Kuksa

Kuksa (or _sm. guksi/guksie; _sv. kåsa), is a traditional work of Sami duodji, it is a type of drinking cup made by the Sami people of northern Scandinavia from carved birch burl.

Creating

The burl is contoured to a rough shape, carefully dried to prevent the wood from cracking, then formed in accordance with the local traditions. Originally kuksa were widely used in Arctic areas as a personal drinking cup; a well made kuksa would last a lifetime.

Modern kuksas

Today, a traditional kuksa is difficult to find outside northern scandinavia, partly because burls are seldom harvested in modern mechanized forestry. With the introduction of glass, ceramic and metal drinkingware, the skill of making such duodji artwork has become a pastime skill rather than the essential one as it was in the past.

The kuksa as a duodji artwork, has also been a target of cultural appropriation as non-Sami artists replicate the work as a souvenir item.