- UNESCO has added Nordic “clinker boats” to its list of traditions that represent the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden jointly sought the UNESCO designation.
- The term “clinker” is thought to refer to the way the boat’s wooden boards were fastened together.
- Nordic clinker boats are small, open, wooden boats between five and ten metres long.
- For almost two millennia, the people of the Nordic region (including the indigenous Sami peoples in Finland, Norway and Sweden and minority groups such as the Kvens in Norway, the Tornedalians in Sweden and the Swedish-speaking population in Finland) have been building clinker boats using the same basic techniques: thin planks are fastened to a backbone of the keel and stems, and the overlapping planks are fastened together with metal rivets, treenails or rope.
- Clinker boat builders emphasize the long time it takes to acquire the knowledge and skills for building traditional boats.
- Today, they are primarily used in traditional festivities, regattas and sporting events, even though about a thousand persons make a full or partial living through the production, maintenance or use of clinker boats.
(Source: UNESCO)
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