"Don't talk so loud about them – say nothing at school." Aila and Ristin talk about the invisible Saajvoe people from Sami mythology and get advice from their "jyöne" – uncle in South Sami – who is a municipal official in Lilluman. There, and all around, there is snow.
But on the Gavmo mountain, the ski slopes are bare. Aila and Ristin's energetic mom Maggan has to cancel the guests' "deep snow package" when their deceased grandmother, "aahka", appears in Ristin's dream. Aahka Stina gives her grandchildren a mysterious riddle and a mission: they must save the mountain.
Yeah, says Ellá Márge Nutti, who plays Ristin.
Both she and Hedvig Åhrén, who plays the role of little sister Aila, wear traditional Sami clothing during SVT's press day for this year's Christmas calendar, "Snow Dreams", the first one set in "Sápmi". All the Sami characters in the series are played by Sami actors, and skilled Sami craftsmen have also built the Gavmo family's Sami hut and tent; everything is supposed to be real.
It's really cool that we finally have a Christmas calendar and that we got to be part of it, says Ellá Márge Nutti.
"Beings"
Like Hedvig Åhrén, she uses the word "beings" for the invisible people she has learned about through Sami stories. The non-Sami director Jonas Wallerström came up with the idea during a train ride. He read Elin Anna Labba's August Prize-winning "The Lords Placed Us Here" and turned to the Sami scriptwriters Oskar Östergren Najajta and Annica Wennström.
The production also established a special "Saajvoe council" with Sami people from all over Sápmi to get it right.
All non-Sami people have been incredibly receptive! This is a way for us to say "come to our world, welcome! It's open to everyone", says Annica Wennström.
The Sami people relate to Saajvoe in different ways, she explains, but it's the secret people – or beings – that you ask for permission when you want to do things like cut down a tree or pour out water.
It's a way to show respect, says Hedvig Åhrén.
"Library"
Is it then human exploitation of nature that has put the Gavmo mountain out of balance? Jonas Wallerström talks about "a magical Christmas tale". Annica Wennström refers to deep Sami roots in nature.
The lands are so important to us, they are our libraries, our churches, our ancestors. The stones and paths have names, they are a basis for storytelling, and for how the Gavmo family connects with this mountain.
This year's Christmas calendar takes place in Sápmi and the Sami words used occasionally are taken from South Sami. The physical Christmas calendar also includes a South Sami phrasebook.
The calendar is created by Jonas Wallerström, Oskar Östergren Najajta, Annica Wennström, and Inger Scharis. The music is made by Maxida Märak and Jon Rinneby. Jonas Wallerström and Jacob Seth Fransson are responsible for the direction.
