1 million to Riddu Riđđu

Every year the festival brings a northern indigenous people to the festival.  The Norwegian department of foreign affairs has given Riddu Riđđu 1 million to expand this work.

By inviting one particular indigenous group annually it has been possible to give our audience a deeper presentation of  indigenous people.  Through all these years we have established a large network in the circumpolar area, says festival director Kirsti Lervoll.

Ainu people to Riddu

Riddu Riđđu has recently been in Japan, where they met this year's northern people, the Ainu people. They are from the island of Hokkaido in Japan. Ainu are an ancient hunting and gathering people, who for centuries has assimilated into the majority culture. Most Japanese people don’t know anything about their own indigenous Ainu. Ainu language is one of the world's most endangered languages, and several organizations, among other the University in Sapporo, is working strongly to recruit students to learn and keep the Ainu language and culture alive.

This year’s festival welcomes a delegation of 15 Ainu people. During four days, the audience will learn and experience the Ainu culture through seminars, workshops, "Northern people day" and concerts with the group Marewrew and OKI.

“OKI-is one of this year's must-see concerts” says Lervoll.

Funfact: Ainu people like us, are fond of salmon. They smoke the fish and dry it well; this is a little delicacy!