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The Fisherman-Farmer and the Cultural Landscape

The Fisherman-Farmer and the Cultural Landscape

When the low-lying islands around the main island of Vega were first settled about 1500 years ago, they were initially used as outposts for fishing, hunting, and gathering.

The Nordland houses are part of the architectural heritage in the Vega Archipelago. Photo: Rita Johansen.

Nordland houses with turf roofs are clustered together by the sea. In the foreground, a barn bridge leading up to a barn is visible.

The many island on the vast strandflat, with their rich flora and fauna, eventually offered unique opportunities for settlement. Over generations, the islanders have lived in this archipelago and shaped it into a unique cultural landscape. The 'fisherman-farmer' who managed to survive in a harsh, weather-beaten area near the Arctic Circle by subsisting on both sea and land left their mark on the surrounding nature. In the fisherman-farmer society, men primarily engaged in fishing, while women were responsible for farm operations, even though they also collaborated extensively.

The traditional agriculture practiced by the fisherman-farmer created a mosaic-like landscape with many habitat types and high biodiversity. This cultural landscape bears witness to a sustainable use of nature, and in many places within the World Heritage area, it is still preserved. The archipelago's universal value lies in the still-living cultural traditions that have developed along a weather-beaten coast rich in natural resources.

Black-and-white photograph of several fishermen gutting fish on the shore at Skjærværet. Several fishing boats can be seen in the background.
Skjærvær was an important fishing village in the Vega Archipelago. Photo: Emelius Nyholmen/Norwegian Arctic University Museum.
A cultural landscape showing grazed pasture with low vegetation on one side of a fence and tall vegetation on the ungrazed side. Traditional Nordland houses and a breakwater by the sea can be seen in the background.
Cultural landscapes are dependent on grazing animals and traditional agricultural practices. Photo: Jannike Wika.
Black-and-white photograph of a woman standing with her arm around one of her dairy cows and smiling.
The women were responsible for much of the farm work. Photo: Emelius Kvalholmen/Norwegian Arctic University Museum.

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