Born: not long after the war in Buolbmat, Eastern Finnmark as oldest son of a nomadic reindeer herding family

Sámi mother tongue speaker

went to Norwegian internat schools in Vestertana, Buolbmat, Sirbma and Karasjok

trained as reindeer herder

lived for two years in various towns in Sweden

went to the photographic school in Oslo

became one of the leading activists at the Alta conflict in 1978-1982

lost left arm and eye after a failed symbolic dynamite attack on a bridge intended to save the Alta river and Sámi reindeer grounds from a hydroelectric dam

fled to Canada in 1982, got political asylum and spiritual education by First nations in British Columbia

came back two years later to Sápmi to become a journalist and writer; co-founded first weekly Sámi newspaper Sámi Aigi

co-founder and leader of the Sámi Dáiddárráddi / Sámi Artist Council since the beginning of the nineties until June 2004

was chair and board member of several Sámi cultural organisations



makes video films, writes, yoiks, photographs, takes the floor in public debates on Sámi rights and culture, active with various cultural projects and spiritual activities

lives and works in Tana, Eastern Finnmark

Photographs are published amongst others in the following books:
- Nils Aslak Valkeapää, Greetings from Sápmi
- Elina Helander and Kaarina Kalio eds. (1998), No Beginning-No End, Circumpolar research Series Nr. 5, published in co-operation with the Nordic Sámi Institute, Finland
- Finnmarksbilder, ed. Aschehaug 1980, Norway

Book Publications:
- Mu fearanat gopmiguin, ed. Davvi Girji, Norway
- Jávvasan goathesajit, ed. Davvi Girji, Norway
-Vaikko Leš Fális Fellen/ When the Whale Ran Aground, ed. Govadas 1996,Norway; English-Sámi bilingual Children book, also filmed on video.
- Skálveáddjá/Driftman, ed. Davvi Girji 2002, Norway; English-Sámi bilingual Children book

Video films: