{"id":11529,"date":"2026-04-28T10:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T08:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rdm.no\/de_samiske_samlinger-2\/ruoktot-50ars-jubileumsutstilling-til-de-samiske-samlinger\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T13:12:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T11:12:35","slug":"ruoktot-50ars-jubileumsutstilling-til-de-samiske-samlinger","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/rdm.no\/en\/de_samiske_samlinger-2\/ruoktot-50ars-jubileumsutstilling-til-de-samiske-samlinger\/","title":{"rendered":"RUOKTOT – The Return of the S\u00e1mi Drums"},"content":{"rendered":"

The travelling exhibition \u201cRUOKTOT: The Return of the S\u00e1mi Drums \u2013 S\u00e1mi rumbbuid m\u00e1hcaheapmi \u2013 Tilbakef\u00f8ring av samiske trommer\u201d has now finished its journey (2024\u20132026).<\/p>\n

Organized by RiddoDuottarMuseat, the exhibition has travelled across multiple locations in S\u00e1pmi, sharing knowledge, perspectives, and dialogue around the return of S\u00e1mi drums. You can still explore parts of the exhibition through the digital materials, including a 360\u00b0 virtual tour<\/a> from the original 50-year anniversary exhibition of The S\u00e1mi museum in Karasjok (2022).<\/p>\n

Concluding Seminar \u2013 June 11, 2026, in Troms\u00f8<\/h2>\n

To mark the end of the travelling exhibition, a concluding seminar will be held on June 11, 2026, at The Arctic University Museum of Norway<\/a>, part of University of Troms\u00f8 \u2013 The Arctic University of Norway.<\/a> The seminar is organized in collaboration with the University Museum.<\/p>\n

The seminar will gather collaborators and scholars engaged in research on S\u00e1mi drums and their cultural, historical, and contemporary significance. The seminar will be a space for reflection, knowledge sharing, and a continued dialogue following the exhibition period.<\/p>\n

Temporary Program \u2013 Concluding Seminar, June 11, 2026 in Troms\u00f8, will be published soon, follow this site for updates.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The traveling exhibition<\/h2>\n

The traveling exhibition was first on display at \u00c1jtte<\/a> in J\u00e5hk\u00e5m\u00e5hkke\/Jokkmokk from 31.01.24. until 18.05.24.<\/p>\n

The exhibition was later on display at Nordlandsmuseet <\/a>B\u00e5d\u00e5ddjo\/Bod\u00f8, in collaboration with \u00c1rran<\/a> in the period from 08.11.24. until 09.02.25.<\/p>\n

In 2025 the exhibition was showed at Saemien Sijte<\/a> in Sn\u00e5ase\/Sn\u00e5sa from 17.02.25. until 05.05.25. and at the R\u00f8rosmuseet<\/a> from June to September 2025.<\/p>\n

The traveling exhibition has received funding from The S\u00e1mi Parliament of Norway and from the Nordic Culture Point, which has published a showcase about the exhibition on their Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> and Linkedin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n \"En
Ruoktot: Travelling Exhibition 2024-2026<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

About the Travelling exhibition<\/h3>\n

Ruoktot<\/strong> <\/em>in S\u00e1mi means going or coming home.<\/p>\n

The traveling exhibition is based on the 50th anniversary exhibition that was opened in April 2022 at the RiddoDuottarMuseat (RDM) \u2013 S\u00e1miid Vuork\u00e1-D\u00e1vvirat (SVD) in K\u00e1r\u00e1\u0161johka (Karasjok). The exhibition focused on the return of the S\u00e1mi drums and uses 3D technology. The exhibition celebrated the transfer of ownership over Anders Poulsen’s goavddis<\/em> (drum), which has been at SVD since 1979.\u00a0 The drum was officially returned from the National Museum in Copenhagen to the RDM-SVD in January 2022. This was good news for everyone who has worked for decades to get the drum back into S\u00e1mi care and ownership.<\/p>\n

The traveling exhibition is carried out in collaboration between the following S\u00e1mi museums: RiddoDuottarMuseat (RDM) \u2013 S\u00e1miid Vuork\u00e1-D\u00e1vvirat (SVD), \u00c1jtte, \u00c1rran, Nordlandsmuseet, Saemien Sijte and Siida. The traveling exhibition received financial support from the S\u00e1mi Parliament of Norway<\/a> and from the Nordic Council of Ministers via Nordic Culture Point<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our original 50th anniversary exhibition is available as a 360\u00b0 virtual tour!<\/h3>\n

The link to the 360\u00b0 virtual tour<\/a>
\nSee also the News<\/a><\/p>\n

The exhibition production team<\/h3>\n

Exhibition concept and curation\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Jelena Porsanger
\nExhibition texts\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Konsta Kaikkonen, Jelena Porsanger
\nExhibition design\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 J\u00e9r\u00e9mie McGowan, Annelise Josefsen
\nGraphic design\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Labba Art, Inka Rauhala
\nExhibition maps\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Inka Rauhala
\n3D models\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Matthew Walker Magnani
\n3D-animation, video, videodesign\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00c5smund B\u00f8e
\nDrum sound\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Halvdan Nedrejord, Magnus Vuolab, Sk\u00e1dja Studio
\nPictures of 3D models\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00c5smund B\u00f8e
\nArtisans – Duoj\u00e1r\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Osvald Guttorm, Pia Jannok<\/p>\n

About the 50th anniversary exhibition<\/h2>\n

The topic of the 50th anniversary exhibition is \u201cS\u00e1mi rumbbuid m\u00e1hcaheapmi\u201d – The Return of the S\u00e1mi Drums. In this exhibition, we use the S\u00e1mi term m\u00e1hcaheapmi<\/em> in the meaning of repatriation in relation to the return of cultural heritage. According to S\u00e1mi oral tradition, a skilful spiritual expert, a noaidi<\/em>, can possess powers to identify objects that have been stolen or taken away without permission. Furthermore, a noaidi<\/em> can make those guilty of stealing or taking objects away bring them back to their original owners. Often the drum was used for that purpose.
\nThis process is called m\u00e1hcahit<\/em> in North S\u00e1mi.<\/p>\n

The idea behind the anniversary exhibition came a few years ago, all because of a drum belonging to Anders Poulsen. The National Museum in Denmark owned the 400-year-old drum at that time, which was on loan to SVD from 1979 until recently. The loan agreement would expire by the end of December 2021, but the museum wanted ownership to be transferred from the National Museum in Denmark to RDM-SVD.<\/p>\n

The Danish Minister of Culture approved the transfer of ownership of Anders Poulsen\u2019s drum to RDM \u2013 S\u00e1miid Vuork\u00e1-D\u00e1vvirat in January 2022. This is the first time in history that an object of S\u00e1mi cultural heritage was returned from abroad to S\u00e1pmi. The drum is the main person in the anniversary exhibition.<\/p>\n

\n \"Tidslinje
Timeline of the Return of Anders Poulsen\u2019s Drum<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

The voiceless time<\/h3>\n

The meanings and significance of the drums were taken away from S\u00e1mi communities when the drums were expropriated during the 17th and 18th centuries and even as late as in the 19th century. Many drums were removed by force. Some were handed to the authorities in fear of corporeal or religious punishment inflicted by representatives of the colonial ruling powers of the kingdoms of Denmark-Norway and Sweden. Most of the sacred S\u00e1mi drums were destroyed and burnt, some were lost and some were shipped off, traded or given away as souvenirs.<\/p>\n

72 S\u00e1mi drums have been preserved and kept in museums and private collections. Recently, several drums or parts of drums have been discovered, hidden away by their owners many hundred years ago. From S\u00e1pmi the drums first ended up as exotic objects representing \u00abthe Ultimate North\u00bb in Stockholm, Uppsala, Trondheim, and Copenhagen, and some of them were taken even further afield to places such as Paris, Rome, London, Cambridge, Berlin, Leipzig, Cologne, Dresden, Munich, etc.<\/p>\n

Placed in foreign environments, the drums became voiceless: no one to talk to or with, no language to share, no stories to tell, no one to listen to or to understand them, with no purpose to fill.<\/p>\n

Anders Poulsen’s goavddis<\/em> – drum<\/h3>\n
\n \"3D
3D scan of Anders Poulsen’s drum<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n