Kirsi Paltto, chairman of the Sami jury group, which nominated Fredrik Prost’s book, says she has not come across this before.
At the same time, she thinks that in this particular case it is understandable given the book’s content.
– It is up to the author himself to decide whether a book should be translated or not. No one else should decide that, says Kirsi Paltto.
When a book is nominated, the important thing is not the language, but the content of the book. When asked why Fredrik’s book was nominated, she answers as follows:
– The book tells a previously unwritten story about Sami spirituality. It is beautifully done, with both illustrations and poems. When we in the jury group discussed the book, we thought that this book has the potential to win, says Kirsi Paltto.
“Fredrik is brave”
The illustrations in the book are made by the artist Inga Wiktoria Påve, who is married to Fredrik Prost.
Inga Ravna Eira, president of the Sami Writers’ Association, says that Fredrik Prost is brave who has made the decision not to translate the book.
– He is special in the way that he writes about a valuable heritage that belongs to us Sami. There are not many like him, it is very special in our time, says Inga Ravna Eira.
No Sami book has won the Nordic Council’s literature prize since 1991, when Nils-Aslak Valkeapää won with the book Beaivi, áhčážan. He is also the only Sami author to receive the award.
– I hope and wish that Fredrik wins. Now is the time for a Sami book to win, says Inga Ravna Eira.
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Photo: SVT