Lars Levi Sunna: Crafting a Sámi Presence in the Swedish State Church

• Published in: Temenos - Nordic Journal of Comparative Religion
• Main Author: Thomas A. DuBois
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Finnish Society for the Study of Religion 2013
• Subjects: Religion (General); BL1-50; Kiruna
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.33356/temenos.7508; https://doaj.org/article/bbe5b93c3e5745288389d7102367ffef

The article explores the intertwined religious and artistic viewpoints of contemporary Sámi artist Lars Levi Sunna of Kiruna, Sweden. Sunna self-consciously situates his artwork within a personal and familial history that centers around traditional Sámi livelihoods and the practice of handicraft (duodji). Through his duodji-inspired picto- rial art and art installations, Sunna chronicles a personal exploration that involved learning about his people’s pre-Christian religious traditions and consciously making a place for them within his life and work, while maintaining his identity as a Laestadian Christian. Keywords: Sámi, handicraft, duodji, Laestadianism, Lars Levi Sunna, shamanism