Sléttan, Traces of Herring / Sudden Shifts

The village of Raufarhöfn is located in Melrakkaslétta, the northernmost part of Iceland. This project is a personal journey to reconnect with the village and its people by exploring its history and events that have shaped its current state.

Ever since my grandparents moved away from Raufarhöfn a year after I was born, I lost my connection to the village. Raufarhöfn is located in Melrakkslétta, the part of Iceland that reaches the farthest north. Despite never living there myself, my mother's family ties to Raufarhöfn give me a strong sense of home.

Raufarhöfn is where my mother grew up. In the 1950s and 60s, the village flourished under a period later known as the Herring years (síldarárin). The fishing and export of herring provided the village with abundant income and employment. The village grew significantly and the opportunities the herring provided for the village seemed neverending. Raufarhöfn had big dreams and made big plans with the expectation of the continuing growth the herring provided. Then, however, in the late 1960s, the herring suddenly disappeared from the nearby ocean leaving Raufarhöfn motionless.

This project is a personal endeavour to reconnect with the village and my extended family. Using photography as a tool to explore and understand how local history and events have shaped the current characteristics of the village and its inhabitants’ identity. 

Facing my extended family brought me closer to the village, bridging the gap of my disconnection, and aided me in my journey of becoming a half-insider of the village. Through my confrontation, my understanding of the cultural heritage that defines the village grew and social dynamics within it were easier to recognize.

Today less than 200 people live in the village and it suffers from an aging population, lack of infrastructure, and opportunities. Since the Herring Years, time has stood still for Raufarhöfn. Yet, resilience remains within the remaining inhabitants, an optimism of a turning point. Raufarhöfn is their home, and within their small community, they find comfort and purpose. 

The narrative of Raufarhöfn's evolution over the years reflects a pattern seen in many other small communities worldwide. As a result of overarching environmental issues and globalization. Documenting the village and its surroundings has provided me with a platform to address broader themes subtly. Allowing Raufarhöfn to act as a canvas, hinting at the universal difficulties our past and present actions impose on rural communities and their livelihoods.