Tracing Time Through Sound in Skábma : Re-voicing Voiceless Time
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In Skábma: Snowfall, each drum strike reveals traces of past fires and hidden paths, gradually making the landscape perceptible. Progress depends on maintaining rhythm rather than speed or mastery. This design reflects a Sámi understanding of sound as a relational practice rather than an aesthetic effect (Renzi, 2025). In Sámi culture, the drum (goavddis) is considered a living being whose agency unfolds through relations with land, people, and nonhuman presences (Grini, 2023). Skábma enacts this perspective through gameplay: the drum is the primary interface shaping perception. Rhythm does not accompany action; it determines what can be seen and followed. This article examines how rhythm functions as a gameplay mechanic that trains attention and relational knowing over time, while also considering the limits of translating ritual practice into a digital medium.
DOI: 10.18261/blft.16.1.9
Author: Lisa Källström
Institution: Södertörn University
Language: English
Topic: Digital Games and Media
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7134041415