Visual art students from Lapland UAS packed their cameras, pencils and notebooks last week and started their storytelling trip along Northern Lights route. The aim was to research different areas and stories along the route and collect inspirations and get ideas for stories.
Students made visual notes what they saw and heard at the same time when they got possible to experience a beauty of autumn nature. Sun was shining from the blue sky. For the most of the student this was first time in real Lapland and that’s why rural wilderness area and stories impressed them.
There were lots of stories they found about: traditional fishing (lippoaminen), preparation for visit of emperor Aleksanteri II in Aavasaksa Hill, Maupertius geophysical measurements, joppaus (smuggling), what is a story behind of “Lapland hell” Pakasaivo. Interesting stories rose up about Laestadius, how Laestadius led La Recherche expedition group and who was he besides a priest. Students got taste of history in Järämä, a fortified position from the Second World War, stories about Näkki and Stállus and other mythological creatures. They also learned about livelihood in the areas by Northern Lights route and stories of people.
Students made plenty of visual notes and later those ideas will be illustration stories from their perspectives to OurStories collection.
Experience route was crossing over the border and combined all three counties Finland, Sweden and Norway:
- Tornio
- Kukkolankoski (Kukkola rapid)
- Aavasaksa Hill
- Crossing the Polar Circle in Sweden
- Pello
- The place where Tornio river and Muonio river finds their own way
- Pello
- Kolari Pakasaivo
- Äkäsjokisuu
- Muonio and one of a rapid, the view, what François-Auguste Biard also has painted in his days
- Cottage of Laestadiuksen Karesuando
- Järämä (Sturmbock-Sellung)
- Saana and Paras fjelds in Kilpisjärvi
- Skibotn/Norway, experience of Arctic Ocean and mountains
- Pallas fjeld
- Pajala, home of Laestadiux
- Tornio
