Paper short abstract:

The presentation concentrates on mire/swamp sport events and mire athletes in 21st century Finland. The study highlights new recreational uses of nature that indicate change in the human-nature relationship.

Paper long abstract:

In many western countries mires and peatlands have been utilized in various ways: people have picked berries and hunted game there, and, since the beginning of farming, peatlands have provided wild hay for cattle and bedding for barnhouses. Mires have also seen as frightening, anomalous places and resisting landscapes that were moulded into something else. Peatlands have been ditched for agricultural use, forestry, and peat production which has reduced their number. In the 21st century, the intangible values of mires have increased. In modern urbanized societies, most people live far away from mires and for many they represent mainly places of recreation.

Some unconventional uses of mires like mire/swamp sport events have grown in popularity in several European countries. For example, swamp soccer and swamp volley tournaments have established their position among the Finnish summer events calendar. The mire sport tournaments are mainly held in peatlands where peat extraction is ceased. This study concentrates on mire sport events and mire athletes, and the central research question is: how does mire sport events influence the construction of human-mire relationship and re-building of a new cultural heritage? The empirical research material consists of thematic research interviews of mire sport athletes and ethnographic observations in mire sports events held 2020-2021 in Finland. The sport tournaments are humorous in nature, however, they prompt people to think about the natural values of mire which otherwise would not be considered. This study highlights new kinds of thoughts about mires that anticipate changes in attitudes and actions.