Vuonnamárkanat

Since 2005 there has been arranged an annual outdoor marketplace at Várjjat sámi museum. The focus is on promoting local produce and duodji (sámi handicraft), but is also an important social meetingspot for nearly 4000 people joining from all of Sápmi. The market is a modern re-creation of the historical market, which was in the bottom of the Varangerfjord until the end of the 19th century. Historically it was held mid winter, as the tradesmen came with reindeer sledges all the way from Bottenviken (the north of Sweden and Finland). It lasted for many days, and there was both tax collection and churchly activities connected to the market. The modern marketplace is totally free from both political and religious activities, and promotes a pan Sámi community thinking with fokus on Sámi language and culture. To promote an arena to use gákti without dressing up, there is a yearly lottery, where all that wear gákti can sign up and at the end of the market winners are drawn to receive a prize.

There are increasingly more people wearing gákti at the market, and many use the occation to try out new fashion trends. Many of those who joined the portret photography session for the project in 2019 made a point that they on purpose had put on an everyday gákti, or a regular gákti with less accessories than they would use on the national day. Thus it creates a casual arena for wearing gákti, which also lowers the threshold for those who are uncertain and want to try out which reactions they get when they wear gákti.

At the booth of Isak Saba language centre, you can register if you are wearing gákti, and be part of the drawing of prizes among other people wearing gákti. F.l. Lea Marie Store and Eva Katrine Dikkanen Margit. Photo: Bjarne Riesto.

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Vuonnamárkanat was arranged Saturday 31.8. There were 3672 visitors and 74 sellers. There was demonstration of the Sámi board game Sáhkku, bumblebee- and bird-box making by the National Park centre and SNO, horsebackriding by the Røstgaard-sisters, storytelling by Jorunn Jernsletten, Portrait photography by Bjarne Riesto and the museum project «Gáktis across time», lassoing, Mánáidsiida with 5-stones game and making og Vuonnamárkanat-bracelets, Library bus, exhibiton of 3 boats by RDM-Porsáŋggu musea and Mearrasiida. Joikconsert by Johan Andersen, Øystein Nilsen and Mai Brit Utsi. Drawing of prizemoney amongst the 508 gákti-dressed persons who had registered for the raffle. The weather was pleasantly sunny, with 18 degrees celcius and no wind.