The village walk – Arstu

The 18th century meant war, flight and division of the homestead. During the Great War of 1713–21, Russian troops occupied and ravaged Finland and Åland. The Ålanders fled across the sea and were quartered in various locations along the Swedish Uppland coast. The Peace of Uusimaa in 1721 put an end to the Great Northern War of 1700–21. The Lapps were able to sail home, after more than seven years as refugees in their own country.

In the war year of 1710, the Pellas farmer Henrik Persson’s daughter Brita had married Anders Andersson from the Åboland archipelago. When his father-in-law died in 1725, Anders took over the homestead and became a farmer in Pellas. Between 1750–75, the village’s five homesteads, Pellas (1), Påvals (2), Grannas (3), Erkas (4) and Jussas (5), were divided. Pellas was split in two in 1751 between Anders Andersson’s sons Henrik and Anders. The brothers initially lived with their families at each end of Pellas. A maid from Houtskär worked there, who talked about going to “aronstuvon” (the other cottage) when she moved to the younger brother Anders’ family. Anders soon built his own farm opposite and the name “aronstuvon” was shortened over time to “Arstu”. The brothers Henrik and Anders were the village’s first galleon skippers and for a few years engaged in sailing, freight shipping between Ostrobothnia and Stockholm.

Arstu is still associated today with the renowned farmer and community builder Anders Forsberg (1864–1937), who was elected to the first self-governing Åland County Council in 1922–37 and Åland’s member of the Finnish Parliament in 1924–30. Song, music and literature have always been alive in Arstu. The singing group “Arstuflickorna” has managed the legacy to this day. The group is known for its beautiful vocals and settings of poems by Helli Forsberg – the girls’ own mother. Helli, who had fled war-torn Karelia, found security, love and poetry with Sigvard Forsberg at Arstu. The current house was built in 1960 by Sigvard’s father, Verner Forsberg. The Arstu farm has been in the family’s ownership for almost 300 years.