The seal-mascot
Cute and happy seal has been the image of tourism in Kalajoki since the 1960s.
Seal hunting is an important part of Kalajoki’s history, and it used to be an integral part of the livelihoods of local people.
One of the images above depicts a seal hunting safari advertisement from the 1970s – however, these types of hunting trips designed for tourists have not been marketed or even existed for decades.
The hunting trip ad is not the only peculiar tale regarding seals and tourism – In 1968 a real seal, named Eetu the 1st , was captured and brought to live in a pond near the Camping Site. Later, there was another seal living in the pond too. Luckily, both seals were returned to nature after a while.
The real seals were replaced by a seal mascot to represent the tourism industry in Kalajoki. The mascot, a seal called Juku, is still the face of the water park. It is a well-known fact that the hottest summer job in Hiekkasärkät is dressing up in the Juku-seal costume and spending the day under the beaming sun...
The happy seal mascot used to decorate the exterior of Rantakalla-hotel as well.
Image description:
- A postcard from the 1990s. (Sari Alajoki private collection)
- An advertisement for a seal hunting safari from the 1970s.
Tales from Hiekkasärkät
Do you know how Herrainpakat got its name? Where did Kekkonen, Tauno Palo and Ansa Ikonen visit? When did the JukuJukuMaa Waterpark first open? Is it true that there was a railway and Finland’s longest waterslide down at the beach?
Learn these facts and loads of other interesting tales about the history of the Hiekkäsärkät area!
When you click the heading image, you can swipe and see the rest of the pictures.
Information about the route:
- You can experience the route by walking or bicycling in part or in its entirety, or completely remotely in digital form.
- The entire route is app. 10 km long, but you can also just tour the central area of Hiekkasärkät.
- The route uses sidewalks, duckboards, and open spaces like squares and parking lots.
The route is made in collaboration with the KUMA project and expert on built heritage Sari Alajoki.
Image sources:
- Camping site in the 1970s. (City of Kalajoki)
- Hilma's Hotel. (Kalajoen kotiseutuyhdistys)
- Midsummer celebrations at the beach. (Sari Alajoki private collection)