Anneli Ahonen text
Mervi Hämäläinen, translation
Film director Anastasia Lapsuin's philosophy of life starts with the small things.
Lapsui moved to Finland from the Yamal Peninsula, the home of the Nenets, one of the indigenous people of Russia. The reporter and reindeer herder was suddenly put in the middle of ordinary life strange to her, a life where people were constantly drinking coffee.
– The Nenets people drink tea. I don't like coffee.
Out of respect for the native traditions of her husband, Markku Lehmuskallio, she persistently practiced drinking coffee, little by little. A mouthful a day has changed to a cupful.
Lapsul has lived in Helsinki since 1993 but she has not abandoned her roots.
– I'm not shouting from the rooftops that I'm a Nenets but whenever we have guests, I will cook reindeer. Food must be fresh. A hungry Nenets will go and hunt. Food is never stored in large quantities.
Lapsui is pleased that she is being interviewed in Russian.
– I have a feeling that often I have no voice in the Finnish media because the reporters will always turn to my Finnish speaking husband.
Together with her husband, Anastasia Lapsui has directed several films about indigenous people. After films about the lives of the Nenets and the Chukchi people, the couple has completed a new documentary, Sápmelas. This film participates in the Finnish competition and will give voice to the modern Sámi of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Russian. Lapsui has had the idea for a long time.
Liisa Holmberg and Anastasia Lapsui.
– I became interested in the subject when I noticed how different the Nenets relationship to reindeer herding is compared to the Sámi. While the modern Sámi live by the clock and separate from the reindeers, the Nenets still live by the rhythm of the reindeers.
– We say to our children in the morning: "Wake up, the reindeers are here." This is how we say good morning. In the evening, when we put the children to bed we say: "Go to sleep, the reindeers are also sleeping". We don't go to the reindeers by snowmobile, Lapsui laughs.
The productive director couple is already doing their next documentary, currently called Matka. In it, Lapsui follows one Nenets child's journey to old age and the life after death.
Link (FN pp March 2007)
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Updated 10 March 2007 19:00
