The Reindeer`s Heart - New Ice Art Easter 2025
- snowhotelkirkenes
- Apr 23
- 2 min read
Updated: May 6
Amulets in silver and other metals are traditionally considered to bring good luck and protect against evil. The symbols are about identity, spirituality, and survival.
The jewelry has its roots in the Middle Ages and came from far away through trade, eventually becoming part of local use. A christening child is often given a šiella, a silver komsekule (rattle ball), as protection. Silver is easy to carry, can be attached to a shawl, a traditional Sami kofta (jacket), or a belt, and was used in barter and functioned like money in the bank.The sun wheel is very old and, like many of the symbols, was also used by other Finno-Ugric peoples. In the winter sky is the constellation Sarvva, which tells the story of a legendary hunt for the great reindeer ox. Amulets were interpreted based on personal stories.The sun is our father, and the earth is our mother. The role of humans is to help maintain the connection between the sun and the earth.
See the making-of videos on Instagram:
The greatest gift is the reindeer. It is called the sun gift.
The reindeer came walking down to earth along the sun's rays so that people in the harsh landscape could survive. The Creator, Sivdnideaddjii, foresaw that people would face difficulties and resistance, and to give them courage, he placed the beating heart of a two-year-old female reindeer, Vuonjal, into the earth. She was sacrificed to give faith and hope. Whenever people feel threatened, they place their ear to the ground to listen to the heartbeat from the depths. As long as the earth is treated with care, the heart will keep beating.
The heart brooch has its origin in the Scandinavian Middle Ages.
“Jesus' heart” or “Mary’s Crown” is an old Christian symbol of love and has been given as a bridal gift for many centuries.
Ptarmigan jewelry has been found at sacrificial stones and was likely made in northern Russia for Sami customers.
The ornamentation links past and present by interpreting traditional Sami silver amulets in a large format using a new artistic material: ice.
The fleeting nature of ice and its eternal cycle from ice to water to steam also symbolizes the journey of the amulets through the centuries.
The stories have adapted to their surroundings over generations—but what wisdom and knowledge can we take with us today?The great eternal story we perhaps need to listen to is about humanity’s connection and dependency on nature. It’s about not leaving a trace, not taking more than we need, and leaving enough for those who come after us.
– Laila Kolostyák Ice Artist from Finnmark, Norway
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