Hanna Mattila
Hanna Mattila. Photo: Private.

My name is Hanna Mattila and I’m 33 years old literary scholar. I was born in Southern Finland, but have my roots in Finnish side of Sápmi.  Currently I am living and working in Kautokeino, the heart of Sámi community. I work as Ph.D fellow in Sámi literary in Sámi University of Applied Sciences and the University of Tampere. I am very happy of this unique opportunity to stay at Lásságámmi for entire October.

In my ongoing dissertation project, I study poetry of Nils-Aslak Valkeapää. The study material consist all his poetry books. I am particularly interested in the manifold ways in which Valkeapää delineates the delicate relationship between human and nature in his poems. The artistic proses described in his poems, especially the role of poet in between natural beauty and artistic outcome also fascinates me. The theoretical framework of my study comes from indigenous methodologies, ecocriticism and poetry studies.

While at Lásságámmi, I predominately work with my dissertation study. I am convinced that the surrounding nature, beloved by Valkeapää, will inspire me in my writing. I hope the stay in Lásságámmi will give me better understanding of Valkeapää’s poetry and the things dear to him; nature, birds, reindeer and our people.