91Èȱ¬

Dh'fhoghlam Seumas Macletchie mun àrraineachd bho athair, na òige ann an Uibhist a Tuath. Tha Seumas a’ gabhail turas sonraichte son coinneachadh ri Inga-Maret, seinneadair Yoik anns a’ phàirt Fhionnlannach de Dhùthaich nan Sàmi. Tha Seumas ag ionnsachadh mun droch-dhìol a tha an Sàmi air fhulang.

Tha e a’ faicinn mar a chleachd sinnsirean Inga-Maret cumhachd a’ Yoik, dòigh àraid seinn, airson a bhith a’ glèidheadh nan cleachdaidhean a tha a’ buntainn ri bhuachailleadh fèidh-shneachda.
Fad ùine, tha turasachd air ceumannan a ghabhail ‘s a’ tarraing Nirribhich a tha a’ dèidheil air cleachdadh carbadan-sneachda son spòrs.

Tha am fuaim ‘s an t-astar aig a bheil iad a’ gluasad a’ cur an eagail air na fèidh-shneachda aig àm breìth nan laogh ‘s tha iad a’ teicheadh ‘s a’ fàgail an cuid laoigh. Eadar seo is atharrachadh anns an aimsir, ‘s ann air èiginn a tha na fèidh a’ beòthachadh, gu h-àraid sa Gheamhradh.

Tha Inga-Maret dol a chleachdadh cumhachd a yoik fhèin, gu làidir, son nam fèidh-shneachda a dhìon. Tha Seumas a’ meòrachadh air dè na dòighean dualchasach a ' b'urrain dhasan cleachdadh airson dion a chuir air a' chultar fhèin.

Seumas MacLetchie acquired a deep connection to the natural world from his father when he grew up on North Uist. Seumas makes the trip of a lifetime to meet Ingá-Máret, a Sami Yoik artist in Finnish Lapland, and learns about the persecution that the Sami people have endured.

He discovers how Ingá-Máret’s ancestors used the power of yoik – their unique style of trance-like singing – to protect their reindeer herding way of life. A late Finnish President became an advocate for the Sami people and his love of skiing attracted many tourists to Lapland.

Over time, tourism has developed and now attracts Norwegians who snowmobile for sport. The noise and speed panics the reindeer at calving time, causing them to stampede and abandon their calves. This along with changes in the climate which have brought starving winter conditions mean that the reindeer are struggling to survive.

Ingá-Máret is determined to use her own power of yoik to protect the reindeer. Inspired by Ingá-Máret, Seumas reflects on what new Gaelic stories and songs might be created to protect his own culture?