Witness

Stitches for Sapmi: A Sami artist’s fight against climate change

The frontier of climate change as seen through the eyes of world-renowned Sami artist and activist Britta Marakatt-Labba.

Artist Britta Marakatt-Labba has been weaving the tales of the Indigenous Sami peoples’ political struggles and mythological world view into her textile work for decades.

The veteran environmental activist was arrested in 1981 for demonstrating against the construction of a dam. She now expresses her resistance through her art with just a needle and thread.

Her acclaimed work, Historja, a 24-metre-long tapestry, tells the story of the historical oppression of the Sami people and the biggest challenges they face today. Through her artwork she raises the alarm about the devastating effects of climate change upon reindeer herding and the peoples’ traditional ways of life.

Stitches for Sapmi is a film by Thomas Jackson.