The rare Livđe Tradition from Inari Comes to Riksscena
Morottaja is one of very few performers carrying the livđe tradition forward. She comes from Inari, on the Finnish side of Sápmi, and has been part of the work to recover a musical tradition that was no longer being widely passed on to new generations. One important source has been her aunt, Anna Briita Mattus, alongside older archival recordings. This material formed the basis of Morottaja’s 2022 album Livđe.
For Morottaja, livđe is not simply about preserving a rare musical tradition. It is a way of connecting with the people and history she comes from.
“What is most special about the livđe tradition is the connection it gives me to people and to the history of the Inari Sámi community,” she says.
Music remains central to her life today. Morottaja lives by Lake Muddusjärvi, combining her life as a musician with fishing, duodji (Sámi handicraft), berry picking, and work as an interpreter and translator.
“Music gives me power, comfort, company, connections and information. I get to tell my stories through music and even heal people with it.”
The concert at Riksscena is curated by the Sámi yoik association Juoigiid Searvi.