Photo: Lantbrukare Göte Ivarsson.
In 1978 I moved to Oskarshamn. I was then 25 years old and very interested in the nature, though I hardly even knew what an “ask”tree looked like. In reality I had never even seen one of these trees, even though I grew up on Öland. On this particular Island the “asktrees” grow thick, almost like a jungle. From this I received an insight, that the things that you don’t know the name of, you don’t see at all, and what you can’t see, you certainly can’t take pictures of. I had for example never seen an eagle, but ten years later I wrote a book about these birds, “Havsörn”, which by some people today is considered a classic among nature literature.
Already after about a month from that I moved into this small society I met Styrbjörn Ejneby and his wife Solveig, it was during a meeting with the local organisation for preserving nature, localised in one of the nearby small villages. They were there to spread propaganda for the organisation and during our conversation they said: -“ So you want to be a member and work non-profit for the nature?!” Styrbjörn examined me with critical eyes and continued: -“Well then you’ve come to the right place because there’s plenty to be done around here.” And a lot was also done during the following years. Building nests for the birds, feeding the eagles, decontamination from oil discharge, clean up fields, take part in hot debates for the cause, write articles and reports for papers and magazines and make presentations for various groups of people, among a thousand other things… All this became very important for me, however more important was actually the social part, like attending all the courses and presentations about nature which were lead by the Ejneby’s, and also to make visits to their farm.
Styrbjörns knows a lot about a lot of things and he encouraged me in taking photographs since he could use these pictures for his own propaganda. He ordered special photos from me, for example he could say: -“You have to go to Äspenäs and photograph the old men living their and their amazing fields behind the farmhouse. Then you have to take photos of the flowers growing in that area.” This happened often, but at the same time he was just as aware of the uniqueness of his own life situation and often suggested motives from his own land. This was the impulse that soon lead me into having him and Solveig as the main motives in my continued documentation of the nature.
From the photographs we made many slideshows, and we spread our message at hundreds of presentations, mostly locally, in “Kalmar län”. –“With your pictures and my words we made the ladies cry and the men sniffle.” Styrbjörn said, and for sure he was right in his observations. But the most important thing was that people got to start thinking and appreciate the home land as something special and precious. An important factor was that Styrbjörn and Solveig actually practiced what they preached which was very helpful when trying to get the audiences attention. It was clear that these were not just some theories but actual facts and that the person presenting it were trustworthy with great knowledge in the subject. And with Styrbjörn at his best, many people were convinced of the great values in this, according to the authorities; infertile, barren landscape called Småland, values that were unique throughout the whole world. Styrbjörn made people clear of this whenever given a chance, and through this we gave “the sight” to many, broke down their “home blindness” and made them proud of the land they lived in.
-”Wooooo Lukas!” Styrbjörn makes a pause in his work and says: -”Peter, come here and we’ll see what you learned during the botany course last winter!” Soon after we’re sitting in a nearby ditch enjoying ourselves by all the life that surrounds us in plants and insects. Through these events Styrbjörn not only became my main motive, but also teacher and advisor when it came to taking good photographs. Later, when it was time to select pictures for making presentations, he was sure to notify me if he liked the pictures, if they for example captured something important. The fact that these photographs helped out affecting and convincing opinions, gave a sensational feeling.
One may ask himself if it’s at all possible to document nature without the proper previous knowledges, if you’d ask me I’d say it’s impossible.
Between my village and Hycklebo there’s a 20 minutes long walk through the forest, which I’ve travelled many times. Hundreds of thousands of photos have been taken during the 22 year old friendship between us. We’ve endured countless outer judgements about the Ejnebys, calling them everything from fools and a danger to society, to acknowledged experts and even rolemodels. But as time takes its path and brings new changes, the human has to adapt and sometimes struggle to get by. Eventually, the opinion gave away and Styrbjörn’s and Solveig’s hard work paid back and gave them redress. They’ve now completed the journey from being seen as a conservative party of rationalisation and uncomfortable deviants to acknowledged experts and carriers of great history.
My next film project will be about the other small villages around the area of Oskarshamn, ”The land where the wind turn”, but the documentation of Hycklinge will continue. The future is difficult to predict, but my hope is that these movies will be a contribution to the understanding and will to preserve these treasures for many years to come.
- “The development has sometimes swept over the country like a hurricane. The countryside grows wildly and farms are left to their own destiny. The opinion in agricultural politics has switched back and forth ever since communism fell, today it’s perfectly ok and even normal to build farms for hundreds of animals. But keep in mind, today there’s no ruling communist party but “the market” that makes these decisions, which includes you and me.”
The economists of the modern world with their precise calculations tear like storm winds in the traditional farming. Typhoons of liberation and new orders dawn in the horizon, casting “old truths” to the side like thunder in the trees and try to find their way into the small neighbourhood of Hycklinge. The arms of globalization reach everywhere and multi becomes mono. The alarm is heard across the globe. But in Hycklinge the peace remains, however, so does its position in the eye of the storm.
Flathult, February 2004
Peter Gerdehag
