From the beginning of the 19th century until well into the 20th century, tribes and indigenous peoples, including the Sami, got sent on tours in Europe and the United States. In traditional clothing, with the tipi and reindeer, they were exhibited in zoos for curious inquisitors. In Human Zoo, we follow a Sami family's journey from open plains to enclosed areas, which are getting increasingly narrower and narrowerr. The relationship between mother and father is bad. Grandma has started coughing a lot. The son is tormented by the spectators. And the daughter is asking the questions the parents have difficulty answering. The narrower the room outside, the clearer the conflicts between family members become.

The Sami National Theater Beaivvas is putting up Human Zoo in 2019, the premiere taking place at the National Theater in Oslo on the 4th of October.

THE ELDER WOMAN

These are new times.

New borders, other grazing land.

An era of curiosity.

THE BOY

Those were different times.

It wouldn’t have happened today.

THE GIRL

I still remember when he knocked on the door.

THE MAN

And what is it that he’s saying?

THE WOMAN

That people are curious.

They want to see how we are living up in the north.

THE MAN

We’re living like everybody else, surely.

THE WOMAN

But they want to have a look.

It’s not the first time.

He’s done it before.

THE MAN

We’re like everybody else, I’m sure.

Tell him to knock on another door.

Tell him to go away.

THE WOMAN

I said yes.

It’s been three weeks since I turned twelve.

Dad says: Tomorrow’s the day. Tomorrow you’ll come with me out on the sea. From tomorrow on, you’re a fisherman.

I don’t sleep that night. I’m listening to their breathe. And when I’m sure that everyone’s asleep, I go out and hide in the log box. There’s not a whole lot inside of it. It’s still summertime. We barely make a fire. I used to hide here when we where younger and played hide-and-seek. No one ever found me.

GIRL

Grandma says that I should pray to God, but I don’t want to –

But Dad, can you hear me?

Cause you’re much closer than God, even though I’m not sure in which mountain you’re hiding, and who’s with you, but Dad, now they’ve taken Mum, the soldiers, can’t you come back and fight them here, so they’ll let her go, Dad, can’t you come back, and be with us, then they’ll let Mum go, but Dad, do you look the same now? Will I recognize you from the photos? What are you doing now, Dad?

Where are you now?

Do you steal?

Do you shoot?

Do you kill?

Was it you that took Mum from us?

Why didn’t you take us as well?

Can somebody come and get us?

In order to ensure Norwegian sovereignty in the northernmost areas of the country, Norwegian authorities closed down rural schools and built new, larger boarding schools. Thus, at an early age Sami, Kven and Norwegian children were forced to move from their home to these schools, where they were forbidden to speak their native language. This play is based on testimonies from parents, children and teachers who were strongly affected by the Norwegian authorities' assimilation policy.

Premiered at the Norwegian Drama Festival in June 2017.

YOUNG BOY

At the front row, they put the Norwegian children, those of them with the nicest shirts and most clothes with them.

And then there are the Kven children, like our neighbors back home, eadni (*sami word for mum). They’re behind the Norwegians. And then, at the back, where I’m sitting, you find us. Us. The Fucking Laps.

That’s what he calls us, eadni.

When I can’t answer, when Biret besides me can’t answer.

His face gets all red and he screams it.

Fucking Laps, fucking Laps.

And eadni, at that point, I can’t help it, I have to laugh.

Finnmark (The northernmost county of Norway) 1944-1945. The Second World War is approaching its end. The Russians are on their way. Hitler orders the use of the Scorched Earth tactics in the North of Norway. Seven voices tell their stories from this period in time.

Premiered at the Norwegian Drama Festival in 2015.

YOUNG GIRL

Now the windows are crushed, and Mum pulls me back when I try to go into the apartment, no, no, Dad yells, get the girl away, and I make myself scarce, and I am a fly, flying away, but not entirely, and then, when they aren’t blocking the way, I fly in after them, and I see the broken glass on the floor, and the fallen bookshelves and the sofa cut in two, and the cloth coming out of it looks like moss. There is my teddy bear, there it’s lying, its body, I can’t see the head, and I fly away and I lose my wings and I fall, and I hit the floor and I smash my forehead in the soft plush. It’s sticking out, it’s sticking out of it, all that was inside is sticking out.