The Lásságámmi Foundation

About Lásságámmi and the foundation

Lásságámmi was Nils-Aslak Valkeapää’s own name for the house he had built on the lot he got as a fiftieth birthday present from Storfjord municipality. The lot lies on a sloping rock, and the house was intended to resemble a large turf hut – hence, the name that literally translated means “the sloping rock turf hut.” Lásságámmi is also the name of the foundation that administers the rights to his creative output. The foundation was established in 2004 and is owned by the Sámi Parliament in Norway, Storfjord municipality, the county of Troms and the University of Tromsø.

The foundation’s purpose is to administer the legacy of Nils-Aslak Valkeapää in the spirit and philosophy that comes to light in his works and publications. When Nils-Aslak died, the county of Troms and the Norwegian Ministry of Culture provided the means for the newly established foundation to buy Lásságámmi, and begin the work of turning it into a residence for researchers and artists. The foundation manages the rights to Valkeapää’s artistic production.

By allowing selected persons to live and work on their own art and research projects in Nils-Aslak’s house, the foundation wants to encourage the occupants to carry on in their professional and artistic development. The dwelling is in principle kept as Nils-Aslak Valkeapää left it. A separate committee, named by the board of the foundation, selects who will be able to live in the house for shorter or longer periods. In between these periods, the house will be open for visits by the public at specific times.

Text: Harald Gaski

Collection

After Áillohás died in 2001, the Lassagammi Foundation was established and took over his residence in Skibotn, Troms. The property was accompanied by a number of his possessions, including an extensive photo collection that contains both hard copies, negatives and slides related to the artist's life and work. Everything is registered in our collections, and if you want insight into this material you can visit the Digital Museum.

The board

The board of the foundation consists of six members. These represent the four founders of the Sami Parliament, Troms County Municipality, Storfjord Municipality and the University of Tromsø, in addition to the Sami Council and the heirs. Each member is elected for four years.

Troms og Finnmark fylkeskommune
Kirsti Lervoll (styrets leder) (vara Marita Takvannsbukt)

Storfjord kommune
Lars Einar Garden (styrets nestleder) (vara Inger Heiskel)

Sametinget
Joar Nango (vara Rawdna Carita Eira)

Universitetet i Tromsø
Lena Aarekol (vara Torjer Olsen)

Samerådet
Niko Valkeapää (vara Sámmul Valkeapää)

Arvingene
Anne Maret Labba (vara Ánde Somby)

Statutes

The Lásságámmi Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation notified to the County Governor of Troms on January 29, 2004 and created in accordance with the Foundations Act of June 15, 2001 No. 59 and its associated regulations. The foundation is based in the municipality of Storfjord.

Statutes (norwegian)

Annual reports

Each year before the end of June, the founders hold an annual meeting. Representatives for the annual meeting are the president of the Sami Parliament in Norway, the county council in the county of Troms, the mayor of the Storfjord municipality and the director of the University of Tromsø or the person (s) who authorize them.