Nils-Aslak Valkeapää , known as '' Áillohaš '' in the Northern Sami language ( 23 March 1943 – 26 November 2001 ) , was a Finnish Sami writer , musician and artist . He was born in Enontekiö in Lapland province , Finland . He lived most of his life in Käsivarsi , close to the border of Sweden , and also in Skibotn in Norway . Valkeapää was born to a family of traditional reindeer herders , but was trained as a school teacher . His most well-known international debut was when he performed at the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer , Norway . He received the Nordic Council Literature Prize for '' The Sun , My Father '' in 1991
the opening ceremony
1994 Winter Olympics opening ceremony
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää