The spell tradition still lives on

On top of the couch, there are brass soundes that are played with a soft staple. — In northern Central Finland, the aim is to bring the mystique of the bog and other nature to tourism.

Seven municipalities in North Central Finland have brought together tourism entrepreneurs and shamans to promote local nature tourism.

The villa on the shore of Lake Kivijärvi in Kannonkoski is full of the county’s tourist population. They want to promote local tourism.

There are numerous small entrepreneurs in northern central Finland who are familiar with shamanism, witchcraft and drum culture. A dozen of them have joined in a joint tourism marketing effort.

According to Erkkilä, the large number of wise men in the area may be partly due to the fact that the region was inhabited by Lappish people in the Middle Ages, in addition to the Himalayans. There are also many sacred places in the area.

According to Erkkilä, shamanism is largely related to nature. Traditions have shifted from generations to generation.

Erkkilä is one of the most famous spells in the area. She learned spells as a little girl from her grandma.

– I played on the ground floor of the cottage and listened as my grandmother talked to her friends, acquaintances and passers -by in the house.

There is a strong and diverse spell in northern Central Finland. According to Erkkilä, it was easy for the uninteresting people to come to mind as poetry.

Erkkilä is familiar with the history of the area and secured the accuracy of his grandmother’s stories.

In the past years, Erkkilä visited the buses by bus to listen to spells. Today, he only makes story gigs on a special request.

There are dozens of spells for different situations. Curses are still a matter of separate matter.

– Sauna deprivation is largely related to improvement. Then there are hunting spells, spells bringing fishing luck, spells that expel snakes, and the figures, says Erkkilä.

Swamp, sauna and storms

In Finland, there are many traditional stories and mysticism in Finland.

-We are the southernmost wilderness area in Finland and there is a lot of Finnish. We have started to commercialize it and the mysticism associated with tourism.

Marja Suominen listens to her hand on the cheek. — Marja Suominen, Löytöläntytär from Kinnula, has been in Erkkilä’s magic circle. Among other things, she offers storytelling nature tours and yoga, as well as ceremonial baths for tourists.

In the EU-funded project, the witchcraft, healers and spells of the region have been the tourist asset.

– It’s a bit different in tourism. There is no big tourism company in the area that would bring tourist flow, but we have small, personal entrepreneurs, says Leppilahti.

Central Finnish tourism entrepreneurs and tourism project workers. — Tourism entrepreneurs in North Central Finland are not worried about losing credibility by marketing together with shamanistic small entrepreneurs.

For example, he has used a spell at corporate sauna nights as an ancillary service.

– These stories and personalities sit great in tourism because we stand out. Mires, saunas and stoors are our own stuff that can be found here.

Tourism for a change – the new wind of tourism

A new trend is landing in Finland: change tourism.

Dry wood rushes from frozen lake. Young birch trees are growing on the beach. The opposite is a distant forest. — In North Central Finland, transformational tourism is also combined with regenerative tourism. It involves the tourist doing something for nature to leave the place in a better state than it was before he or she arrived.

According to Kokkarinen, Finland has excellent opportunities to get international customers for change tourism with unique nature and diverse small entrepreneurs.

According to trend surveys, tourists are looking for meaning and local encounters.

For example, nature yoga and forest baths are the sought after change tourism.

– We have unused potential to not only want to escape normal everyday life, but to develop as a person and experience travel that meets our own values \u200b\u200bworld.