Prompt of the week!

[thegreyarea]

... that drone shares some weird thoughts as it visits the chapel. And speaks German to boot ...

Does it? I must watch the video again...
But, you know, drones are snarky things

[dmeck7755]

Dmeck, I read both your pieces. I am obviously not an expert on the Sami, but to me it seems both fitting and respectful. I love the idea that all Sami can use the joik to an extent. I know in your arc they are in regular contact with Finns and others, but it could also work very well for a setting where the Sami have survived and decided to stay hidden, like we’ve been discussing elsewhere. I also like how you mention that information about a person and their ties can be “read” from their clothing.

Another very important and magic-related thing is the drum, also depicted in the Sami flag. Having the noaidi use drums should be well-based.

True, I forgot to mention the drum for noaidi.  It is important, and I really need to put it there. I think the true shamanic drums could be really large.  (At least some of the drawing I have seen.  I am reading a book called In Search of the Drum by Ailo Gaup, and the drawing on the cover is quite large.) 

I wanted to convey this was simple magic all people needed to/can do.  There are not many places to hide on a snow covered plain/tundra

Many of the old drums were burned and there are very few examples still around.  I have found a few pictures, but cannot really guess at the size. 

I like the idea of writing a story of the Sámi where they decide to stay hidden.  I have the beginnings in the works. But it is taking some research, so it is slow going.  Much like writing historical fiction..

[Jitter]

Pretty much all of the old drums were destroyed by Christians Most of the information comes from descriptions and drawn pictures of now lost specimens. But, I think the drum was usually of a size fairly convenient to hold in one hand (by handle at the back) and play with a… hammer? in the other. Easily a size the noaidi can take on longer treks too, but not small enough to fit inside a backpack or such.

[dmeck7755]

Pretty much all of the old drums were destroyed by Christians Most of the information comes from descriptions and drawn pictures of now lost specimens. But, I think the drum was usually of a size fairly convenient to hold in one hand (by handle at the back) and play with a… hammer? in the other. Easily a size the noaidi can take on longer treks too, but not small enough to fit inside a backpack or such.

You are probably correct.  It would be difficult to travel with a really large one.

I read some place that there are only 70 left across the world. Recently one Was retuned to the Sami this year.

I found a list of the 70.  There are drawings of some, but alas no pictures.

https://old.no/samidrum/locations.html

[Jitter]

Only one n that list is marked as being from Finland, and it is classified as fake 😢 If you click on the number you will see a drawing of the pictures of each drum.

[Róisín]

The Sami drum looks rather like an Irish bodhran. I have two, and play them both. The smaller one I particularly treasure because the knotwork on it  was painted freehand by one of my sons - I could never have done that, the art gene is in my family but seems to have skipped me entirely! The bodhran is used both for ordinary music and for magic.

[wavewright62]

I agree with Róisín, it's very reminiscent of a bodhran, and I can certainly see it as central to magical practice.

[Jitter]

Yes, the frame drum type (the one I’m thinking about although there seems to be many bowl drums on tha list too) is exactly like a bodhran in principle. They are not always / usually round but rather elliptical or elliptical with one end narrower. I assume this affects the sound too, the bodhran makes a different sound in the middle vs near the edge, right?

[thegreyarea]

Only one n that list is marked as being from Finland, and it is classified as fake 😢 If you click on the number you will see a drawing of the pictures of each drum.

Don't cry, my dear. You may have missed #43 and #44, that are listed as from Kemi.

Also, the designs are beautiful, and can inspire many interpretations. I see strange symbols, animals, trees, humans and... supernatural beings?

[Jitter]

Oh thanks Grey! I had missed those.

The three-field illustration depicts the Underworld, the human world and the High Up. In other atykes rhe central motif is either the sun or a World Tree.

One (but not the only) way the drums were used was casting of lots i.e. making predictions. The lot piece was placed on the drum face and the playing moved it, and the prediction was based on what picture it ended up on. I don’t know if this was used with a particular illustration style or all of them. (The word “arpa” is the one used for “arpajaiset”, a lottery, in the modern sense).

[tehta]

Oh no! We need a new prompt. Or prompts, if we want to set up a sequence. Mikkel's birthday is the 11th of August! We need two more before that...

I have no good ideas. Hmm, have we already had something music-related? The drum discussion is suggesting 'music' or 'rhythm' to me.

[Jitter]

How about “play”, which could be either music or something else. Then follow with “work” so we’ll have train, play and work almost together. And Mikkel’s week may well be related to work for some of us

[dmeck7755]

How about “play”, which could be either music or something else. Then follow with “work” so we’ll have train, play and work almost together. And Mikkel’s week may well be related to work for some of us

That sounds good

[tehta]

And then we can do 'burnout' the week after.

Not a serious suggestion! I like the sequence, and will try to actually produce something. Only... I mostly feel in the mood for Emilalli...

[Jitter]

Well, I’m sure you can think up something the boys can play? 🤭