Maakalla: Europe's isolated, autonomous island

Maakalla Island is a small, isolated island located 18 kilometers off the western coast of Finland in Bothnian Bay. As September draws to a close, the island's few trees, which bear wild berries, are the last signs of life before winter blankets the island in snow. The sky is a fading blue, reflecting off the roofs of the empty wooden cabins scattered across the 20-hectare island. 'I believe we're the only ones here,' whispers Martta Tervonen, my guide for the day. We walk along the island's stony pathways, accompanied by the sound of crashing waves. 'When the island was discovered by fishermen and seal hunters in the 15th century, it was only 9 millimeters above the water's surface,' explains Matti Hautala, the boat captain who brought us here from Keskuskari harbor on the mainland. The land has been rising since the Ice Age glaciers melted more than 10,000 years ago, a phenomenon known as post-glacial rebound. Today, the island stands more than 5 meters above sea level.

Maakalla is far from conventional. There are no shops, restaurants, cars, roads, or guesthouses. The only signs of human presence are the skulls of seals mounted on the doors of empty cabins. As the island rose from the sea, it became a key fishing area. However, as farming and other industries grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fewer fishermen needed to spend long periods away from their families. Today, only a small fraction of the roughly 700 fishermen who once flocked here each summer return to their ancestral cabins. They bring enough water, wood, and other supplies to last them through their stay. From May to September, the island comes alive as day-trippers visit to catch a glimpse of the customs and traditions that Finns once embraced.

Although Maakalla technically belongs to Finland, it enjoys autonomous status and is governed by a council of local fishermen elected every summer. This tradition dates back to 1771 when Finland was under Swedish rule, and King Adolf Fredrik granted Maakalla special status due to its remote location. In 1809, Finland fell under Russian control before eventually declaring independence in 1917. Despite maintaining neutrality during the Cold War, Finland joined the European Union in 1995 and applied for NATO membership after the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Interestingly, Maakalla is part of neither alliance. 'Nobody lives here permanently,' says Hautala. In winter, the island is completely cut off from the mainland by ice. 'Around 20 people stay here in summer, and a few day-trippers visit, but it is deserted for the rest of the year.

The fishermen on Maakalla live by dual laws. During their time on the island, they are governed by the council they elect. When they return to the mainland, they are EU- and NATO-abiding members, just like everyone else in Finland. Hautala comes from a long line of local fishermen, and his grandfather once owned one of Maakalla's traditional fisherman's huts, known as kalamaja. When Hautala was 10, his grandfather relinquished the cabin because he was too old to maintain it. According to local custom, there is no way for him or his family to reclaim it. 'None of the huts here can be bought or sold,' he says softly. 'I tried a lot, but have not been able to succeed.

Maakalla contains one of the tiniest lighthouses you might ever see. No taller than an average adult, the lighthouse stands on a pile of rocks. 'It's for the boats to locate the island,' Tervonen explains. Local custom dictates that anyone who visits Maakalla must take the first stone they step on and add it to the lighthouse's growing heap to raise its height. As the wind howls, we seek refuge in a nearby cabin, which Hautala explains was once the island priest's home. 'In olden days, the island appointed its own priest, who also served as the mayor, and this is where he lived,' Tervonen says. 'But now, only a mayor is chosen every year, and the priest visits to inaugurate the council ceremony and to officiate weddings at the chapel.

Maakalla's 1780-built church is designed to resemble a ship, and instead of a cross, it contains a hanging ship inside. The Maakalla Museum displays historical artifacts and old photos. Stone slabs cover the tops of fishermen's buckets, which were used to store Baltic herrings. Seal hunting is also a part of the island's history. Travellers can visit Maakalla by boat with a private guide.

In spring, when the ice is melting, seal hunters go to the middle of the sea where the seals live. 'There are too many seals, and they eat all the fish,' says Hautala. The islanders believe that seal hunting helps control the seal population. The island's wooden church, built in 1780, is painted red with yellow doors and windows. The church's ceiling looks like an upside-down ship. Most fishermen on Maakalla got married here, and now the church is popular for destination weddings.

It takes less than 45 minutes to walk around the island. I meet an elderly woman named Marja-Liisa, who is one of the last residents of the season. She and her husband stay in their hut for five weeks each summer. 'It's so peaceful and lovely here,' says Marja-Liisa. Even though there is now solar power, islanders still need to bring enough supplies to last their stay. The only food source is whitefish, which is freshly caught and smoked.

After Marja-Liisa and her husband leave, Maakalla will be empty until next summer. The couple was married at the island church 45 years ago and have visited every year since. As I say goodbye, I realize that even though Maakalla is a ghost island for most of the year, it has a lasting presence.

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