The children of every village are back home.
The written history of each village dates back approximately 450 years. 55 "smokes" are recorded with their many family names still in use today, being at the peak of Muhu County's population at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The largest village in Muhu.
Igaküla village is a large hamlet, where wide village streets lined with stone fences wind through the village. The existing courtyards have preserved barn dwellings along with many unique stone outbuildings, preserving the village environment typical of Muhu Island. All of this is complemented by heritage cultural objects such as millstones, lime kilns, old limestone quarries, sacred sites, ancient fields, and abandoned homes.
The village symbol for landmarks is old village well to be restored, Ekumägi and Igikivi, Suur Laeva Auk and Musta Mardi Mägi, which are associated with ancient traditions.
A great exodus began in the 1950s mainly to the mainland. Feeding families with many children was more important than maintaining a home. Young families left and farms disappeared. Houses were sold off as building materials or taken in parts. All the traditions, stories and memories were taken with them.
In 2012, 19 homes in Igaküla were still/or already “roofed”. The remaining former homes with their stone fences, yard trees and house sites, some of which still have usable basements, are waiting bravely for their new keepers(See the appendix Igaküla Homes)
Today, Igaküla has 14 registered residents. 2/3 of them are still indigenous, i.e. our living information resource. From early spring to late autumn, family members and summer cottage owners who “winter” elsewhere periodically join, totaling about 60 people, including about 20 children aged 0-16.
Our former children who emigrated have now become great-grandparents who occasionally visit their home village with their descendants. But many come to search for traces of their ancestors through their memories.
Because the people of Igaküla has never been known to have met in its history in such a way that both those at home and all those who have emigrated would meet at the same time, then the implementation of this project.
- We want to greet and recognize each other at the same time. To help those who have recovered find their home gate and the playgrounds of childhood that have changed over time.
- As those at home, we listen and look at the memories brought by those who came, to match them with our own and share them again.
- We will tell and show you how we have managed and what exciting things we have in store.
- Let's listen to the news from Muhu municipality and how nice it is to be in Muhu County and what we could all do together here if all the children were really home again...
We are waiting for curious visitors from Koguva village, whose home routes have passed through our village time and time again.
Preliminary Schedule
July 28, 2012
Gathering 10:00 – 11:00
In Kapitsa, every village is located near the old village hall.
INFORMATION:
Inna Ligi
inna.ligi@gmail.com
Phone: 51 909 290
If you want to come the day before, bring a tent or book accommodation at Muhu accommodation establishments…
Bring memories with you – ideally already written or recorded, photos that we can scan on the spot.
Those who use Facebook can also find out here Every Village in Muhu.
A walk through the village to the sea
photographed by Lauri Ligi and Timo Ligi
no images were found