Ask the Foremothers

Viitahuhta Marja

The music video for Ánnámáret's song “Jearrat máttaráhkus - Ask the foremothers” juxtaposes images of the Sámi past with the landscape of today. Overlaid images allow temporal layers to overlap. The pictures also show similarities between the northern landscape and the details of the Sámi costume: the nocturnal light shimmers on the frosty snow like glimmer on risku jewelry, the coat's crimson folds and the shawl's colors glitter like northern lights or autumn colors. The video captures ice, snow and flowing water, calling out for the memory of the landscape.

Archive image (still pic): Axel Lindahl, Nasjonalbiblioteket / Flickr, A/V Geeks, Internet archive, Paavo Ravila, Finna.fi, Suomalais-ugrilainen kuvakokoelma, Museovirasto.

The archive material used in the video is listed in the end credits

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Production Year
2019
Duration
00:04:01
Tyyppi
films
Asiasana
archival materials, culture, environment, ethics, experimental films, ice, landscape, Lapland, memories (mental objects), music, music videos
Original Title
Jearrat máttaráhkus
Finnish Title

Kysy esiäideiltä

English Title

Ask the Foremothers

Production Countries
Finland
Dialogue
Yes
Sound
Yes
Cast
Marja Viitahuhta (Author), Marja Viitahuhta (Cinematographer), Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman (Composer), Ilkka Heinonen (Composer), Turkka Inkilä (Composer), Marja Viitahuhta (Director), Marja Viitahuhta (Editor), Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman (Producer), Marja Viitahuhta (Script), Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman (Sound Design), Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman (Actor), Taiteen edistämiskeskus (Funder), Suomen Kulttuurirahasto (Funder)
Press Photos

Marja Viitahuhta

Born: 1979

www.marjaviitahuhta.com

Marja Viitahuhta (formerly Mikkonen) is a Helsinki-based media artist and filmmaker who grew up in the Inari region. Her works range from films, performances and installations to photography and collage. She holds a BA degree in performance art from the Turku Polytechnic Arts Academy and an MFA degree from the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts. She has been awarded internationally at Cannes (Cinéfondation), Stuttgarter Filmwinter, Mediawave and L’Alternativa film festivals. Viitahuhta often bases her experimental works on documentary methods such as usage of archive material and found images as well as interviews. Viitahuhta has collaborated with musicians Ánnámáret (Anna Näkkäläjärvi-Länsman), Ilkka Heinonen and Turkka Inkilä since 2019. The working group is initiated by Ánnámáret.

24 works

Spirits

Viitahuhta Marja
2025 / 00:04:30 / films

Earth

Viitahuhta Marja
2025 / 00:05:23 / films

Njáhcu

Viitahuhta Marja
2024 / 00:05:10 / films

Bálvvosbáiki

Viitahuhta Marja
2023 / 00:07:07 / films

On the other side

Viitahuhta Marja
2023 / 00:05:12 / films

Shelter

Viitahuhta Marja
2023 / 00:03:18 / films

Sieidi

Viitahuhta Marja
2023 / 00:03:50 / installations

Ancient dreams

Viitahuhta Marja
2022 / 00:03:10 / films

Moon

Viitahuhta Marja
2021 / 00:05:25 / films

Flames

Viitahuhta Marja
2021 / 00:04:43 / films

Dreamscapes

Viitahuhta Marja
2020 / 00:04:47 / films

Women are fierce in resistance

Viitahuhta Marja
2020 / 00:05:33 / films

Ask the Foremothers

Viitahuhta Marja
2019 / 00:04:01 / films

Everything is temporary

Viitahuhta Marja
2020 / 00:05:45 / films

Blossom

Viitahuhta Marja
2020 / 00:05:32 / films

Predictions

Viitahuhta Marja
2017 / 00:28:09 / films

Bremer's Nightmare

Viitahuhta Marja
2017 / installations

The Inland Sea

Viitahuhta Marja
2017 / 00:14:00 / films

Spinning Top

Viitahuhta Marja
2016 / 00:03:25 / films

First There Is Nothing

Viitahuhta Marja
2016 / 00:03:00 / films

Garden of Death

Viitahuhta Marja
2013 / 00:19:45 / films

Rondo

Viitahuhta Marja
2006 / 00:08:20 / films

99 Years of My Life

Viitahuhta Marja
2003 / 00:32:55 / films

I Don't Remember This

Viitahuhta Marja
2012 / 00:11:17 / films