An unexpected honor – children's culture state award received sámi rapper wants to work to motivate children and youth to use endangered language

This is a great honor, said lapp, a rap musician, Ailun Valle , 34, after receiving the children's culture state award on Friday in Helsinki.

the Arts promotion centre Taiken awarded this year's children's culture state award of valle for recognition of his work with children and young people.

Ailun Valle raps in northern sámi, but has made music also in Finnish and in English. He has released three albums and collaborated with, among others, metal band You and rapper Paleface with.

Valle told, I haven't done the work so that the target would be about confessions. Therefore, he wasn't expecting from the state the recognition of his work.

Rap has served as a tool for language recovery in

Ailun Valle is a native of the municipality of Utsjoki, a small Kaamasmukan the village. His native language is north sámi.

the north sámi in Finland estimated at around 2 000 people. State prize heats Ailun Valle's mind, for him the work of the sámi language and children and young people is a matter of the heart. Rap music has been to him a kind of language recovery tool.

– it is important to Me that the prize was distributed to the sami people for an artist. I want to rap about sami, because I want to contribute do the job in front of it, that the sámi children and young people receive a rich language or even learn the language, Valle says.

the art of the state awards handed science and culture minister Hanna Kosonen Helsinki, Finnish national opera premises.Linda Tammela / Yle

Taiken stated in its explanatory memorandum, that Valle's work as an artist to strengthen the minority languages of children and young people's identity, because everyone has the right to art their own language. Taiken according to Valle also serves as an example to children and young people the opportunity to make art of cultural or linguistic background regardless of the.

Valle justification for delight. They are the very things that he is going to work.

I Can be young as an example in that the sámi rap can succeed. It brings me responsibility and that is why I am glad that my work is also at the state level.

rapper sees that the sámi community is to see effort and that is why he has chosen the language of music to specific mother tongue, north sámi. The sámi language promotion is an artist's view of the sámi own shoulders, and no one else to do the saami for.

Ailun Valle, but not rapping just responsibility.

Sami people rapping is just what I want to do. It is close to my heart.

to Translate lyrics to Disney movies, dreaming of a skills extension

Ailun Valle's work on the sámi language and for children and young people culture to continue it goes on.

Right now, Valle is working on Machine Foundation-funded project, which has involved both artists and scientists. In the process of Valle examine together, the inari sámi rap Mikkal Morottaja , i.e. Amocin with it, how the north and the inari sámi language are ringing together.

Ailun Valle has been keeping children and young people, for example, a variety of rap workshops.Linda Tammela / Yle

Rap music in addition, Valle has been involved in translating the lyrics of disney's soon to appear Frozen II movie north sámi language version. This kind of work Valle would be happy in the future.

– Then I can expand my skills further, the artist explains.

the state of the art committee will share the annual industry of his state awards. This year the arts award by the 14 operators. Children's culture state award is the state bar those the largest, 30 000 euros.

Read more:

"ultra modern" Vesalalle music state award: "the bewildered great" – Kalle Kinnusesta the first award-winning film critic

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