pARTir: Indigenous Drag Show to Riddu Riđđu

FINNO and FCINY (Finnish Cultural Institute in New York) are supporting the production of Indigenous Drag Excellence XXL commissioned for Riddu Riđđu Festival in Sápmi. The project brings together artists from Australia, Canada, and the Finnish side of Sápmi. 

For the first time in history, the world will have the chance to experience a drag show at a Sámi festival. Through the commissioned work Indigenous Drag Excellence XXL, the international Indigenous people’s festival Riddu Riđđu has assembled four Indigenous drag artists from different parts of the world to create a drag show for the main stage.

Drag queen Feather Talia and drag king Randy River from Winnipeg, Canada, Sámi drag king Ritni Tears from the Finnish side of Sápmi, and Māori drag queen Aunty Tamara from Australia are ready to perform on the main stage at Riddu-sletta on Saturday, July 13th, to showcase what they have been working on for the past six months.

Drag is an art form that plays with gender expression, where artists dress up in extravagant costumes and wear makeup either as drag kings or drag queens. Now, Riddu Riđđu’s audience will experience different Indigenous cultures interpreted through the art of drag.

Festival director Sajje Solbakk is proud of this year’s commissioned work:

”This is one of my biggest dreams about to come true! A unique drag show with Indigenous drag artists on the main stage at Riddu Riđđu. In little Olmmáivággi. We have gathered a real star team to give our audience an experience they will not soon forget. What a dream, and what an experience this will be”,  she says.

At this year’s festival, Riddu Riđđu has chosen to honor queer Indigenous people as this year’s Northern People at the festival. The commissioned work Indigenous Drag Excellence XXL is one of several program elements under this year’s Northern People project.

Indigenous Drag Excellence XXL is a collaboration with the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York and the Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Institute as part of the pARTir initiative funded by the EU – NextGenerationEU.

Read more on the project page.