 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2021) |
| Eurovision Song Contest 1980 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country |  Norway | |||
| National selection | ||||
| Selection process | Melodi Grand Prix 1980 | |||
| Selection date(s) | 22 March 1980 | |||
| Selected entrant | Sverre Kjelsberg and Mattis Hætta | |||
| Selected song | "Sámiid ædnan" | |||
| Selected songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Finals performance | ||||
| Final result | 16th, 15 points | |||
| Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest | ||||
| ||||
Norway was represented by Sverre Kjelsberg and Mattis Hætta, with the song "Sámiid ædnan", at the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 19 April in The Hague. "Sámiid ædnan" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 22 March and remains one of the best-remembered Norwegian entries, particularly in Norway itself.
The song’s chorus, consisting of traditional Sami yoik song, was first performed publicly by Mattis Hætta and was broadcast on NRK in October 1979, in connection with the hunger strike song by Sami activists in front of the Norwegian parliament building in connection with the Alta controversy.[1] The verse of the song also refers to this with the line "framførr tinget der dem satt, hørtes joiken dag og natt" (in front of the parliament where they sat, the yoik was heard day and night). Only Kjelsberg was credited as composer of the entry, although Hætta wrote the chorus.