At Sámi Duodji, you are well prepared, even if everything is not completely ready for the market.
- Now there is a lot of "prepping". We have two exhibitions left to set up so there is a lot to complete. Everything is not in place yet, but soon, says Johanna Njaita, Sámi Duodji's CEO.
In the middle of the market place, the large restaurant cabin is being built, which actually consists of six large tent cabins.
- People who set up the huts and take them down, people who shovel snow and everything else and people who work inside the hut, in total I think we are 65 people who work during the market days, says Roger Rimpi, owner of Samelandsresor, which runs the restaurant hut .
And you boss them around or do they fend for themselves?
- I see that everything is going well, then I go home and eat meat and listen if the phone rings. If it doesn't, then I won't go out, laughs Roger Rimpi.
Theme sustainability
The Ájtte mountain and Sami museum in the middle of Jokkmokk has many visitors during the market days, usually around 10,000. New for this year are, among other things, several loan exhibitions that are inaugurated during the market. The staff is prepared for the onslaught, says Elina Kuhmunen, who is responsible for the winter market.
- There has been a lot to do, but I feel that I have control. We have lectures and music and outside we offer coffee by a fireplace.
This year's theme is sustainability.
- We have tried to arrange lectures that fit in with the theme of sustainability, including one with Professor Gunvor Guttorm on craftsmanship and sustainability and one on Sami building maintenance, says Elina Kuhmunen.
- My expectations are that all the preparatory work has gone well and that a lot of people will come, it should preferably be minus 25, I think, that is good, says Roger Rimpi.