Kihnu

Introducing Kihnu

Kihnu Island, 40km southwest of Pärnu in the Gulf of Rīga, is one of the most traditional places in Estonia. Most women still wear the colourful striped skirts nearly every day. There are three main villages on the 7km-long island, plus a school, church, and combined village hall and bar in the centre of the island. Long, quiet beaches line the western coast. Kihnuans are among the few non-Setu Estonians who follow the Russian Orthodox religion.

In December 2003 Unesco declared the Kihnu Cultural Space a masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This honour is a tribute to the rich cultural traditions that are still practised, in song, dance, the celebration of traditional spiritual festivals and the making of handicrafts. In part, the customs of Kihnu have remained intact for so many centuries owing to the island's isolation.

Many of the island's first inhabitants, centuries ago, were criminals and exiles from the mainland. Kihnu men made a living from fishing and seal hunting, while women effectively governed the island in their absence. The most famous Kihnuan was the sea captain Enn Uuetoa (better known as Kihnu Jõnn), who became a symbol of lost freedom for Estonians during the Soviet period when they were virtually banned from the sea. Kihnu Jõnn, said to have sailed on all the world's oceans, drowned in 1913 when his ship sank off Denmark on what was to have been his last voyage before retirement. He was buried in the Danish town of Oksby but in 1992 his remains were brought home to Kihnu and reburied in the island's church.

You can learn more about him and life on Kihnu at the Kihnu Muuseum(446 9983; adult/child 15/6Kr; 10.30am-4pm), across the street from the picturesque Orthodox church. Town information and Internet access is available 50m up the road at the tourist office(10am-4pm Tue-Sat, 11am-3pm Sun).

In the south stands a picturesque lighthouse, shipped over from Britain.

After WWII a fishery collective was established. Fishing and cattle herding continue to be the mainstay of employment for Kihnu's inhabitants.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009