Sami yoik, Sami history, Sami health: a narrative review

Abstract

Music as a possible health-promoting agent has attained increasing academic and scientific interest over the last decades. Nonetheless, possible connections between indigenous singing traditions and health beyond traditional ceremonial healing practices are still under-researched worldwide.The Sami, the indigenous people living in Northern Fennoscandia, have a distinct ancient vocal music tradition called “yoik” practiced from immemorial times. The Sami share a history of assimilation with many indigenous people. During this period of nearly 400 years, yoik alongside other cultural markers was under hard pressure and even banned at times.Compared to other indigenous people in the Arctic, Sami public health shows few significant unfavourable differences to the majority population. The potential role of yoik as a protective health and resilience factor within the Sami culture is the topic of this review. We suggest a two stage model for the health promoting effects of yoik through i) emotion regulation and stress relief on the level of the individual, and ii) as a socio-cultural resilience factors within the Sami population. This review is to be understood as theory-building review article striving for a scholarly review of the literature.

Yoik in Sami elderly and dementia care – a potential for culturally sensitive music therapy?

“…The Sami consist of several subgroups with varying linguistic and cultural features (Hilder, 2015). Yoik is their traditional singing style (Hämäläinen et al, 2017(Hämäläinen et al, , 2018. The exact number of persons with a Sami cultural background is difficult to estimate.…”

“…development by transforming Sami people into Norwegians. Sami culture was considered as lower developed, not viable, and thus doomed to extinction (Eriksen & Niemi, 1981c;Hämäläinen et al, 2017Hämäläinen et al, , 2020Hämäläinen et al, , 2018Hansen, 2011;Jones-Bamman, 1993;Minde, 2003;Pedersen & Høgmo, 2012). As part of the processes of Christianisation and Norwegianization, conflicting attitudes among the Sami towards yoik and other cultural markers developed, and yoik as a living tradition suffered substantially (Graff, 2016;Hilder, 2015;Jones-Bamman, 1993).…”

“…Yoik and other indigenous singing traditions are often associated with different modes of chanting connected to pre-Christian rituals and ceremonial practices linked with altered levels of consciousness (Jones-Bamman, 1993). However, the participants in recently published studies of yoik and health describe contemporary yoik practices primarily as a culturally significant daily musicking practice, connected to daily life activities and interpersonal relationships (Hämäläinen et al, 2017(Hämäläinen et al, , 2020(Hämäläinen et al, , 2018. Ritual and ceremonial practice of yoik may still exist (Graff, 2004;Hämäläinen et al, 2017;Jones-Bamman, 1993), but currently the musicological focus is on yoik's meaning as a cultural marker rather than on altered levels of consciousness (Graff, 2004;Hilder, 2015;Jones-Bamman, 1993;Stoor, 2015).…”

“…It is used similar to a person's name, but also in other significant ways and contexts. Yoik has fundamental relevance in the lives of many Sami (Graff, 2004;Hämäläinen et al, 2017Hämäläinen et al, , 2018Hilder, 2015).…”

Indigenous youth reconnect with cultural identity: The evaluation of a community‐ and school‐based traditional music program

“…Community-based initiatives involving art tend to be highly effective healing strategies as they reconnect individuals with their culture in a deep and meaningful way (Archibald & Dewar, 2010;Goudreau et al, 2008;Hämäläinen et al, 2018). In a review of almost 100 community-based healing programs, Archibald and Dewar (2010) highlight several important outcomes that are observed as a result of incorporating creative arts in healing programs, including increasing self-esteem and confidence, reconnecting individuals with their culture, restoring cultural pride and identity, and building social cohesion and sense of community.…”