Hydropower Construction Remembered and Multiplied in the River Oulujoki Water System – a new master’s thesis in cultural antropology

Salla Marjakangas's  master’s thesis in cultural anthropology, adopted in University of Oulu at the end of 2023, is based on interviews conducted by her in VekuVaku-project. She analyses interview texts and examines the significance of change, adaptation, place and environment conveyed by memory data. How these things appear in people's memories and how they are spoken of, and what is not told. There are three main themes: environmental change, changing place and community change.

In particular, two perspectives emerge from the data: the views of the local inhabitants who lived in the river valleys prior to the construction  and of the employees Oulujoki Power Company and their children.

Memory data related to the Oulujoki river basin and its hydropower construction is rich and conveys knowledge of the river to the present. Today, power plants are empty due to automatic control and communities have been quieter. It is important for local people and the former employees to make their voices heard and to make their memories known so that the diverse history of the river basin is not forgotten.

A man with his son looking at the changing River Emäjoki in the end of 1950ies © Ritva Immonen

According to Salla Marjakangas, it is important that in future similar projects also recognise, take into account and address difficult memories related to cultural heritage or research sites.

“Projects should make it clear that problems are known and that they are also wanted to be heard and made public.

You can read the full thesis in Finnish here