Hovden, Nordland
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Hovden (68°49′0″ N, 14°33′0″ E) is a fishing community in Bø municipality in Nordland county, Norway. Hovden makes up the north-eastern part of the municipality and is defined geographically by the Malnesfjord in East and the ocean in the north and west. The road has its end in Hovden. The habitation of Hovden, on the outermost point on a peninsula of the third largest island in Norway; Langøy, is because of the closeness to the rich fishing banks off Vesterålen. Processing of fish have been, in addition to the fishing itself, the main employment of dwellers in Hovden.
Archaeological findings show that Hovden have been populated at least since 400 to 800 CE.
Malnes are today referred to as a part of Hovden. This latter day denomination constitute the Southern and western part of the community. Malnes was the clerical center for the northern part of Bø until the church was moved from Malnes in 1829. The name of the parish is still Malnes.
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[edit] Climate
Hovdens climate is a mild coastal climate. The winter is seldom cold. Average temperature in January is -1,4o C. The summer is seldom warm. Average temperature in August is 12,1o C. The precipitation is quite large with approximately 1000mm pr year[1]Norwegian only The Climate is perfect for drying fish as the temperature is seldom below minus two and above 10 in the most important months between January and May.
The immediate closeness of the ocean make the climate mild. April to June have the least precipitation, while the wet months are the autumn months. The dominating winds are the South-West winds (mild and moist) and the North-east winds (cold and dry). The North Atlantic Drift (extension of te Gulf Stream) is the reason for the mild climate. The continental shelf rises close to shore outside Vesterålen and have an insignificant impact on the life in the sea.
[edit] Etymology
Hovden have got its name from a high and steep cliff, now partly demolished, in the north-western part of the community. The word derives from the Old Norse language, and the stem of the word is the same as in modern Norwegian/Danish "hode", Swedish "huvud" and English "head". This cliff is at the former southern entrance to the harbor. Now closed by a breakwater. The islets on the northernmost point of Hovden was called Maarsholmen.
Malnes the integrated part of Hovden today means, according to Oluf Rygh in his book Norske Gaardnavne[2], a headland with a shore made of rounded stones. A "moll" in Norwegian.
Malnes are today referred to as a part of Hovden. This latter day denomination constitute the Southern and western part of the community. Malnes was the clerical center for the northern part of Bø until the church was moved from Malnes in 1829. The name of the parish is still Malnes.
[edit] History
Hovden is a part of a line of old fishing communities in Vesterålen. Between the northern Andenes and the south-western Vinje there are several communities along the coastline with the common denominator the closeness to the fishing banks off Vesterålen. Hovden is one of these, and have to its advantage good harboring conditions and "clean" seas outside. Most of the cost-line has a lot of rocks and skerries, so a good harbor was of vital significance to these communities.
Given the long settlement history to maintain a large population is not possible in Hovden. From the census in 1666 [3]was nine men registered as head off families in Hovden. Including families the total number of people could not have exceeded 60.
Agriculture in Hovden has been and still is limited. The main agricultural activity have been sheep and goat farming. But then as a supplement to the main income source; fishing. Conditions for farming large cattle is poor as the soil do not produce enough grass for larger cattle. Before potatoes came to Northern-Norway (before the early 19th century) there have been grown grains in Hovden, we do not know of the type, but oats and barley have been grown in northern Norway since before 1000 EC.
The fisheries have been and still are the most important economical activity in Hovden. Several different fisheries are important, but the most significant is the winter-fisheries between Chritmas and Easter. These fisheries is also known under the name Lofotfisket. The Cod, gadus morhua migrate from the Barents Sea to spawn along the coast of Lofoten and have to pass Vesterålen on its way. Hovdens location is excellent given the short way to the areas where the fish are migrating south and northbound. For people living in Hovden 80% of the total income was made during the first quarter of the year. The abundance of fish was way to much for consumption, and the fish was produced into dried fish and later salt fish, and then exported via Bergen to Europe. The proximity to the fishing banks drew fishermen to Hovden. From the latter part of the 19th century we know that in the winter months there could be up to 400 fishermen[4] living on the small island across from the harbor (Holmen) and in the common landing place. They were living in cottages built for the purpose and under overturned boats.
During the latter part of the 19th century Hovden came under ownership from what is called in Norwegian "væreier". Literally translated a "fishing community owner". These owners had the total control of the economic activities in the community. And many had monopoly on buying and selling of the fish caught. This monopoly, and the fact that the investment in boats and nets got increasingly more expensive given the overall modernisation of the industry, made the fishermen dependent on the owner, not being able to pay their debts with their income.
With the motorization of fishing vessels, the first two decades of the 20thcentury the dependency on the "væreier" became even greater. With the motorization came a higher efficiency in catching fish and falling prices. Combined with the economic downturn in the thirties the profits from fishing soared. Many of the owners went bankrupt and as a consequence the fishermen and their families had even less profit to live on. These events led to the formation of a fishermens union and in turn a state controlled buying monopoly who managed price formation. The reorganization of the fisheries made it more profitable for the fishermen.
[edit] Nature
The typical coastal landscape of Northern Norway is present in Hovden. The earth is barren, dominated by grass and heather. No wild woods are growing as a product of high exploitation by man, sheep and goats. The island Frugga is situated 1 km from Hovden to the north east. It is a nature reserve because of the large colony of puffin. To the south the moraine Raen is stretching towards Nykvåg. This moraine is the end moraine from a glacier ending in the sea here. This is also a nature reserve.
Hovden i situated north of the Arctic Circle and have both the midnight sun and the winter darkness. The Midnight sun is present in Hovden between the end of May and the end of July. The polar night is between the end of November to mid January.
[edit] Culture
Being a northern Norwegian community the same cultural influences are present as in other northern Norwegian communities. The culture is influenced by the mobility of Norwegians from the south to the north in the latter part of the 19th century. It has also received influence from the Sami culture along with Russian, Finnish and Swedish culture as the migration in the northern part of the Scandinavian peninsula have been modestly restricted by state agencies until the 20th century and after the Russian Revolution.
The geographical location and the fact that the road was not built to Hovden until the 1950's made the dwellers self-contained and many of the cultural institutions was built by voluntary communal work. The freshwater-supply, street lights, a local church and a community house were all erected this way. Hovden had several Christian groups. A sports association was active in the 60's and 70's.
Hovdens population is now ageing, the average age amongst the inhabitants have passed 60. The Hovden Grendelag consisting of younger migrated people from Hovden, are now the main actor in the cultural field.
[edit] External links
- Pictures and information on Hovden (norwegian only)
- Vestrålen regional board on Vesterålen.
- Home page to the firm operating in Hovden. (Norwegian only)
