Rijkuo-Maja or Rika Maja (Sami or Swedish for "Rich Maja"; 1661–1757) was a

Sámi The Sámi ( ; also spelled Sami or Saami) are a Finno-Ugric-speaking people inhabiting the region of Sápmi (formerly known as Lapland), which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and of the Murmansk Oblast, Rus ...

noaidi A noaidi ( sme, noaidi, smj, noajdde, sma, nåejttie, sms, nōjjd, sjt, niojte, sjd, noojd/nuojd, italic=yes, sje, nåjjde) is a shaman of the Sami people in the Nordic countries, playing a role in Sámi religious practices. Most ''noaidi'' ...

from Mausjaur. She was known for her influence and wealth in the contemporary Sámi community and became a famous figure of the Sámi history and the subject of several legends.

Life

Rika Maja was from Mausjaur south of

Arvidsjaur Arvidsjaur (; sju, Árviesjávrrie; ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Arvidsjaur Municipality in Norrbotten County, provinces of Sweden, province of Lapland, Sweden, Lapland, Sweden with 4,635 inhabitants in 2010. Arvidsjaur ...

, and belonged to the forest sami of Arvidjsaur. She was married to Nils Hindersson (died before 1730) and had a daughter. She was the owner of over 3000

reindeer Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

s. She was famed for her great wealth in the contemporary Sámi community, and known by her

sobriquet A sobriquet ( ), or soubriquet, is a nickname, sometimes assumed, but often given by another, that is descriptive. A sobriquet is distinct from a pseudonym, as it is typically a familiar name used in place of a real name, without the need of expla ...

''Rika Maja'' ('Rich Maja'). The surrounding Sámis were referred to as her vassals, and at the annual great winter market day, the Swedish merchants of

Piteå Piteå () is a locality and the seat of Piteå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. Piteå is Sweden's 58th largest city, with a population of 23,326. Geography Piteå is located at the mouth of the Pite River ( sv, Piteälven), at th ...

was forced to ask for her permission to conduct trade with the Sámi people. Rika Maja practiced Christianity in parallel with Sami shamanism, which were normal among the Sami people at this time period during the ongoing

Christianization of the Sámi people The Christianization of the Sámi people in Norway and Sweden–Finland took place in stages during a several centuries long process. The Sámi were Christianized in a similar way in both Norway and Sweden–Finland. Background - Christianity ...

. Adjusting to the law, who outlawed non Christian religion, she regularly attended church in Arvidsjaur, and presented as Christian in the presence of the Christian Swedish authorities. In private and in the presence of other Samis, she practiced the Sami religion. She had a

Sieidi Sieidis ( sme, sieidi, fi, seita, sv, sejte, russian: сейд) are Sami cultural items, usually a rock with unusual shape. Sieidis are found in nature in certain sacred places, for example at the sea or river beaches or on the mountain. The word ...

at the Akkanålke mountain, as well as sacrificial stone in the Mausjaur lake. She was active as a noaidi, and as such used a

Sámi drum A Sámi drum is a shamanic ceremonial drum used by the Sámi people of Northern Europe. Sámi ceremonial drums have two main variations, both oval-shaped: a bowl drum in which the drumhead is strapped over a burl, and a frame drum in which the dr ...

. It has traditionally often been claimed that only men could become noaidi and use the drum, but several women are in fact noted to have done so, the most famous being Rijkuo-Maja of Arvidsjaur as well as Anna Greta Matsdotter of Vapsten, known as Silbo-gåmmoe or Gammel-Silba, were both noted to have done so.Lundmark, Bo, 'Rijkuo-Maja and Silbo-Gåmmoe - towards the question of female shamanism in the saami area', Saami religion / edited by Tore Ahlbäck., s. 58169, 1987 To acquire fishing luck for herself and her spouse, she reportedly sacrificed fish of the kind she wished to acquire on her sacrificial stone at Masjaur Lake. On a famous occasion during a time of drought, she allegedly successfully summoned

rain Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...

by performing a magic ritual. She was old at the time, and asked to be lead out to her sacrificial stone in the Mausjaur lake in ceremonial robe; after reaching the stone, she struck the water with a staff made of

brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...

in prayer to the rain- and thunder god

Horagalles In Sami shamanism, Horagalles, also written Hora Galles and Thora Galles and often equated with Tiermes or ''Aijeke'' (i.e. "grandfather or great grandfather"), is the thunder god. He is depicted as a wooden figure with a nail in the head and wit ...

, and according to legend, caused the rain to fall.

Folklore and legend

Rika Maja is the subject of many legends. When she died in 1757, she asked to be given a Pagan funeral on the mountain. Instead, her family gave her a Christian burial on the Arvidsjaur churchyard. After the burial, all of her thousands of reindeers, according to the legend, suddenly stormed toward the sea and did not stop until they were all drowned. In accordance to the legend, she buried a treasure of coins somewhere in the Akkanålke mountain.

References

* * Lennart Öhman: "Arvidsjaurs kyrka 100 år" * Rika Maja och Akkanålke., 2001 * Ohring, Alfr., 'Arvidsjaur: några bilder från förr och nu', Vår nordliga hembygd / utgiven till skolornas tjänst av Nils Ramselius., s. 1164, 1920 {{DEFAULTSORT:Maja, Rika 1661 births 1757 deaths Swedish Sámi shamans 17th-century Swedish businesswomen 18th-century Swedish businesswomen People in Sámi history

Life

Folklore and legend

See also

References