The first settlers, Taneli Tanelinpoika and Kirsti Juhontytär, built the house of Äkäslompolo on the shore of the remote fell lake in 1748. Over the generations, more pairs of hard-working hands arrived: houses were built, fields were cleared—the preconditions for life were established. From one house in the outback, sprang the village of Äkäslompolo, living its own life far from the clamour of the big world.
This book is a window into that past world. Remarkable old photographs tell the unique story of the village up to the mid 1970’s. Contemporary memories weave their colourful strands into the story. At the same time, the book is a vivid description of the era’s daily chores in Finland. Come with us and ride the river of time in Äkäslompolo, the graceful little village amidst the fells of Lapland!