World’s First Lule Sámi–English–Māori Picturebook to Launch at NORLA in Bologna

Bodø, Norway — The Faculty of Education and Arts (FLU) at Nord University is set to make international literary history with the publication of the world’s first picturebook written in Lule Sámi, English, and Māori.

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The book will be launched on 13 April at the prestigious NORLA fair in Bologna, Italy — the largest global event for children’s and young people’s literature, attracting around 30,000 visitors annually. The launch forms part of Norway’s official guest‑of‑honour programme for 2026.

A Unique Trilingual Collaboration

FLU initiated the project with a clear motivation: to raise the visibility of Lule Sámi, strengthen both Lule Sámi and Māori through English as a bridging language, and create new Indigenous literary content that can support critical perspectives in schools and society.

The book, titled Mij le ábijn dáhpáduvvamin? — He Aha te Raru ki Tai? — What’s the Matter with the Sea?, is based on the earlier publication Ábiid plástihkat – Plasten i havet, previously released in Northern Sámi and Norwegian and written by Rita Sørly.

The trilingual edition addresses global challenges such as ocean pollution, sustainability, the climate crisis, and gender, weaving together Arctic and Pacific Indigenous worldviews. There are currently almost no children’s books combining Sámi languages with English—and none that include Lule Sámi, English, and Māori in one volume.

Designed for readers aged 9–15, the story follows two female Māori researchers traveling to Norway to investigate a stranded whale and lecture on plastic pollution. The book is expected to be used widely in classrooms and libraries in both Norway and New Zealand, as well as internationally within English education.

“Born out of a need to bridge the gap”

Co‑translator and Associate Professor Maria Nayr de Pinho Correia Ibrahim describes the project as emerging from a pedagogical necessity:

“I am thrilled to see this book finally published! This book was born out of a need to bridge the gap between curriculum demands to integrate Sámi perspectives in our teaching and my quest for picturebooks that would allow me to do just that in English language education.

This book, with its vibrant colours and multiple shades of blue, not only addresses contemporary environmental problems, as it weaves together two Indigenous cultural perspectives, but it also becomes a multilingual resource. Together with the original book, Ábiid Plástihkat/Plasten I Havet, this story exists in 5 languages, while simultaneously making visible three Indigenous languages, Lule Sámi, Northern Sámi, and Māori, alongside Norwegian, a national language, and English, an international language!

And the idea for a trilingual book was born at a French conversation class, with my dear colleague Charlotta. What a wonderful multilingual story this is! But bringing these languages together reflects a desire for greater understanding, curiosity and empathy in a world that sometimes feels cruel. I hope that in classrooms worldwide, this book builds intercultural and linguistic bridges for Indigenous and minority cultures.”

Minority language literature as a Foundation

Charlotta highlights the deep personal and societal importance of literature in minority languages:

“I’m incredibly happy that this trilingual book is now ‘born’. It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with the Sámi publisher Davvi Girji in Norway and Oratia Media in New Zealand. When the idea of a trilingual edition emerged, Nayr and I contacted the two publishers—both responded with enthusiasm and joined the project immediately.

As a “finlandssvensk”, I have personal experience with the importance of growing up with a minority language. I cannot speak on behalf of the Sámi community, but as a child, youth, and later as a teacher, I have seen how essential minority-language literature is.

For a language to survive and develop, it must be actively used. Children’s and young people’s literature, in particular, gives the language room to live and contributes to vocabulary and vitality. When children and young people can read books in their own language, it strengthens confidence, pride, and a sense of belonging. The language gains visibility, value, and status. And not least: children have the right to learn and read in their own language. This book is important in that regard.”

International significance

Dean Rose Martin sees the publication as a milestone in cross‑cultural collaboration:

“This trilingual publication is an inspiring example of how collaboration across languages, cultures, and Indigenous contexts can create new spaces for visibility, recognition, and learning. It is especially meaningful to see Lule Saami presented alongside te reo Māori and English in a way that both honours the language itself and places it within a wider international conversation. Projects like this show how academic and cultural partnerships can help strengthen Indigenous and minority languages, while also making their stories and perspectives accessible to broader audiences.”

A resource for global classrooms

Nord universitet and the Centre for Sámi and Indigenous Studies are responsible for protecting and strengthening South and Lule Sámi language and culture.

“The book is a concrete example of how the Lule Sámi language is brought forward in a trilingual international context. In this way, Lule Sámi gains a ‘new’ visibility internationally and shows that the language has a natural place in global cultural expressions. This makes us very pleased,” says Centre Director Tove Mentsen Ness.

The book is expected to reach far beyond Norway and New Zealand. With its multilingual content and cross‑Indigenous narrative, educators anticipate it will be used internationally as a tool for:

• strengthening minority and Indigenous languages
• enriching English‑language education
• supporting decolonising approaches in schools
• building intercultural understanding among young readers

As the world gathers in Bologna to celebrate children’s literature, Nord University’s pioneering trilingual project is set to draw significant attention — not only for its artistic merit, but also for its role in strengthening Indigenous visibility on the world stage.