|
|
 |
Småland’s forest
The forest and the people of Småland
Mighty, soughing forest. Sometimes sweet like the beech forest
with its delicate foliage and shimmering light-green days, but more
often deep and dark Bauer forest with mystical troll shapes hiding
behind every tree trunk, and maybe Princess Tuvstarr by a treacherous
mere.
Many a famous Smålander has earned a living telling tales and stories.
Småland’s soil has given birth to artists and authors who have left
their eternal mark on its history. They have all called on a rich
source of myths, stories and legends – the gift of imagination is
closely linked to fantastical wights, “glosoar” (dialect word), wood
sirens, dragons, wyverns, will o’ the wisps, water sprites… anything
found in the forest. Woden himself is said to be a frequent guest
with the ravens Hugin and Mumin, the souls of the wood, close behind.
And Döderhultaren, he understood that the Smålander was wooden to the
core.
The trees, everyone’s livelihood
The forest is the heart of Småland. Småland’s history has its
roots here, in the poor and barren Emigration District. The forest
was known as “fattigmans tröja” (the poor man’s jumper) and the
shrewd Smålander’s saviour in need. Not only did the trees fire the
imagination, they provided everything needed for an extra income:
wood for houses and furniture, coal potash, tar and wax. Loyal horses
and men transported timber and iron in the forest and stacked coal —
day work to pay for scanty crofts and often empty patches of arable
land. A reality we know through the eyes of, among others, Vilhelm
Moberg and Astrid Lindgren.
Never at a loss
All the farmers in Småland made their own iron for everyday needs
as far back as the Middle Ages. Large-scale iron industry grew up on
the clearings and small meadows during the 17th century. Iron was
produced from bog ore with charcoal. The Smålanders were good at
fishing bog ore through holes in the ice in winter. This was a
laborious job. When the iron industry was killed off by the richer
and more efficient rock ore trade, the Smålander was left with empty
hands once more. Well, a Smålander may be short of bread but never on
ideas.
The cradle of glass
In the tracks of the churches, never far apart in these dark
forests full of superstition, craftsmen from Europe, skilled in the
art of glass, built churches and monasteries in the 16th century -
maybe one or two of them remained in Småland. When trade became
busier and old markets became towns where the middle classes and
gentlemen demanded luxurious objects, glass production sprouted where
the old ironworks had been, as did papermills and timber industry.
The Smålanders’ indomitable will to survive had found a way out yet
again.
"Svensson" left for America
Peace, vaccine and Ahlströmer’s potatoes led to massive population
growth, and prosperity among ordinary people, but the terrible years
of famine, which we glimpse in Vilhelm Moberg’s world-famous
emigration novels, brought failed harvests, poverty and starvation.
Mass emigration started in the mid-19th century. Over a period of 80
years, 1.2 million people, approx ¼ of Sweden’s population, emigrated.
Of these, 200,000 came from the barren landscape of Småland where the
forest was no longer enough. There were of course also religious
reasons for the emigration. Free-Churchism and orthodox beliefs
became increasingly difficult at home. Gold fever was another factor.
Armed with the publication “På tur i Vilhelm Mobergs utvandrarbygd”
(A Tour of Vilhelm Moberg’s Emigration District), we can travel back
in time on a fabulous tour and relive emigration history.
Utvandrarhuset (The House of Emigrants) in Växjö is further proof
that Smålanders never give up.
The forest, a rich livelihood
To this day, Smålanders base much of their economy on the timber
industry. But then they do have one of Sweden’s most heavily forested
landscapes — approximately 75% is forest. The forest does not always
result in wood products. Småland is probably still best known for
beautiful glass (Kosta-Boda, Orrefors, Johansfors, Åfors, Skruf, etc),
with the wood and furniture industry hard on its heels (it is no
accident that Ingvar Kamprad’s first IKEA store is located here).
A matter close to Småland’s heart
The forest gives so much. Winding trails for walks, outdoor life,
berry and chanterelle picking, etc. And there is something special
about wood! A living material that is soft, smells nice and can be
used for so much. A piece of sallow becomes a pipe in the spring,
sticks for a barbecue, planks to make roofs over our heads and
furniture in our homes. Thoughts like these make it is easy to
understand Småland’s predilection for the forest. The forest is the
heart and lifeblood of this landscape. Its living history and present
day lie before you with a wealth of experiences. Pick the
opportunities that appeal most to you.
WELCOME TO SMÅLAND AND THE EMIGRATION
DISTRICT!
|
|
