Beaivváš Sámi Theatre

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Beaivváš Sámi Theatre (established in 1981 in Guovdageaidnu Kautokeino) is a Norwegian theatre that uses Sami language as their performing language. In addition, it is the only Sami language theatre in the country.

According to their website: "The aim of BST is to form and activate our own cultural sources, to inspire, renew, motivate, to broaden and to bring forward the Sami culture, as well as to create kinship and understanding between different cultures." ^[1]

Beaivváš started as an independent theatre group in 1981, but since 1991 has been supported by the Norwegian government, and since 2002 by the Sami Parliament. It has cooperated artistically and educationally with the Sámi University College, the theater college in Luleå, Music in Finnmark, the Sami Theater in Kiruna, Åarjelhsaemien Teatere in Mo i Rana and Tärnaby, along with Hålogaland Teater. In 2005, they toured Scandinavia with the production Skuolfi. In 2007, the theater is being run by manager Haukur J. Gunnarsson, employing four actors and two technicians and four administrative employees. A relocation from the Kautokeino cultural center to a new building is planned.