Being Salmon, Being Human is about wonder and madness; we combine joik (traditional song), philosophy and stories from Sami and North-American indigenous traditions. Considering the amazing lifecycle of these beautiful creatures, the piece considers what connects salmon, philosophy and traditional storytelling, and asks: what has the industry done to the fish? Using the traditional arts, we rebuild the age-old relationship between humans and salmon. The show is based on Dr Martin Lee Mueller’s book, and features Martin and the great joiker Torgeir Vassvik
The performance had its premiere at The Scottish Storytelling Centre and has toured Norway, Scotland, Canada and the US. BEING SALMON WEBSITE
SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE PERFORMANCE…
Salmon Fairytale is a powerful and courageous performance weaving together the magic and wonder of the salmoN’s migration with the brutal realities of the Norwegian salmon farming business. Georgiana and Martin’s storytelling takes us to the inside of the salmon’s world whilst Torgeir’s music (with guitar and joik) evokes its haunting ambience.
Through the unfolding story, science jostles with myth to immerse us in both the freedom of the of the open sea and the intense pain of captivity.
Never has my behaviour been more affected by a performance piece than by this. It deserves to be seen widely especially where the Atlantic salmon swims.
Malcolm Green, Storyteller, author and environmentalist
Torgeir Vassvik makes the fantastic music soundscape and intriguing flow and groove in a new art piece from Oslo. Following the amazing life cycle of wild salmon fish (which is destroyed by mankind through biomasss production at any cost). Interweaving animistic views on the world, salmon stories of indigeneous people, and poetic ecophilosophy. We are connected to the salmon and owe this intelligent animal deep respect! Babette Michel. WDR radio journalist and presenter
I was lucky enough to see Salmon Fairytale at Galgael Trust on Monday already. It was an absolutely magical evening – a weaving together of old First Nation’s stories, Sami music and environmental philosophy. Deeply moving, thought-provoking, and most of all awe-inspiring. Little did i know about the incredible creature of the salmon, nor about the shadow sides of salmon farming. Not to miss!
Olga Bloemen, Nourish Scotland
What a magical powerful inspirational evening. Thank you so much. And please thank the performers.
I’ve been completely inspired by this. So marvellous and immense use of story and the power of deep traditional music. Wow… just wow.
Red Sanderson, artist and environmentalist