Pauliina Feodoroff
Matriarchy (2022)
Performance in three acts, digital screen installation
Sámi Elder: Asta Mitkijá Balto
In collaboration with Terike Haapoja, Birit Haarla, Katja Haarla, Teuri Haarla, Marja Helander, Satu Herrala, Hanna Parry, Outi Pieski, Eséte Eshetu Sutinen, Snowchange Cooperative, Ulyana Yulina, What Form(s) Can an Atonement Take. Camera: Stina Aletta Aikio, Pauliina Feodoroff, Kevin Francett, Petri Mentu, Markus Moshnikoff, Susanna Rauno.
Performance dates:
Friday 22 April, 15:30 – 16:30
Saturday 23 April, 15:00 – 16:00
Monday 25 April, 15:00 – 16:00
Saturday 27 August, 15:00 – 16:00
Sunday 28 August, 15:00 – 16:00
Friday 21 October, 15:00 – 16:00
Saturday 22 October, 15:00 – 16:00
Pauliina Feodoroff, 'Matriarchy', 2022. Performance at 'The Sámi Pavilion'. Photo Michael Miller / OCA
Pauliina Feodoroff, 'Matriarchy', 2022. Performance at 'The Sámi Pavilion'. Photo Michael Miller / OCA
Finland has treated the ancestral land we have lived in for centuries as their natural resource to exploit and sell piece by piece to any market that needs it. Sámi forests are logged for toilet paper. I have spent my life documenting all the losses on multiple levels, but now it’s vital to focus on what we still have and how to make it stronger. When the earth is transforming, life needs havens and time to adapt. My work proposes ways to protect the last remaining old growth forests and let the logged areas have a time to heal. Our message is, please do not buy our land, buy our art instead.
— Pauliina Feodoroff
Pauliina Feodoroff, 'Matriarchy', 2022. Performance at 'The Sámi Pavilion'. Photo: Chen Chun-Lun / OCA
Pauliina Feodoroff, 'Matriarchy', 2022. Performance at 'The Sámi Pavilion'. Photo Chen Chun-Lun / OCA
Pauliina Feodoroff, 'Matriarchy', 2022. Installation view 'The Sámi Pavilion'. Photo: Michael Miller / OCA
Feodoroff is a Skolt Sámi theatre director, artist and land-guardian whose long-standing practice reverts the impact of two interconnected processes endangering Sámi futures. On the one hand, the industrial deforestation of old growth forests causing the collapse of rivers, fishing customs, and the lichens reindeer feed on. On the other hand, state-led privatisation of land that destroys the collective models of existence and care underpinning Sámi society. Matriarchy is a collective performance of healing and renewal, conceived as a process of rematriation to return to a world of kinship between people, land, waters, spirits, and other-than human beings.
“Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples have never properly greeted each other”, as Feodoroff explains when describing the first part of the performance, titled First Contact. The epistemic violence this has generated continues to define the assymetric relations between these worlds today. In this first section, the performance contrasts colonised and Indigenous gesturality. On the one hand, submission is choreographed to highlight how colonial layers of violence inhabit Indigenous bodies. On the other hand, the practice of gift-giving is enacted as a central element of Sámi philosophy, that guides the relations of care between Indigenous people, with lands and other entities, and that were mistaken by settlers as an acceptance of domination, and subsequently transformed into forms of colonial taxation and control.
Part two, Auction, presents images of Sámi landscapes currently under threat from commercial logging. These land(person)scapes, portraying the land and related guardians, are ‘auctioned off’ as artworks during the performance, setting the scene for the actual sale of the works that is happening in real time, as a parallel process of the project. The funds raised are channelled through the Snowchange Cooperative (an NGO and network of scientists and Sámi knowledge holders) to purchase and restore these landscapes and their communities. The buyers (museums and collectors) are bound in a relationship with Feodoroff and the land guardians, that gives buyers the chance to view these protected lands in the future. In between performances, the images will be on permanent display in the pavilion as a video installation presenting the land(person)scapes for sale, and a land(person)video drawn from the rehearsals on the land that led to the performance.
In part three, Matriarchy, Indigenous female bodies converge in actions that ask us to be aware of our responsibilities in a world of relations. The performance centres matriarchal values of care and collective models of existence to restore sovereign forms of living in Sámi society.
Pauliina Feodoroff, 'Matriarchy', 2022. Performance at 'The Sámi Pavilion'. Photo: Michael Miller / OCA
Biografiijat
Pauliina Feodoroff (r. 1977) lea nuortalaš teáhterressiševra, dáiddár ja luondduáŋgirušši gullii Keväjávrái Suoma bealde ja Suonnjelii Ruošša bealde Sámis. Son dáiddalaččat ovttasta
iešguđet diehtosurggiid go bargá sihke teáhterin, filmmain, politihkalaš áŋgiruššamin ja ekologalaš luonddugáhttenprošeavttain. Son lea dovddus filmmain Non Profit, 2007, ja bihtáin CO2lonialNATION mas lei vuosttaščájálmas Giron Sámi Teáhteris, 2017:s ja mii gažadii koloniserema ja dan váikkuhusaid ‘teáhterlaš duohtavuođakommišuvnnas'. Sus leat mastergráda teáhterrešisseremis ja dramaturgiijas Helssega Teáhter Akademiijas 2002:s, ja lea bargan dáiddalaš jođiheaddjin Takomo Teáhteris ja Rospuutto Teáhter joavkkus, goappašagat Helssegis, Suomas. Baltic Circle teáhterfestiválas 2017:s Helssegis son kuraterii dáiddalaš ja diskursa prográmma ‘Vuosttaš álbmogat/First Nations' mas Davviriikalaš koloniseren lei fáddán. Máŋggat sámi dáiddárat, oktan Anders Sunna, oasálaste prográmmas.
Feodoroffa bearaš leat nuortalaš boazosámit gullevaččat Suonnjelii Guoládatnjárggas Ruošša bealde Sámis, muhto go Ruošša riikarádji ođđasit gessui 1944:s de bággejuvvo sii johttit Suoma beal Sápmái. Son lea riegádan Keväjávrris Suomas, muhto atná sin máttuid masson duovdagiid iežas ruoktun. Feodoroff ovddasta sámi čázádat- ja eananvuoigatvuođaid ja lea leamašan presideanta Sámiráđis. Son lea 2019:s bargan Suoma duohtavuođa- ja soabadankommišuvnna mandáhta hábmemiin.
Dála bargguin cuiggoda daid industriijalaš vuovdečuohppamiid ja mo dat goaridit biologalaš máŋggabealatvuođa jogain ja guolástanvugiin. Barggustis vuorjašuvvá maiddái moderniseremiin ja eiseválddiid mearrádusain, mat billistit kollektiivvalaš eananfuolaheami ja vugiid sámi servodaga nannemis. Son lea rahčan gáhttemis vuovdeboazodoalu Suoma bealde Sámi ja lea guorahallan váikkuhusaid ruvkedoaimmain Ruošša bealde Sámi. Feodoroff aktiivvalaččat
ovttasbargá Snowchange Cooperativa prošeavttas “Näätämö River Co-management Plan” mas koordinere ekologalaš dikšuma ja hoide Njâuddam-joga, ja mii lea deaŧalaš rádjejohka mii golgá Nuortalaš Sámis, Norggas ja Suomas. Árbevirolaš ja dieđalaš máhtuin prošeakta oláhallá vugiid gáhttet ja dikšut čázádagaid, gođđosajiid ja johgáttiid. Dát movttáskahtti 2018:s dan fágarasttildeaddji prošeavtta ‘What Form(s) Can an Atonement Take'. 2019:s ollašuvai dikšun Vannikkeejokk guoikas, Kirakkakoski, ja jávrris Kââ'rekjäu'rr.
2015:s son ovttasbarggai Snowchange Cooperative čájálmasain Life in the Cyclic World (Our Songs Have to Change) if We Wish to Change Rospuutto Group ovddas, dat bovttii diđolašvuođa Climate Change Risk Assessment Report birra ja dan geažil almmuhuvvui dieđalaš artihkal 'Life in the Cyclic World' man Tero ja Kaisu Mustonen leabba čállán. Artihkal vihtanuššá davvi eamiálbmogiid cealkámušaid dálkkádatrievdamiin ja sin veardádusaid dálkkádatrievdamiin. Rapporta lei diŋgojuvvon CAFF proseassas, muhto eai háliidan almmuhit almmá divodemiid haga, masa dat servvolaš eamiálbmogat eai miehtan. Feodoroff ja Snowchange vehkiin almmuhuvvui raporta 2016:s.
Feodoroff lea maid leamaš oassin máŋggaid girjeprošeavttain nugo Queering Sápmi, Sarah Lindquist ja Elfrida Bergman prošeavttas mas sohkabeliid norpmat hástaluvvot ja mas muitaluvvo sámi queer olbmuid eallimiin, - ja Nuorta Sámi Atlas, mas Tero Mustonen ja Kaisu Mustonen leigga doaimmaheaddjit, Snowchange Cooperative almmuhii 2011:s.