The day before;

It was a good feeling to meet the Worlddrum and Birger Mikkelsen in Narvik, when they arrived with bus from Fauske. After a long journey It was finally here.

6 miles left and the Worlddrum has arrived Gratangen.
We were blessed with 4 eagles on our path.
High, high up on the sky....they soared and wished us welcome.

In the clear light of the sun, a sparkling cold landscape manifested itself before us:
it was winter in all its splendour.
My first meeting with the Worlddrum was here, and with great sense of
humbleness it sent me back through time.
A fantastic experience which put deep impressions in me,
and gave me faith in that my own process, that they were mine and important.

The Sami national day was here, 6th of February and the clock was nearing 5pm.
The hours was long before the ceremony.
The people started arriving to the large wooden lavvo (sami teepee)
belonging to Hålogaland Sami Community.
Participants from Gratangen, Narvik, Skånland, Tromsø,
Evenes and Harstad gathered around the fire.
So many different people, with different views on the accept that Hålogaland Sami Community has given to the Worlddrum project.

Just after 5pm we wished everybody welcome and i held a speech
on why HSC has involved in the project.
Whitecougar held an appeal about what the Worlddrums
mission on its path around the world is

Then the ceremony could start. Without contemplating on it,
I started beating in a slow and strong pace, circled the fire letting everyone see...
After som time I heard low drumming from another drum and felt a strong urge to
let the drum "travel" in the circle. With pride I passed it on .
The rythm that was made was beautifull.
The atmosphere made in the light of the fire was so endlessly warm...and magic.
Finally the drum was on its journey between the participants.

More drums are joyning...
And together they are creating a force that you could touch and feel.
The sound of 9 drums and the Worlddrum lifted our minds.
It became a concert to honour Mother Earth.
Beautiful.

So many got to touch the Worlddrum, so many was touched by it

The ceremony lasted about 40 minutes.
From time to time I withdrew and just observed the good atmosphere being created.
Persons from 8 years and well above 70 got to drum.
It was a powerfull ceremony.
You could hear different sounds and joik (Sami chanting) .....
as in a dream far, far away.

The sounds faded away...
And the Worlddrum once again returned in my hands.
With a controlled beat I completed my drumming,
and gravely handed over the World Drum in the hope that
I and my colleagues in the HSC had succeeded in focussing public attention -
both locally and globally - on the urgent need to protect the environment.
And a wish that i´ve been a worthy ceremonialkeeper.

The smell of burning birch is our greeting to those who are
hosting the Worlddrum after us.

The night didn´t end. For hours the celebration og the Sami national
day kept on and left us with a feeling of gratefullness,
a gratefullness for being hosts for the Worlddrum on such an important day.

The Northern light, the starfilled sky,
the quiet and 23 degrees celcius below sent us thanks.

We wish all good for the Worlddrumproject;
May it have a journey filled with engagement.

Gratangen february 2007
Liv Slettli

Download Verdenstrommeintervju på p1 (norwegian) (mp3)
Verdenstromma pa NRK Troms (norwegia) (wav)

Would you like to see all the pictures from the ceremony? Click here