Olaus Matthiae Lappo-Sirma (Ca. 1655, probably in
Soađegilli - 1719 in
Eanodat,
Finnish Lapland
Lapland ( fi, Lappi ; se, Lappi; smn, Laapi; sv, Lappland; la, Lapponia, links=no) is the largest and northernmost region of Finland. The 21 municipalities in the region cooperate in a Regional Council. Lapland borders the region of North O ...
,
Sápmi
(, smj, Sábme / Sámeednam, sma, Saepmie, sju, Sábmie, , , sjd, Са̄мь е̄ммьне, Saam' jiemm'n'e) is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. Sápmi is in Northern and Eastern Europe and includes the ...
), 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, Ru ...
priest and the first Sámi poet known by name to posteriority. His most well-known work is the poem ''Moarsi favrrot'', which
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely tran ...
alluded to in his poe
"My Lost Youth"
Education and priesthood
Olaus Sirma went to school in
Duortnus, and later attended
University of Uppsala
Uppsala University ( sv, Uppsala universitet) is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation.
The university rose to significance during ...
further south in Sweden. Sirma was one of the few Sámi students at Uppsala who did not come from the
Sámi schools of
Liksjoe or
Biŧon. Following his education, Sirma served as a priest from 1675 until his death in Eanodat. Olaus Sirma translated the catechism of
Johannes Gezelius to his native
Kemi Sámi
Kemi Sámi was a Sámi language that was originally spoken in the southernmost district of Finnish Lapland as far south as the Sámi siidas around Kuusamo.
A complex of local variants which had a distinct identity from other Sámi dialects, bu ...
, a now extinct
Sámi language
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 ...
. He applied to have it printed in 1688 and in 1716, but did not receive funds. The book was printed only in 1913.
Poetry
In addition to his ecclesiastical work, Sirma served as a source for
Johannes Schefferus when the latter wrote his book
''Lapponia'' (1673). Among Sirmas many contributions were the lyrics to two
joik
A joik or yoik (anglicised, where the latter spelling in English conforms with the pronunciation; also named , , , or in the Sámi languages) is a traditional form of song in Sámi music performed by the Sámi people of Sapmi in Northern Europ ...
s. These two joiks, which were love poems, were translated to Latin in ''Lapponia'', and later spread as Schefferus' book was translated into other languages. A line from one of these joiks, ''Moarsi favrrot'' ("My beautiful girlfriend"), also known as ''Oarrejávri'' ("Squirrel Lake"), was alluded to and quoted by Longfellow in his poem "My Lost youth" (1855).
In the following is the original, a translation to English, and Longfellow's poem, with the quoted passage in italics.
[The Sámi word ''miella'' is not entirely translatable, as it can mean both "mood", "mind", "wanting", "point of view" etc. It is rendered as "mood" in the translation below, but "will" by Longfellow.]
See also
*
Kemi Sámi language. The article reproduces Sirma's two joik lyrics in full.
*
Lapponia, the book by
Johannes Schefferus.
*
Sámi school (Sweden) Sámi schools, which were referred to as ''Nomad schools'' or ''Lapp schools'' before 1977, are a type of school in Sweden that runs parallel to the standard primary school system. Sámi schools are part of the Swedish public school system, and as ...
for more information about the school system where Sirma got his education.
*
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely tran ...
Notes
References
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sirma, Olaus
1650s births
1719 deaths
Year of birth uncertain
Sámi-language poets
17th-century Swedish Lutheran priests
18th-century Swedish Lutheran priests
Finnish priests
Uppsala University alumni