"Come Home and Stay Home!"

Elle Sofe Sara, choreography and dance artists, in conversation with High North News' Editor-in-Chief Arne O. Holm on Monday. The consequences of the Norwegianization policy was the topic of the day.

On Tuesday, Tore Vagn Lid visited the motorhome to talk about the responsibility of art. Lid is a Director, Artistic Leader of Transiteateret-Bergen, and Professor at the Department of Art and Media Studies at NTNU. >

Tine Surel Lange, composer and sound artist, was the last primary guest of High Noon on Thursday. Living in the shadow of the war was the headline of this day's session.

Published at: Jun 30 2023 - 13:36 / Updated at: Jun 30 2023 - 13:50

Commentary: This week, I have deep-dived into the analog world, out among people, where journalism thrives and stories are made. Mixing artists with other Northern Norwegian voices has become a pre-summer tradition for High North News.

Text Arne O. Holm

Norwegian version.

The title of this commentary comes from our interview with Pål Knutsen, better known as the songwriter Moddi, and has an addition that is difficult to translate. "Come home, you pesslest," says Moddi. Both AI and Google are speechless when I ask for the definition of the dialect word.

But we get it nonetheless.

Although Moddi is one of the few artists who has understood that it is no longer necessary nor very convincing to move to Oslo to write lyrics about life in the North. He moved home to Senja in Troms and discovered that Northern Norway and the High North are changing, even as the myths about the North still feed policy and business.

We have quietly discussed.

The consequences of the Norwegianization policy, all participants: Primary Guest Elle Sofe Sara, choreographer and dance artist. (All photos: Astri Edvardsen) >

Einar Niemi, member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and professor emeritus of history at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. >

Anki Gerhardsen, social debater, critic, and editor of Lytring. >

Frank Jørstad, Theatre Director at Kvääniteatteri. >

The modern North

For four days during the True Northern Arts Festival, we addressed the High North. We have discussed what the modern North looks like. We have quietly asked northerners, Russians, and Ukrainians what life in the shadow of a belligerent neighbor is like. On the first day, we took the Truth and Reconciliation Commission seriously and asked what the way forward looks like. And we have asked artists how they bring reality into their art.

Twenty-something voices have sat on the stages in Harstad in front of a big audience. Four very different artists have entered my mobile office. I am certainly not alone in longing for the analog. Those who did not make it to Harstad, and that is the majority, can still see the recordings of the debates and the conversations on our website.

Together, we have confronted a reality balancing unique opportunities and deep conflicts. The most important to us was to bring forth voices from the North, if not to drown out, then at least to supplement and correct the storytelling about the North seen from the South.

A reality balancing unique opportunities and deep conflicts.

The responsibility of art, all participants: Primary guest Tore Vagn Lid, Director, Artistic Leader of Transiteateret-Bergen, And Professor at the Department of Art and Media Studies at NTNU. (All photos: Astri Edvardsen) >

Egill Pálsson, Theatre Director of Hålogaland teater. (All photos: Astri Edvardsen) >

Susanne Næss Nielsen, Director at Davvi - Centre for Performing Arts. >

Hans Eirik Voktor, Film Director and Professor of documentary film production at the University of Stavanger. >

Andreas Kühne, Multimedia Artist and Ph.D. student at the Academy of Music, UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

With love

We do it with love to a part of the world that far too many commutes to instead of "moving home" to. To a part of the world that does not quite fit into an oil fund's appetite for fashionable properties in London or a central bank's analyses of interest rates and business cycles. A region populated by people who may not be first in line when ministers appoint their friends for public boards and councils.

On the eve of a rich week, thank you to Pål Moddi Knutsen, Tore Vagn Lid, Elle Sofe Sara, Tine Surel Lange, and all you others who make it meaningful to create a newspaper that everyday tries to embrace politics, business, art, and culture in the Arctic and the High North.

And to our faithful readers from us in the High North News editorial staff:

Have a great summer!