Frode Fjellheim is awarded the Bjellesau prize for 2023

Frode Fjellheim is awarded the Bjellesau ("bell sheep") Prize for 2023

FONO says:

Frode Fjellheim has been a central and important person in the dissemination of the Sami cultural heritage through his work as a composer, producer and publisher. FONO awards the Bjellesau Prize to Frode Fjellheim primarily because of his work as a publisher in the company VUELIE (which is the South Sami word for yoik) (www.vuelie.no). Through his record company, he has released music inspired by Sami music and yoik, which has contributed to increased awareness of Sami music in many genres.

Fjellheim was born in 1959 in Mosjøen, grew up in Karasjok and currently lives in Trondheim. He is a professor of music, and is, among other things, responsible for the course: "Yoik as a starting point". He is working to safeguard Nord University's national responsibility for Southern Sami language and culture. He also teaches the subjects "Yoik and tradition renewal", and "Composing for the stage, film and TV".)