Picturing World Cultures: Naina Helén Jåma – Norwegian Sami

09/12/2024

In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Norwegian photographer Naina Helén Jåma about her documentation of indigenous South Sami culture in Norway and her career as a press photographer in Scandinavia.

Above photograph © Naina Helén Jåma

Jåma details her childhood growing up in the small rural village of Snasa, where, at the age of 15, she began her career while working as a cultural interpreter and archivist at the Saemien Sijte Museum.

From there, Naina takes us on a journey through her fascinating career as a photographer, from her training at the Nordic School of Photography to her work for world-renowned publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Guardian

Alongside her journalistic work, Naina maintains a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually.

If you haven’t already listened, check out all the episodes of our Picturing World Cultures podcast series here.

Guest: Naina Helén Jåma

A Welcome Back sign amid a Sapmi landscape, from Jåma’s visual diary.
A Welcome Back sign amid a Sapmi landscape, from Jåma’s visual diary.
A Sami woman with reindeer antlers during a protest at Oslo’s Palace Square.
A Sami woman with reindeer antlers during a protest at Oslo’s Palace Square.
Young Sami activists add reindeer antlers to the lion statue at Norway’s National Assembly, Oslo, 6/2/23.
Young Sami activists add reindeer antlers to the lion statue at Norway’s National Assembly, Oslo, 6/2/23.
Sámi youth wear traditional clothing inside-out while blocking the oil ministry entrance in protest of a Norwegian Wind Turbine Park, which prevents indigenous Sámi from herding reindeer in the area.
Sámi youth wear traditional clothing inside-out while blocking the oil ministry entrance in protest of a Norwegian Wind Turbine Park, which prevents indigenous Sámi from herding reindeer in the area.
A large plastic replica of the Sami flag, from Jåma’s visual diary.
A large plastic replica of the Sami flag, from Jåma’s visual diary.
Sami Reindeer herders and a rare appearance of the midwinter sun, from Jåma’s visual diary.
Sami Reindeer herders and a rare appearance of the midwinter sun, from Jåma’s visual diary.
A spare Oslo landscape from Jåma’s visual diary, 1/23/22.
A spare Oslo landscape from Jåma’s visual diary, 1/23/22.
A January picture from Jåma’s visual diary.
A January picture from Jåma’s visual diary.
Picture of a woodpile from Jåma’s visual diary.
Picture of a woodpile from Jåma’s visual diary.
Petroleum borealis, a picture from Jåma’s visual diary.
Petroleum borealis, a picture from Jåma’s visual diary.
A Sami man at work crafting a traditional drinking cup, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project, showing the intangible cultural heritage in daily life.
A Sami man at work crafting a traditional drinking cup, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project, showing the intangible cultural heritage in daily life.
A handmade shawl hangs in the bathroom, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project.
A handmade shawl hangs in the bathroom, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project.
Deer skins stretched to dry for use in crafting traditional objects, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project.
Deer skins stretched to dry for use in crafting traditional objects, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project.
Portrait of Norwegian Sami singer Mari Boine wearing a traditional hat was long considered the work of the devil.
Portrait of Norwegian Sami singer Mari Boine wearing a traditional hat was long considered the work of the devil.
Impressionistic portrait of Norwegian Sami singer Mari Boine for a 2023 profile in the publication VG.
Impressionistic portrait of Norwegian Sami singer Mari Boine for a 2023 profile in the publication VG.
Naina Helén Jåma portrait.
Naina Helén Jåma portrait.
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A Welcome Back sign amid a Sapmi landscape, from Jåma’s visual diary.
A Sami woman with reindeer antlers during a protest at Oslo’s Palace Square.
Young Sami activists add reindeer antlers to the lion statue at Norway’s National Assembly, Oslo, 6/2/23.
Sámi youth wear traditional clothing inside-out while blocking the oil ministry entrance in protest of a Norwegian Wind Turbine Park, which prevents indigenous Sámi from herding reindeer in the area.
A large plastic replica of the Sami flag, from Jåma’s visual diary.
Sami Reindeer herders and a rare appearance of the midwinter sun, from Jåma’s visual diary.
A spare Oslo landscape from Jåma’s visual diary, 1/23/22.
A January picture from Jåma’s visual diary.
Picture of a woodpile from Jåma’s visual diary.
Petroleum borealis, a picture from Jåma’s visual diary.
A Sami man at work crafting a traditional drinking cup, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project, showing the intangible cultural heritage in daily life.
A handmade shawl hangs in the bathroom, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project.
Deer skins stretched to dry for use in crafting traditional objects, from Jåma’s Vaetnoe project.
Portrait of Norwegian Sami singer Mari Boine wearing a traditional hat was long considered the work of the devil.
Impressionistic portrait of Norwegian Sami singer Mari Boine for a 2023 profile in the publication VG.
Naina Helén Jåma portrait.

Episode Timeline:

  • 2:23: Naina’s early childhood and growing up in Snåsa, a small village in Norway with approximately 2,000 inhabitants.
  • 6:14: Naina’s first job and the start of her career, working as a cultural archivist at the Saemien Sijite Museum.
  • 10:44: How photographing handcrafted Sami items became Naina’s thesis while enrolled at the Nordic School of Photography
  • 14:45: Discussing different aspects and signifiers of traditional Sami clothing.
  • 19:40: The eight different seasons of Sami culture.
  • 22:06: Discussing the role and influence of animism and other traditional Sami belief systems.
  • 28:18: Episode Break
  • 29:40: Naina’s go-to kit for cameras and lenses
  • 33:10: Tips for shooting in cold climates and extreme conditions
  • 35:14: Structuring documentation when working as a photojournalist
  • 39:49: Naina’s diverse reportage, from documenting the NATO summit to Sami youth protests due to windmill farms violating traditional reindeer hunting lands.
  • 46:30: What Naina learned from her time working on the other side of the lens as a Director of Photography
  • 49:26: “Man Borrows the Land from Future Generations”
  • 53:06: Naina Helén Jåma answers our PWC Visual Questionnaire.

Guest Bio:

Naina Helén Jåma is a South Sami photographer and storyteller from Snaasa in Norway, currently based in Oslo. After starting her career at the Saemien Sijte Museum at age 15, where she worked to interpret and preserve South Sami culture.

Naina has maintained a close relationship with the traditional Sami arts of Duodji. Documenting the ongoing development of this art form pays tribute to oral knowledge and silent tradition, which is learned and transmitted visually. Trained at the Nordic School of Photography in Sweden, Naina has worked as both a photojournalist and a photo editor for various Scandinavian newspapers and agencies, as well as major international publications such as The New York Times, Bloomberg and The Guardian.

Naina is a member of the Sami Artists Association, and in 2020 she received a working grant from the Sami Council. Most recently, she was selected by the Norwegian Journal of Photography as one of nine photographers to work on a two-year heritage project, where she will be photographing and doing in-depth interviews to investigate the evolving legacy of Sami culture.

Stay Connected:

Naina Helén Jåma Website: https://www.nainahelen.com/

Naina Helén Jåma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nainahelen/

Naina Helén Jåma on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nainahelen.photography/

Naina Helén Jåma on Twitter: https://x.com/nainahelenwj/

Naina Helén Jåma in the Norwegian Journal of Photography: https://njp.no/2024/naina-helen-jama/

Naina Helén Jåma on Blink: https://blink.la/u/nainahelen

Senior Creative Producer & Host: Jill Waterman

Senior Technical Producer: Mike Weinstein

Executive Producer: Richard Stevens

Theme Music: Gabriel Richards