2007 was a historical year here in Lycksele

2007 - a year to remember!

In 1607 the old Sámi meeting-place Lyksälie became a centre of the Ume Sámi country. People who lived in the area came to the recently established church and market site a few times a year for visits to the church and the district-court. Then they also paid their taxes and seized the opportunity to barter, sell and buy commodities. A church town with cots, sheds, cottages and stables grew up on Öhn (the Isle), or Gammplatsen (the Old Site) as we call it today. The seed that made Lycksele grow into a chief town in southern Lapland had been sown!

A Historical Year, Filled with Memories In 2007 it was four hundred years since the Old Site in Lycksele became a church and market site in the Ume Sámi country - the seed that made Lycksele grow to become the centre of southern Lapland. After the solemn opening of our Jubilee Year - at the Old Site of course - with yoik, dancing, snow and fire performance, the celebretaions went on through all the seasons of the year, in various situations and moods. The jubilee could hardly be avoided by any of the residents, and a lot of guests also took part in the celebrations.

In this booklet we have gathered some of the many Jubilee memories, mainly pictures, from the festival year that has passed. Just like 1607, 2007 will certainly also become history...
A GREAT MANY THANKS TO  ALL OF YOU WHO CONTRIBUTED!

Marika Lindgren, Chair of the Organization Committee
Grete Vesteraas, Jubilee General

Photos: Samuel Arnfjell

Jan 15 Northern Cup (radio-controlled cars)

March 8 "As Beauty Came to Town"

March 8 Strong Women 

March 15 "The Magic Pot from Vapsten"

Welcome to a "Four Seasons” multislide presentation!
Here you may follow the seasonal changes from winter through spring and summer to autumn and finally back to winter again. Many of the pictures are from the Lycksele neighbourhood but also from the high-mountain area of southern Lapland.

Photos: Samuel Arnfjell

Music: Eric Borelius

We can offer the presentation in two versions, enabling as many as possible to watch it:
 

               Flash Player     or      Windows Media Player 

N.B. Click to watch the presentation and let the page buffer for a while for optimal reproduction. If you still cannot see it, you can download Windows Media Player here.

Eighteen authors tell us how Lyksälie became a church and market site and about the colonization of Sámi country.
They write about brave women and great men, about cultures that meet, collide and unite, how strong forest bonds were tied and endless roads were broken. Two town guides show their grains of gold. The traces from Lycksele of all times are singled out, and magic memories are conveyed to Lycksele residents of today. A timeline, with references to Lycksele and its surrounding world, runs through all the chapters.

Lyksälie, which was published by the Municipality of Lycksele in co-operation with the Regional History Association of the County of Västerbotten, started selling on November 9, 2006. This book is one way of several to bring the exciting history of Lycksele to life. All the schools in Lycksele and all the children being born during the jubilee year will receive a copy; history is being conveyed to those who will pass it on later. Some ten paintings that have been produced and about 150 photos illustrate this history, and there are summaries of each chapter in English, south Sámi and Finnish. 

Photos: Samuel Arnfjell

The bear cub siblings are a
little drowsy with sleep and
also hesitant about the
commotion around them.
Anyway, this year yielded
three cute bear cubs at the
Lycksele Zoo.