Sevettijärvi
Encyclopedia
Sevettijärvi is a village in the municipality of Inari, Finland
approximately 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) north of downtown Inari. Näätämö, as it is known on the Finnish
side of the Norwegian
border, is approximately 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) away. The village’s green, yet stark terrain opens up as Näätämö approaches.
The village is built on what used to be the sea floor during the Ice Age
. The rocky shores of the lake
s between Sevettijärvi and Näätämö draw the attention of passers-by. These shores are referred to as the “devil’s fields” by locals.
Sevettijärvi and its surrounding areas are one of the main areas where the Skolts
live. The majority of Sevettijärvi’s 350 residents, approximately 90%, are Skolt, although there are a few Finns who have moved north living in the village. A few Inari Sámi and Mountain Sámi and some foreigners (French, Dutch) also live in the area.
after the wars in 1949. Before that, a few Sámi families had been living in the area, e.g., the Aikios, Kittis, Sarris, Holmbergs, Högmans and Kaarrettis.
At the same time, a school, a health centre and a chapel were built. A merchant from Inari built a shop in the center of the village.
The first road passable by car to Sevettijärvi was built at the end of the 1960s. Prior to that, people used Bombardier
snowmobile
s, reindeer and skis to get around in winter and walked, biked or went by boat in the summertime.
dedicated to the traditions of the Skolts. In addition, it has an Orthodox church that previously served as the parish's chapel.
The fjeld Jänispää rises out of the ground approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) north of Sevettijärvi. A suspension bridge
hangs over the Näätämö River
at Lake Opukas, an approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi) hike from Sevettijärvi.
Inari, Finland
Inari is Finland's largest, sparsely populated municipality with four official languages, more than any other in the country. Its major sources of income are lumber industry and nature maintenance. With the museum Siida in the village of Inari, it is a center of Sami culture...
approximately 120 kilometres (74.6 mi) north of downtown Inari. Näätämö, as it is known on the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
side of the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
border, is approximately 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) away. The village’s green, yet stark terrain opens up as Näätämö approaches.
The village is built on what used to be the sea floor during the Ice Age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. The rocky shores of the lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s between Sevettijärvi and Näätämö draw the attention of passers-by. These shores are referred to as the “devil’s fields” by locals.
Sevettijärvi and its surrounding areas are one of the main areas where the Skolts
Skolts
The Skolt Sámi or Skolts are a visible Orthodox ethnic group in Lapland, Finland. They currently live in and around the villages of Sevettijärvi, Keväjärvi, Nellim in the municipality of Inari and also in the village of Neiden in the municipality of and Sør-Varanger, Norway...
live. The majority of Sevettijärvi’s 350 residents, approximately 90%, are Skolt, although there are a few Finns who have moved north living in the village. A few Inari Sámi and Mountain Sámi and some foreigners (French, Dutch) also live in the area.
History
Sevettijärvi was founded when a total of 51 Skolt families were evacuated there from PetsamoPechengsky District
Pechengsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located to the northwest of the Kola Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea and borders with Finland in the south and southwest and with Norway in the west, northwest, and north...
after the wars in 1949. Before that, a few Sámi families had been living in the area, e.g., the Aikios, Kittis, Sarris, Holmbergs, Högmans and Kaarrettis.
At the same time, a school, a health centre and a chapel were built. A merchant from Inari built a shop in the center of the village.
The first road passable by car to Sevettijärvi was built at the end of the 1960s. Prior to that, people used Bombardier
Bombardier Recreational Products
Bombardier Recreational Products or BRP is a Canadian company that traces its roots back to the year 1942 when Joseph-Armand Bombardier founded L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée in Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec.In 2003, Bombardier Inc...
snowmobile
Snowmobile
A snowmobile, also known in some places as a snowmachine, or sled,is a land vehicle for winter travel on snow. Designed to be operated on snow and ice, they require no road or trail. Design variations enable some machines to operate in deep snow or forests; most are used on open terrain, including...
s, reindeer and skis to get around in winter and walked, biked or went by boat in the summertime.
Sites
The village has an old Skolt cottage, which was moved to Sevettijärvi from Kirakkajärvi and currently serves as a museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
dedicated to the traditions of the Skolts. In addition, it has an Orthodox church that previously served as the parish's chapel.
The fjeld Jänispää rises out of the ground approximately 10 kilometres (6 mi) north of Sevettijärvi. A suspension bridge
Suspension bridge
A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
hangs over the Näätämö River
Näätämö River
The Näätämö River is located in Finland’s Lapland, north of Lake Inari. It flows from Lake Iijärvi in Inari and empties into Neiden Fjord on the Norwegian side of the border. The portion of the river within the Finnish border is approximately long and drops down approximately 130 m from the...
at Lake Opukas, an approximately 15 kilometres (9 mi) hike from Sevettijärvi.