A Transformative Journey Through Memory, Land, and Belonging

 

Walking Within the Frame: Rávdjnevággi, directed by Maria Oiva and Kristina Junttila, is a multi-year, site-specific performance project produced by Reality Research Center (Finland) and Ferske Scener (Norway). The series invites audiences to experience a guided walking performance through a mobile phone, blending artistic exploration with personal and historical reflection.

 

The project has unfolded across various locations in Finland and Norway: it began with a pilot in Viikki Arboretum, Helsinki (2023), followed by a performance near the Jektefart Museum in Bodø as part of the Bodø2024 European Capital of Culture programme. 

 

This autumn, the third installment—Walking Within the Frame: Rávdjnevággi—will take place in Tromsø, Norway, in collaboration with Åarjelhsaemien Teatere. The final performances will return to Finland in 2026, held in the Sanginjoki nature reserve as part of the Oulu2026 cultural programme.

 

Walking Within the Frame: Rávdjnevággi draws inspiration from Elin Anna Labba’s acclaimed book Herrene sendte oss hit, which chronicles the forced displacement of Sámi communities in the early 20th century. 

 

Set in the mountainous Rávdjnevággi region near Tromsø—once a Sámi summer home until relocations to Sweden in 1919—the performance guides participants through a layered experience of personal environment, historical narrative, and reflection on home, belonging, and cultural rights.

 

As Rávdjnevággi remains a contested site between conservation and development, the performance creates space for dialogue about land, memory, and the enduring impacts of displacement. By connecting participants deeply with place and history, Walking Within the Frame serves as a poignant reminder of how cultural stories live within landscapes.

 

Inquires at the Reality Research Center to Katja Kirsi by e-mail katja (a) todellisuus.fi