Fårö Document 1979 (Fårödokument 1979)

DIGITALLY RESTORED IN 2017

More than 300 million years ago,

this island emerged from the warm Silurian sea.

The bedrock features fossils of ancient coral, shellfish,

and other mysterious species.

Fårö was originally known as "Faröy," thought to mean

"the island to which one journeyed"

or "the traveler's island."

Several theories exist as to the origin of the name.

In olden times, the island was a link

connecting the active maritime routes on the Baltic.

Fårö may also have been a sanctuary for people less welcome elsewhere.

At present, the island of Fårö has 673 inhabitants.

Fifty years ago, nearly twice as many people lived here.

We have documented the lives of some of these people.

We will also touch on the conditions of yesteryear

that are gradually disappearing.

DEDICATED TO THE INHABITANTS OF FÅRÖ

Richard Östman developed a severe headache

when he read in the papers a few years back

that a large cement company had applied for a concession

to exploit sand off Salvorev and Sudersand.

This headache was distilled into a poem...

a remarkable occurrence,

given that Richard never read or wrote poetry before.

Since then he has written more than 500 poems.

"I stole a rose, a wild rose of Fårö

A rose growing on the fair beaches of Fårö

I traced the date in the sand

The sand that others intended to remove

I heard the words of my forefathers:

Do not defile the sand God gave to Fårö

If you do, the very nature of the island will be cast aside

And we will be transported to another place."

Anything you take from the sea,

the sea will reclaim.

If they'd taken sand from Salvorev,

the sea would have taken sand from places such as Ullahau.

The site that had been dug up

would have to be replenished.

Do you plan to move to Visby?

Yes. There's no work for preschool teachers here.

It didn't work out like that.

I had a baby and had to give up plans to go to school.

- Do you like Fårö? - Sure.

Sure, in the summertime.

- Not during the winter? - No, it's boring here.

- How do you like Fårö? - It's nice.

- I'm going to move. - Why?

There are no jobs here and nothing to do.

It was a different situation, living there as a child.

You felt like you were missing out on things.

Now I like going back because it's so nice and peaceful.

It's different.

I'm planning to move to the mainland fairly soon.

Will you stay here on Fårö or leave?

I'm not sure.

I work in an office

and I maintain an index

of all the customers we have here on Gotland.

- Do you plan to stay? - No.

Why not?

There's nothing to do,

and there aren't any jobs.

I wanted to leave.

At 15 I dreamed

of going to Stockholm.

- What are your plans? - I don't know.

I went to business school in Fårösund for a year.

Then I worked at the Konsum co-op for six or seven years,

then I switched fields.

I think I'll probably leave.

It's no fun. There's nothing to do.

What's the nightlife like?

That's just it. There's nothing to do.

I just packed my bags and left. I had no job or anything.

I had no problem getting a job once I was here.

I couldn't leave this place.

Growing up on an island, you want to be near the sea.

It would be strange not seeing the water.

It's all right here.

It hasn't harmed me in any way.

It's good to learn to get along with crowds.

But it's not an ideal setting for children to grow up in,

living in these high-rises. At least I don't think so.

Going to Fårö and looking out at the sea is liberating.

You feel free.

- Don't come here. - It's so darned slippery.

Look out!

He's behind you.

Just walk him.

I can enjoy the summer and the sunshine.

I wish I could join in, but I can't.

Then I met Anton.

How old were you?

Eighteen, I guess.

And we got married when we were 19.

I was born on the farm. It's been in the family a long time,

since the 17th century.

- Any siblings? - There were three of us.

My sister Ellen is the oldest.

She moved out when she got married.

I took over the farm, and Erik had his own career.

He started working at Bungenäs and then became a ship's pilot.

How big is this farm?

I have 21 acres of my own.

And how much livestock?

We have six cows and a few calves.

I lease land too...

about 40 acres down by the church.

I work the land at 13 different locations.

Do you think it's worth it?

Well, a man's got to do something...

either this or that.

I've learned about keeping cows.

Sure, I've had my share of bad luck.

You have to give and take.

Sometimes the cows get sick and have to be put down.

Shipping costs from here are so high.

Young people around here don't want to be farmers.

In the old days, you kept a cow and a horse

and tended your farm in your spare time

and had another job too.

But nowadays people want time off after work.

The fire...

how did it start?

Our neighbor, Einar Söderdahl,

came over around lunchtime

and told us there was smoke coming out of our roof.

We were about to have our usual coffee and tea.

All we could do was grab the kids and rush outdoors.

Anton took the fire extinguisher upstairs,

but the whole place was in flames, so nothing could be done.

What about the fire department?

They came later on.

The ferry didn't wait for the fire trucks. They were left behind.

So the Fårö Fire Department didn't get any assistance.

There was no assistance from Fårösund.

The police figured a spark had been generated.

It was a tile roof with wooden shingles underneath.

Birds nested there.

And they figured a flying spark had ignited a bird's nest.

But that seems odd to me. The fire started indoors.

Up in the attic.

The kids were upstairs until it was time for coffee.

They hadn't heard a thing.

Fifteen minutes later, the place was in flames.

Where did you and the children go?

We stayed with Britt-Marie for a few months.

Then we moved out to our old summer cottage in Fifång.

We stayed there until December 21.

There's no running water or electricity.

We could make do at first, but after a while...

It still affects you.

What did your father think?

It was even worse for him.

It was?

We had to go to the doctor and get him some medication.

He went to pieces, which isn't strange at all.

There were so many really old, irreplaceable items.

Didn't you salvage anything?

No, just a few kitchen chairs.

Six chairs.

It doesn't make sense. You get all muddled.

You don't know what you're doing.

It's true. You just don't.

I went upstairs and got half of the sewing machine.

I left the other half behind.

You'd think I'd grab the other half too.

How did the children react?

It was awful. They were upset.

They gave us pills for them too.

Our 13-year-old, Ulla-Karin, took it the hardest.

She'd cry at night

and wake up shouting that the place was on fire.

You have nine children. Do you worry a lot?

No.

I don't have the time.

As they get older,

they start helping out with the younger ones.

At three or four, they could help change diapers.

They learned how.

So I think it's worked out well.

Your in-laws lived with you.

Yes, they did.

Did your mother-in-law help you?

No. She'd say, "You chose to have them,

so you take care of them."

So I never asked her for help.

How big is this farm?

Thirty acres of cleared land.

There's 100 acres of woodland as well.

Then there are the heaths, around as many acres.

- And how much livestock? - Right now, four head of cattle,

and I keep lambs and pigs.

Valter Broman owns and runs the family farm.

By Fårö standards, it's a middle-sized farm.

He's 67years old.

Since his mother's death several years ago,

he's chosen to live and work completely on his own.