More than just a river
Photos:
Kati Rapia
Text:
The Uskelanjoki river has carved a deep groove through the landscape of Southwest Finland. And it is not only water that flows along the riverbed, but also local folklore – a subject that is being explored by two artists, Kati Rapia and Ilona Valkonen.
The river meanders through the town of Salo and former municipality of Pertteli for about 30 kilometres. It cuts through the pastoral countryside of Southwest Finland, and eventually empties into Halikko Bay on the Salo coast.
Uskelanjoki’s catchment area is the fourth largest in the Archipelago Sea, and much of the land is used for agriculture. Nutrients from these fields leach into the water that flows between the river’s high banks, and these currents then carry them into the sea.
But it is not only water that flows along the riverbed: it is mixed with memories, experiences, hearsay and fortuitous events. Two artists, Ilona Valkonen and Kati Rapia, are following in its footsteps through the river valley. They are collecting modern folklore, Uskelanjoki lore. During the spring and summer, Valkonen and Rapia met with dozens of locals to document their stories in words and pictures.
“For many, their relationship with the river means a relationship with the land. Although the river has little impact on people’s daily lives, it shapes the landscape, influences the climate and affects how people move about. For some, the river may even seem frightening, as children are warned about its steep banks,” says Rapia.
The locals have also shared heartwarming memories and dreams about the river. One person wants to create wetlands, while another hopes to establish spawning grounds for migratory fish. A third dreams of community events in the area.
Rapia and Valkonen are documenting the local people and their stories. The pictures will be used to create a narrative photo exhibition as part of the John Nurminen Foundation’s Pellon perintö Agri- and Culture Project.
Agricultural water protection solutions in Southwest Finland
The John Nurminen Foundation’s Pellon perintö Agri- and Culture Project is providing agricultural entrepreneurs in Southwest Finland with concrete solutions and financial support to improve soil fertility in their fields. The project is focusing on the area around the Uskelanjoki river.
Measures include the gypsum treatment and structural liming of fields, establishing shelterbelts, and increasing vegetation cover during the winter months. The three-year project aims to support farmers, reduce nutrient emissions into the Archipelago Sea, improve the condition of the sea area, and support the Finnish Government’s goal of removing emissions in the Archipelago Sea from HELCOM’s Hot Spot list. The project is also seeking to highlight local people’s relationships with their waterways.
At Pellon Perintö project we reduce agricultural nutrient runoff into the water system in collaboration with agricultural operators in Southwest Finland.
