There is a Land far, far North...

Where the Trees will not grow in the cold weather, where the houses are far apart but the hearts are close together.

My Mother grew up here and I lived my first year in worlds most northern city called Hammerfest. The soil here is frozen, the land is flat and full of stones but still the tourists are very impressed.

On a small island called Ertsvika my great grand parents lived with their 13 children. It was a hard life in poverty and cold winters, but their health where strong and their hearts where warm.

They lived of fishing and gathering berries. The next neighbors where 8 hours away by foot. My great grand mother gave birth to all the children without any doctor to help her, the oldest daughter was the midwife. The oldest son had to fish with his father on the stormy ocean when he was 8 years old, he died early from hard work.

Now the ancestors visit this place from time to time, where the old house used to be there is now a small cabin. There is a peaceful land far far north where nobody lives only birds and raindeers.

The pictures are taken by my mother who is there now, visiting her mother and her childhood places. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse from the past.