RIITTA KUMPULAINEN TIMBER AND HERRING: MODERNISATION AND MOBILITY IN FINNISH LAPLAND AND THE WESTERN ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND, 1770-1970 To be presented with the permission of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Helsinki for public examination in Auditorium XIV on January 10th, 2001 at 12 p.m. Research Reports, Department of Sociology, University of Helsinki No. 237. ISBN 951-45-9620-X ISSN 0438-9948 ISBN (pdf) 951-45-9621-8 Yliopistopaino Helsinki 2001 To All the Mobile Folks of This World ABSTRACT: Timber and herring: Modernisation and Mobility in Finnish Lapland and the Western Islands of Scotland, 1770-1970 The present study is historical and comparative by nature. The research problem consists of two domains. The first one deals with the consequences of the proceeding modernisation process in the two peripheral areas of Finnish Lapland and the Western Islands of Scotland. Indicators such as economic development, population development, changes in political and religious atmosphere and spread of public education have been discussed to show that although the modernisation process has proceeded differently in each of these areas, both have remained economically backward and culturally distinct when compared to the rest of the country. This has been interpreted to reflect an institutionalised cultural division of labour, as Michael Hechter’s (1975) concept of internal colonialism suggests. Because increasing labour mobility and particularly seasonal mobility is one of the most pronounced consequences of the modernisation process in both areas, it has been chosen to be studied as the second domain of the study: By studying seasonal mobility, an attempt to grasp the individual experience of a structural change has been made. In Scotland, the East Coast herring industry offered seasonal work for the Islanders between 1850- 1939 and in Finland, the developing forest industry for the lumberjacks and road builders from the beginning of the century until the 1960’s. By analysing documents and life histories written by the mobile individuals themes such as what the mobile way of life is like and how the individuals were affected by it have been discussed. To conclude, it is argued that although the modernisation process has produced peripherality on the institutional level in the two areas under study, it has produced also modernity on the individual level. This is due to the various modernising elements that belong to the mobile way of life, such as working in well-organised large job sites and meeting fellow-workers originating from various places. As a result, the simultaneous existence of the modern and traditional on individual and structural levels has become characteristic in both areas. FORWARD Four long and hard-working years have passed and the PhD-thesis is now completed. The process has turned out to be a very educating experience, although most often in unexpected ways. Remembering Pierre Bourdieu’s famous work ‘La Distinction’, I now view the whole process as a test, or a ticket, to the field of University. As the fact is that I have decided to look for a job outside the University, it can be concluded that I have not quite fulfilled the specific requirements of this field. However, as the University never felt like a home to me it is easy to let go and start something new. As my brother once said when we sat in a fancy café in Helsinki: “It is curious to sit here in this beautiful old building, in an environment full of history and big names. After all, we grew up in the middle of nowhere in an area where the oldest houses were built in 1945 and most people had moved in just a few years before us.” One of the main themes of the present thesis has been to write history for people whose life was not restricted to one locality only and who therefore violated the norms and values of the predominantly agricultural society. By the turn of the third millennium the era of the wandering lumberjacks, construction workers and herring girls has gone for good and the roads are filled with different people. In today’s world, vast crowds migrate and emigrate from areas torn by wars and economic hardship. The well-educated professionals and businessmen fly from one metropolis to another and tourists travel to their holiday resorts. In Western Europe, the combination of a surplus population and mobility is no longer a current issue, since nowadays the surplus population lives on unemployment benefits or is “managing projects” due to the lack of permanent jobs. After three years work in rainy although beautiful Scotland I returned to Finland and the University of Helsinki where Professor Riitta Jallinoja has helped me to patch what is patchable after three years of unsupervised work. I thank also Professor Risto Alapuro who has commented on some chapters despite the fact that he visited Finland only occasionally as he happened to be working in France this term. Very big thanks go to the extremely good-natured Professor Markku Kivinen who has supported my project in a variety of ways. The pre-examiners, Doctors Heikki Kerkelä and Jukka Oksa, have been industrious and energetic and their comments have been most valuable. I have also had the pleasure to benefit from the expertise of the staff members working in the various archives and libraries and would especially like to thank Mr Matti Lamminen. I would also like to express my gratitude to those quarters that have funded my thesis, namely Kansan Sivistysrahasto, Suomalainen Konkordialiitto, Kone-säätiö, Eemil Aaltosen Säätiö, the University of Helsinki, and the State of Finland. Finally, I thank all those friends in Scotland and Finland who have patiently tolerated and supported me during the last few years. In Helsinki, September 2000 Riitta Kumpulainen CONTENTS ABSTRACT FORWARD 1 INTRODUCTION 12 Background of the Research 12 Approaching Peripherality 15 Modernisation and Mobility 20 Approaching Migration 23 Some Examples of Northern Peripheral Areas 27 Final Remark 30 2 CHANGING LAPLAND 34 2.1 Introduction 34 2.2 Lapland’s Regional Role Develops 35 2.3 Modernisation Proceeds 37 Population Development 37 Industrial Life Develops 40 General: Development of the GNP Per Capita and Consumption 40 Agriculture and Some Minor Industries 44 Expanding Forest Industry 47 Construction Sector Grows, Particularly Road Building 55 Tourism and Trade - the Growing New Sectors 62 Cultural Modernisation: Education and Religion 64 Education and Public Services 64 Religious Atmosphere and Laestadianism 66 Political Modernisation 69 Land Owning Relations 69 Farmers Unite 70 The Agrarian Party in Lapland 73 The Communist Party in Lapland 75 2.4 Concluding Remark 83 3 CHANGING WESTERN ISLANDS 90 3.1 Introduction 90 3.2 Emerging Division 91 3.3 Modernisation Proceeds 94 Population Development 94 Industrial Life Develops 98 General: GDP and Consumption 98 Agriculture 101 Kelp Industry 107 Fishing 108 Tweed Industry 114 Tourism 115 Cultural Modernisation: Education and Religion 117 Education 117 Religious Atmosphere and the Free Kirk 120 Political Modernisation 122 Crofters Act 125 Women as Political Actors 127 3.4 Concluding Remark 130 4 MODERNISATION AND THE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE 135 4.1 Introduction 135 4.2 Life History as a Method 137 4.3 Model of a Modern Man 139 4.4 Description of the Data 142 Lapland 142 The Western Islands 144 5 CHIEFLY LUMBERJACKS & CONSTRUCTIONS WORKERS 147 5.1 Beginning the Career 147 5.2 Work and Work Environment 152 Housing 152 Unwritten Rules 159 Work 161 5.3 Building Identities 169 5.4 Women in the Job Sites 175 5.6 Leisure-time Activities 179 5.6 Modernity and the Lumberjacks & Construction Workers 183 5.8 Concluding Remark 186 6 THE 'GUTTING QUINES' 189 6.1 Introduction 189 6.2 Women Go Gutting 191 Getting Ready for the Season 192 Travel 196 6.3 Accommodation 198 6.4 Work 202 6.5 Leisure-time 211 6.6 Modernity and the Fisher Lassies 218 6.7 Concluding Remark 221 7 MODERNISATION IN FINNISH LAPLAND AND THE WESTERN ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND 225 7.1 Modernisation Processes and Peripheries Are Different 225 7.2 Peripherality Is Manifested in all Spheres of Life 228 7.3 Labour Mobility Reflects Social Change 231 7.4 Mobile Way of Life Changes the Individual 235 Model of a Modern Man as a Framework of Comparison 237 Active or Passive Migrants 238 7.5 Like a Russian Doll 242 BIBLIOGRAPHY 247 APPENDIX 1: THE MODEL OF A MODERN MAN 260 APPENDIX 2: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE 262 ILLUSTRATIONS List of Figures Table 1: Population in Finland, population in Lapland, its share of the whole population in Finland (%), and number of inhabitants born in the county of Lapland, pp. 37. Table 2: The volume of growth of the GNP in different industries, growth of the GNP, and growth of the GNP per capita in Finland 1860-1985 in percentage, pp. 39. Table 3: Booms and recessions in Finland 1899-1970, pp. 40. Table 4: Farm size according to arable land in Lapland in 1941, 1950, 1959 and 1969, pp. 43. Table 5: The number of jobs in the production plants of Kemiyhtiö in 1936, 1946, 1956 and 1966, excluding clerical staff, pp. 48. Table 6: Export of sawn goods in cubic metres 1883-1914, table by Meinander 1950, 55, pp. 49. Table 7: Hydroelectric power stations in Lapland 1945-1970, pp. 46. Table 8: Allocation of appropriations (%) to roadworks and improvements 1945-1955 and 1956-1969, pp. 54. Table 9: Educational level in Lapland and the whole country in 1950, 1960 and 1970 in percentage, pp. 57. Table 10: Number of physicians and dentists per 10 000 population in Lapland and the whole country in 1945 and 1970, pp.