Ingá Elin Marakatt and Inga-Wiktoria Påve

With Elsa, Jovnna ja Sirkus Maximus (“Elsa, Jovnna and Circus Maximus”, not translated into English) Ingá Elin Marakatt has created a unique and engaging children’s book that combines humour, magic, and Sámi culture in a way that both entertains and enriches the reader. Through the story of two children, Elsa and Jovnna, who set off on an exciting search for a missing circus elephant calf, Marakatt conveys universal themes such as friendship, co-operation and identity, while also highlighting Sámi values and traditions.  

The book addresses themes such as identity, belonging, and curiosity about the unfamiliar. Through Elsa and Jovnna’s encounter with the circus, Marakatt shows how children can take pride in their own culture while remaining open to learning from others. The author also touches on deeper themes and historical events that are still unfamiliar to many, such as the forced relocation of Sámi reindeer herders, which left Bietedievvá uninhabited and burdened with a sense of curse.    

Marakatt writes in Northern Sámi, and the language is a central part of the book’s identity. Through vivid and expressive language, she contributes to the preservation and passing on of the Sámi language to new generations. At the same time, the book offers non-Sámi readers an opportunity to become acquainted with a rich and vibrant culture. The story weaves in key Sámi values such as respect for nature, community, and traditional knowledge. These values are presented in a way that’s relevant and accessible to children from all cultures, showing how tradition and modernity can co-exist.    

The circus in the story represents the unknown and the exciting, and Marakatt captures this perfectly through the natural magic of Elsa and Jovnna’s day-to-day lives. This contrast between the modern and the traditional gives the book a distinctive dynamism and depth. The book balances the familiar and the unfamiliar in a warm and thoughtful way. Through the accumulated experience of generations and deep local knowledge, the narrative shows how the familiar can embrace and understand the unfamiliar. In this interplay – where young and old stand together and draw on their knowledge of nature and their surroundings – lies the strength that enables them to rescue the unknown elephant calf.    

With this book, Marakatt has created a work that’s not only a literary gem but also an important cultural bridge-builder. Elsa, Jovnna ja Sirkus Maximus is a tribute to Sámi identity and tradition, while also inspiring openness and curiosity towards the unknown.    

Ingá Elin Marakatt is an author, journalist, and reindeer herder from the Swedish side of Sápmi. She made her debut in 2020 with the young adult novel Sáve Sápmi. She has written several books for children and young people.   

Inga-Wiktoria Påve’s colourful and richly detailed illustrations help bring the story vividly to life. Through warm colours, expressive characters, and atmospheric settings, she creates a visual expression that captures children’s attention. The illustrations also harmonise very well with the story’s themes and environment. They appear authentic and recognisable from a Sámi community, while also incorporating imaginative elements.    

Elsa, Jovnna ja Sirkus Maximus isn’t only a Sámi story, but also a universal one that can be read and appreciated by children across the Nordic Region. It offers valuable insight into Sámi culture while conveying messages that are relevant to all.