The making of Rájás was both a personal and ethical struggle to me. I carry many sorrows due to the consequences of the forced assimilation policy towards my people, towards my family. But I have also inherited a great strength, a will to be here, and a gratitude for what I have. That was important for me to convey. 

Kajsa in front of the old Grensen boarding school.  Sámi boarding schools, or residential schools, were state-run institutions in Norway designed to assimilate Sámi children by removing them from their homes, culture, and language.

It became so much more than just a Christmas concert. It is about representation, language, traditions and belonging. I don´t think my grandparents could ever have imagined this happening. So I am grateful that my own children now get to grow up and experience this exact period in time.

Kajsa Balto together with KORK (The national radio orchestra) and special guests Moddi, Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska and Georg Buljo in the Oslo Opera House for the first ever Sámi Christmas concert in a grand concert hall. Produced by Jakop Janssønn / NRK.