Family
Stor-Nila (Nils Nilsson Njajta, 1822-1899) and Lill-Docka (Maria Larsdotter, 1822-1899) were reindeer herders in Ran Sami village. They had a reindeer herd from which they lived well, and also made a living from hunting, fishing and trapping. In Stor-Nila's family there were people who used the Sami drum, gievrie, to invoke higher powers.
The Great Nile took the life of Sven Sjulsson
In 1848, a number of reindeer herders gathered in a camp at Renberg, just outside Storuman. An argument between Stor-Nila and Sven developed into a physical fight. In the heat of the fight, Stor-Nila hit Sven Sjulsson with a ski boot. He injured Sven Sjulsson so badly that Sven Sjulsson died after eleven days. Stor-Nila was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison.
The Great Nile as a river. The Great Nile stone
Stor-Nila was a noid and used the family's old sacrificial sites at Gimtsjøen and Laisholmen. There are several stories about Stor-Nila as a noid, some about good predictions, others about bad predictions.
On one of their begging trips in Norway, Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka visited a third cousin of Stor-Nila, Anna Maria Månsdotter (1838-1923). She lived with her husband Klemet (Clemet Persson 1833-1915) under a small cave in Leirbotnet at the top of Leirskardalen. In the small cave, there were also five children and two cows.
In March 1899, Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka came to Klemethelleren. After a few days, Klemet indicated, in various ways, that the visit had lasted long enough, so when the weather cleared up a bit on March 10, 1899, Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka had to say goodbye to Klemethelleren. They were both 76 years old. They had little clothing and little food on the mountain hike over Leirbotnet towards Kjensvatnet. The food consisted of a bag with some coffee and some bread.
The weather was not the best. The couple therefore decided to seek shelter at some large rocks, which later received the name Stor-Nila steinan. Here they waited for the weather to improve. But, to no avail. Both of them died at Stor-Nila steinan. They were found on June 17, 1899. Today, a separate information sign has been set up at the hiking trail between Leirbotn and Kjennsvatnet, showing where Stor-Nila steinan is located.
Stor-Nila and Lill-Dokka's funeral
On June 18, 1899, the villagers in Leirskardalen brought the bodies of Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka down from the Stor-Nila rock. The villagers were Hans Nilsen, Nils Andersen and Jens Jacobsen all from Meland, Gulle Hansen and Peder Jakobsen both from Leirskar, Petter Larsen from Fjelldal and Endre Nilsen from Finbak. Klemet Persson also participated in the transport.
Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka were buried at Korgen Lower Cemetery on June 20, 1899. There is no gravestone showing where they lie, but it is supposed to be in the same area where Klemte's gravestone still stands.
The funeral of Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka cost the poor relief organization in Korgen 166,96 kroner. The amount was repaid to Hemnes municipality in 2008. It was a distant relative of Stor-Nila, Arvid Nilsson and his family who repaid the money. Arvid Nilsson had been haunted by Stor-Nila for many years and would not rest until the funeral expenses were repaid.
Sources:
- Poor as they were, Birger Ekerlid, 2007
- I gränslandet, Berättelsen om Klemet och Stor-Nila, Karl Andersson, 2015
- Note on Stor-Nila and Lill-Docka, Birger Ekerlid/Dag Brygfjell, 2022
- Video, Okstindan Stor-Nila steinan, Birger Ekerlid/Dag Brygfjell, 2022
