods of the people whose traditional territories are in question.

“Through this piece, we seek to increase understanding of the meaning and potential of the FPIC principle particularly with Sámi youth, but everyone can learn from the Lohpi rap. The need for this came up at the SápmiDem workshop held as part of the Sámi youth conference last August,” Research Professor and PI of SápmiDem Rauna Kuokkanen notes.

“If we haven’t consented, you don’t have permission.”

In addition to a music video, the “Lohpi” release includes a video, where Áilu Valle describes how the rap was born. Valle did a lot of background research for the piece and discussed several times with Rauna Kuokkanen, the leader of the SápmiDem project, and with Postdoctoral Researcher Iiris Tuominen.

According to Valle, the writing the lyrics required thorough study of the subject, weighing it against some ongoing issues, and finding out what a request for consent could mean in Sápmi.

The lyrics at the beginning of the song contain the words mosquito, tern, trout, rapids, boulder field, wooded hill, etc.

“I list various kinds of living things in Sápmi, that is, all those whose consent must be requested before continuing any development. The beginning of the song shows how extensive our biosphere is,” Valle notes.

The piece boils down to the following line in the lyrics: “Jus mii eat leat miehtan, dis ii leat lohpi.” (In English: If we haven’t consented, you don’t have permission.) Valle has received inspiration from the present situation, in which the FPIC mechanism is bypassed or people are not even aware of its existence. “Comparing the reality and the possibilities offered by the FPIC mechanism makes you see how important and essential tool it would be in Sápmi.”