Fire has always been a source of warmth, light, and life—yet it is also a force capable of destruction. A small fire invites people to gather together; a large fire drives them apart.
In this webinar, Sámi literary scholar Professor Harald Gaski offers insights into Sámi language, traditions, and worldview, showing how Sámi concepts and stories reveal profound relationships between human beings and the natural world. As one of the foremost scholars of Sámi literature and culture, he demonstrates how language and the arts have played a vital role in preserving Sámi identity and self-understanding despite the lasting impacts of colonialism.
Using the Sámi word dolla ("fire") as an example, Harald Gaski illustrates how a simple element of nature becomes a place of encounter. The verb dolastallate means to gather around a fire and keep a conversation going. Inspired by this idea, the webinar invites participants to reflect on how listening, storytelling, and meaningful dialogue can foster peace, mutual understanding, and respectful relationships.
With Harald Gaski,, Professor Emeritus and honorary doctorate recipient, author, editor and Literary Scholar
Photo: Håkon Mudenia, NRK
Harald Gaski,professor emeritus and honorary doctor, is a member of the Indigenous Sámi community and is an author, editor, and literary scholar from Sápmi in Norway. He is internationally recognised as one of the leading experts on Sámi literature, culture, and Indigenous studies. His research explores Sámi oral and written traditions, aesthetics, and Indigenous knowledge systems. Gaski has published numerous books, translated Sámi literature into Norwegian and English, and has been a visiting scholar and lecturer at universities around the world. His most recent book is the trilingualVuoiŋŋalašvuohta / Sámi Spirituality / An Essay on the Sámi People’s Spiritual Connection to the Landfrom 2025.
Moderation and concept: Manuel Menrath, Program Manager Educational Events, Mission 21
Presentation and discussion in English, with German translation
