Have you ever heard the term “Yoik” (or Joik)? It is the traditional song form of the Sámi people, the indigenous population of Northern Europe, and is widely considered one of Europe’s oldest continuous vocal traditions.
The Yoik is more than just a song; it’s the spiritual core of Sámi identity and a powerful living voice. It was once sung by shamans and remains central to the culture today. However, it’s not a single style, but a diverse tradition that varies across regions, including those in Finland.
In this article, we’ll explore the essence of the Yoik, its surprising history, and its remarkable evolution into the modern era.
- The Core Meaning: Why a Yoik is a person or place, not about them.
- Regional Diversity: The different types of Yoik, including the Finnish Luohti, Leu’dd, and Livđe.
- The Yoik Revival: The story of Nils-Aslak Valkeapää and the end of the prohibition.
- Modern Fusion: How Yoik integrates with Metal, Jazz, and Pop music.
The Core: The Song That Is
The fundamental difference between Yoik and Western music is its function: A Yoik does not describe about a person, place, or animal; it is that subject.
Every person in Sámi culture is often given their own unique Yoik. This personal Yoik is not sung by the person, but is sung to them by family and friends throughout their life, serving as a unique sonic marker of their identity and essence.
The Yoik is a free, improvisational song that captures the spirit, atmosphere, and essence of its subject. It achieves this not through detailed lyrics, but through sound. As experts note, Yoiks are often improvised with voices that mimic the sounds of nature, such as reindeer or wolves, to convey the entire character of the subject.
The History of Yoik: From Shamanism to Persecution
The history of the Yoik is closely tied to the Sámi shaman (Noaidi) and religious persecution.
Shamanic Origins
The Yoik is traditionally believed to have been one of the primary methods of communication used by the Noaidi (Sámi shamans). It was sung during rituals, often accompanied by the shaman’s drum, to enter a trance state and communicate with the spirit world, nature, and ancestors.
Prohibition and Revival
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Christian missionaries aggressively spread across Sápmi. Because of its spiritual connection to traditional beliefs, the Yoik was condemned as a pagan and sinful practice. This persecution led to the Yoik being officially banned in many religious and educational contexts, forcing the tradition underground for centuries.
The Yoik began to experience a revival in the 1960s and 1970s, becoming a powerful symbol of Sámi resilience and cultural pride, re-emerging from private use into the public sphere.
The Diverse Styles of Yoik
The style, structure, and content of Yoik vary significantly depending on the region and the Sámi language group.
| Yoik Style | Sámi Group | Main Themes | Key Characteristic | Geographic Location |
| Luohti | Northern Sámi | Personal Identity (A specific person or animal) | Highly improvisational and spontaneous; captures the essence of the subject. | Norway Sweden Finland |
| Leu’dd | Skolt Sámi | History, Origin, and Oral Tradition (Proverbs, place origins, history) | Epic and narrative in form; influences from Russian Orthodox music. | Finland RussiaNorway |
| Livđe | Inari Sámi | Personal Identity (Similar subjects to Luohti) | rediscovered after analysis. | Finland |
| Vuollie / Vuelie | Southern Sámi | Storytelling and Description (Narrative accounts) | Constrained, storytelling vocal style; a surviving older form of Yoik. | Norway Sweden |
Luohti: Wimme Saari
Leu’dd: Suõmmkar
Vuollie / Vuelie
A quite older record I found on YouTube. Not the Best, but couldn’t find another.
Modern Vuelie from “Frozen”:
Livđe
The Finnish Forms
For those interested in Finland, the Northern Sámi’s Luohti, the Skolt Sámi’s Leu’dd, and the Inari Sámi’s Livđe all represent the diverse cultural landscape within the country. The discovery and recognition of the Livđe tradition were especially important for establishing the unique identity of the Inari Sámi within the larger Sámi family.
The Musical Structure and Emotion
The structure of the Yoik emphasizes feeling over explicit meaning.
Minimal or No Lyrics
Many traditional Yoiks have no clear lyrics. Instead, they utilize vocalizations, repetitions of sounds (like “na-na-na”), and specific vocal techniques (a throaty rumble or high-pitched cry) to convey the subject’s emotional and sensory essence. If words are used, they are minimal, acting merely as an anchor for the overall feeling.
Focus on Doagŋas
The core essence—the feeling, atmosphere, or unique spirit it communicates—is sometimes referred to by the Sámi concept of Doagŋas. The melody is typically a short, repetitive, and cyclical phrase, often sung in a low, guttural voice.
The Yoik Renaissance: Nils-Aslak Valkeapää
The revival of the Yoik cannot be discussed without Nils-Aslak Valkeapää (Áillohaš), a Northern Sámi from Enontekiö, Finland.
Starting his public career in 1966, Valkeapää sparked a Sámi “Renaissance.” He was instrumental in raising the status of Sámi culture internationally, famously being invited to the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics in Norway despite being a Finnish citizen, symbolizing the cross-border nature of Sápmi.
Valkeapää’s music was highly versatile, absorbing folk, country, and jazz, demonstrating that the Yoik could live, evolve, and thrive. His importance was cemented in 2022 when his Yoik, Sámi eatnan duoddariid, was adopted as the Sámi National Yoik, given equal standing with the Sámi Anthem.
Modern Evolution: The Yoik is a Living Culture
Valkeapää’s spirit of innovation has continued, leading to the fusion of Yoik with global music genres.
Metal: Shamaani Duo / Shaman
This evolution includes bands like Shaman (predecessor to Korpiklaani). They blended folk metal with the Yoik’s vocalizations and the Northern Sámi language, creating a unique and powerful sound.
Jazz: Frode Fjellheim & Mari Boine
Artists like Frode Fjellheim (who composed the Frozen opening song “Eatnemen Vuelie,” which is a Vuollie style) and Mari Boine integrate Yoik with elements of jazz fusion and world music.
Pop: Sofia Jannok & Elle Márjá Eira
The Yoik has also moved into the mainstream. Sofia Jannok (Swedish Sámi) and Elle Márjá Eira (Norwegian Sámi) blend Yoik elements with pop structures. Eira’s music, such as “GUODOHIT (To herd),” often visually harmonizes the contemporary music with modern reindeer herding and stunning cinematography.
Tradition vs. Innovation
The diversity of modern Yoik inevitably raises the question: “Can a Yoik blended with different genres still be called a Yoik?”
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää offered a crucial perspective on this tension:
“When I hear talk of preserving culture, a picture of an ethnographer pops into my mind… I feel that the activity of preserving is mainly just recording, tidying up a dead culture… Samis are immediately demanded to be in this static state, where every new thing is considered a sin, a fake.”
This suggests that the desire to keep a culture in a static, “traditional” form can be restrictive. The Yoik’s continued evolution through metal, jazz, and pop is a testament that it is a living, breathing culture, not a museum relic.
The Yoik is not a relic of the past; it is the voice that conveys the Sámi “present.” It is an unbreakable connection to their land and their people.
Note: Not all Sámi music is a Yoik! Other traditional folk songs and modern music influenced by Western genres also exist within Sámi culture.
Sámi Culture: Related Articles
This is a comprehensive guide to Sámi history, culture, and life in the North. Click on a topic to dive deeper.
References
- 『世界は音楽でできている ヨーロッパ・アジア・太平洋・ロシア＆NIS編』北中正和 監修 2007 音楽出版社
- Driver, M. 2012『Sámi Joik』 2025.10.20アクセス
- Anaras（https://www.samimuseum.fi/anaras/english/kulttuuri/musiikki.html）2025.10.20アクセス
- Nils-Aslak Valkeapää Áillohaš（https://lapinkavijat.rovaniemi.fi/valkeapaa/index.html） 2025.10.20アクセス
- 『アイデンティティ確認の場としての Ijahis Idja: フィンランドにおけるサーミのフェスティヴァルを例に』松村麻由 2024 音楽研究: 大学院研究年報, 36, 217-233.
- Wirtanen, T. (2014). Music Culture in the Omaha Tribe of North America and the Saami of Northern Scandinavia: An Analysis of the Similarities and Possible Cultural Connections between Vuolle and Be-thae wa-an.
- Joy, F. (2011). The history of Lapland and the case of the Sami Noaidi drum figures reversed. Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore, (47), 113-144.
- 『サーミ人についての話』ヨハン・トゥリ著 吉田欣吾訳 2002 東海大学文学部叢書
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