Let the River Flow: An Eco-Indigenous Uprising and Its Legacies in Art and Politics
The People's Action against the Nordic Áltá-Guovdageaidnu Waterway (c. 1978-82) radically shook the course of history in the region. Its call to "let the river live" clamored against the construction of a large dam across the Alltáeatnu river in Norway. The action grew to an unexpectedly broad movement of solidarity across civil society—Sámi and Norwegian, as well as Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples internationally—in which Sámi artists played a pivotal role.
Let the River Flow takes this eco-Indigenous rebellion, the first in Europe and inspirational worldwide, to reflect on events at the time and their correlations with international artists' eco actions today. It is conceived as a reader, and addresses innovations in political organizing, new influences of Indigenous thinking on contemporary politics and the centrality of artists within the constellation of these activities. It also considers other Indigenous artists' protests that happened in parallel to the actions mentioned.
Contributors include Sebastián Calfuqueo Aliste, Matti Aikio, Ivar Bjørklund, Mari Boine, Daniela Catrileo, Carolina Caycedo, Raven Chacon, Eva Maria Fjellheim, Katya García-Antón, Harald Gaski, Gunvor Guttorm, Aslak Holmberg, Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Sofia Jannok, Rauna Kuokkanen, Wanda Nanibush, Beaska Niillas, Synnøve Persen, Katarina Pirak Sikku, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Niillas A. Somby, Paulus Utsi, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, and Magne Varsi
Edited by Katya García-Antón, Harald Gaski and Gunvor Guttorm
Designed by Hans Gbraken
Published by Valiz with Office for Contemporary Art Norway (OCA), 2020
Softcover, 240 pages, full color, 9.2 × 6.4 inches
ISBN: 978-9-49-209579-4