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Photo: Lasse Stenman
“The fairies live in the Tornio Valley!” wrote the poets in the 1700s. It was the scientist De Maupertuis who, after his exciting expedition, told the French court about the fairies and other magic creatures he had encountered in the so-exotic Tornio Valley.
In particular, in the areas surrounding hill Aavasaksa, Maupertuis felt that the magic creatures attempted to lure his men. Even in the night the fairies came into their dreams! “Come to me my dear – here grow all the flowers and the sweetest of the berries!”
Fairies or not, women on the eastern side of Tornio Valley have since ancient times attracted the men on the western river bank. ”Poikkinainti” as we say here in Tornio Valley, marrying a girl or lad across the river, has always been completely natural here. And necessary for survival in the Tornio Valley.
VisaNordica – The Sound of the Northern Lights Route
The stories behind the songs are written by singer/artist/landscape architect Elina Söderström and all the songs and lyrics are written by singer-songwriter/producer Esa Rautiainen, from Studio E-City, which is one of the partners in the project Our Stories. Elina and Esa are also members of the music group VisaNordica.
Our task in this project was to make songs with historical perspective. We hope You enjoy the musical journey along the Northern Lights Route with us!
Elina Söderström, Project Manager, Studio E-City ky
Kom Till Mig
Älvorna bor i Tornedalen! skrev poeterna under 1700-talet. Det var vetenskapsmannen De Maupertuis som efter sin spännande expedition berättade till det franska hovet om älvorna och andra magiska väsen som han hade mött under sin resa i den så exotiska Tornedalen.
Särskilt i trakterna kring Aavasaksa upplevde Maupertuis att de magiska väsen försökte locka till sig männen. Även mitt i natten kom älvorna in i deras drömmar! “Kom till mig min kära – här växer alla blommor och de sötaste av bär”!
Skogsnymfer eller inte men kvinnor på den östra älvstranden i Tornedalen har sedan urminnes tider lockat männen på den västra stranden. ”Poikkinainti” som vi säger i Tornedalen, att man gifter sig med någon tjej eller kille tvärs över älven, har alltid varit helt naturligt här. Och nödvändigt för överlevnaden i Tornedalen.
Country of origin: Sweden