When Olav grew up, the country on the other side of the border river Pasvikelva was Finland. His friends and relatives lived just across the river, so the river was a way of travelling, not a barrier.
Like many people in this area, Olav is a Norwegian of Finnish and Sámi decent, and married a Finnish woman. As a child he spoke only Finnish, and had to learn Norwegian the hard way when he started school. Norway did not want any other languages or cultural identities in this area.
After WWII, the Russians again controlled the territory of Petsamo. Now the borders were closed, the Finnish residents deported.
As a consequence of the cold war, his Finnish connections and a refused request by his father to cooperate with the soviets, Olav was surveilled. He had problems getting a job, but didn’t understand why.
Olav has later been given a small economic compensation for the surveillance, and now feels acquitted.
His biggest quest today, is that of regaining contact with Finland. A new road to old neighbor could bring new life and vitality to the area, as he sees it.
Olav Beddari lives at Skogfoss, where he has worked and lived most of his life. He is a retired schoolteacher, a local historian and writer of several books.
In cooperation with: borderstories.no
