Kerttu Vuolab
Kerttu Maarit Kirsti Vuolab (May 1, 1951 Utsjoki, Finland) is a Finnish Sámi author, illustrator, translator and songwriter, who has made it her life mission to ensure that the Sámi oral tradition, language and culture are passed on to future generations of Sámi through multiple media types. Her works have been translated into other Sámi languages such as Inari and Skolt Sámi as well as non-Sámi languages such as Swedish, Finnish, and English.
Also recorded as Kerttu Maarit Kirsti Vuolab
Kerttu Vuolab

Sámediggi Sametinget · Tre vinnere av Gollegiella prisen (Foto Anne Britt K. Hætta) · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Kerttu Vuolab
- Born
- 1 May 1951
- Birthplace
- Utsjoki, Finland
- Occupation
- Author, illustrator, translator, songwriter
- Awards
- * First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland (2006)
- Nationality
- Finland
- Honours
- Gollegiella · First Class Medal of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
- Languages
- Finnish · Sámi
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Kerttu Vuolab. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q4350482 · wikipedia · Kerttu Vuolab
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Kerttu Vuolab • Born — 1 May 1951 • Birthplace — Utsjoki, Finland • Language — Northern Sámi • Occupation — Author, illustrator, translator, songwriter • Awards — * First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland (2006) • Gollegiella (2014)
Early life
Early life
Kerttu Vuolab was born on May 1, 1951, in the village of Outakoski to Nils Ola Vuolab and Kristiina Kitti. She grew up on the Finnish side of the border in the Teno River Valley where she still lives today.
Anthologies
Anthologies
• Cafe Boddu 2: Essayčoakkáldat (1995) • Kukapa se sinäkin olet?/ Giibat don leat? Artikkelikokoelma (2000) • Juoga mii geasuha. Sámi Girječálliid searvvi antologiija (2001) • Whispering Treasures: an anthology (2012)
Videos
Videos
• Selma Lagerlöf: Lottežan Niillasa mátkkit 1-2: Ruoktoháldi: Luođu čuotnjágat (1999) (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils) • Selma Lagerlöf: Lottežan Niillasa mátkkit 3-4: Smirre-rieban: Oarri čivggat (1999) (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils) • Selma Lagerlöf: Lottežan Niillasa mátkkit 5-6: Vittskövle ladni: Luođu čuotnjágiid gilvvut (1999) (The Wonderful Adventures of Nils) • Tove Jansson: Mo son de geavvá? (1993)
Translations
Translations
Vuolab has also translated the following song's words for Eero Magga: • Idjastállu (together with Siiri Miettinen. Translation of Tapio Rautavaara’s Sininen Uni)
Books, pamphlets and articles
Books, pamphlets and articles
• Golbma skihpáračča (1979, republished in 1989, with translations into Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi also in 1989) • Ánde ja Risten jagi fárus (1990) • Sámegiella, skuvlagiella. Saamenkieli, koulukieli (1990) • Snellman. Puhu omaa kieltäsi lapsellesi/ Hála mánnásat iezat eatnigiela (1993) • Čeppári čáráhus (1994: a novel for young adults) • Čomisteaddjit (2005: written together with Sverre Porsanger) • Sámi – Saamelaiset – Les sames (2007) • Bárbmoáirras (2008)
Books
Books
• Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Bás prinssaš (1981) (The Little Prince) • Tove Jansson: Mo son de geavvá? (2000) (The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My) • Iraida Vinogradova: Buhtes gáldut: diktacoakkáldat = Чӣллк Кāйв: Ēнн ōллма гуйкэ стиха кнӣга (2003), translated together with Leif Rantala
Audiobooks and sound recordings
Audiobooks and sound recordings
• Ánde ja Risten jagi fárus (1990) • Bárbmoáirras (2009)
Discography
Discography
Vuolab has written the words for the following songs for Mari Boine: • Eadnán bákti (To Woman, lit. the Rock of My Mother) on Gula gula (1989) • Skádja (The Reverberation) on Goaskinviellja (1993) and on Eallin (1996) • Ipmiliin hálešteapmi (Conversation With God) on Čuovgga Áirras (2009) • Čuovgga Áirras - Sterna Paradisea on Čuovgga Áirras (2009)
Awards
In 1983, Vuolab won an award from the Sami Writers' Association (SGS) recognizing her contribution to children's literature in Sámi. The same year, she won another award for the same reason from the Finnish Reading Association (FinRa). From January 1, 1994, to December 31, 1998, Vuolab served as artist laureate of the Province of Lapland. On December 6, 2006, Vuolab was awarded the First Class Knight of the White Rose of Finland. In 2011, she was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize for her novel Bárbmoáirras. In 2014, Vuolab won the pan-Nordic Sami language award Gollegiella along with Mikael Svonni and Seija Sivertsen in recognition and appreciation of her contributions to Northern Sámi literature.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Kerttu Vuolab, revision 1317153041 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Järvinen, Minna Riikka. Vuolab, Kerttu (1951 - ). Kansallisbiografia. SKS. January 15, 2010.
- 2.Taiteen edistämiskeskus (Arts Promotion Centre Finland). Saamelaiskulttuuri.
- 3.Suoma Sámediggi. Gollegiella – Davviriikkalaš sámegiela giellabálkkašupmi.
- 4.Finnish Ministry of Justice. Pohjoismainen saamen kielen palkinto Gollegiella kolmelle henkilölle. November 21, 2014.
- 5.Davvi Girji. Bárbmoáirras jietnagirji.
- 6.Davvi Girji. Buhtes gáldut : diktacoakkáldat = Чӣллк Кāйв: Ēнн ōллма гуйкэ стиха кнӣга.
- 7.Kirjastot.fi. Skadja (Gjenklangen). Fono.fi: äänitietokanta.
- 8.Kirjastot.fi. Skadja (Reverberation, The). Fono.fi: äänitietokanta.
- 9.Kirjastot.fi. Idjastallu (= Sininen uni). Fono.fi: äänitietokanta.
Bibliography printed in the source article · 2
- Helander. No Beginning, No End: The Sami Speak Up. Canadian Circumpolar Institute. 5. 103–110. 1998. 1-896445-09-8.
- Hirvonen, Vuokko. Saamenmaan ääniä: saamelaisen naisen tie kirjailijaksi - Sámeeatnama jienat: sápmelaš nissona bálggis girječállin. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. 725. 1999. 951-746-087-2.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 21 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Books
39,529 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Kersti BergrothAuthor
- Kersti MerilaasAuthor
- Kerstin HedAuthor
- Kerstin NorborgAuthor
- Keshav DasAuthor
- Keshav MalikAuthor
- Keshav PanditAuthor
- Keston SutherlandAuthor
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Kerttu Vuolab?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.