Kynö in Estonia - the island where women are in charge

In co-operation with the Estonian Tourist Board

Kynö in Estonia is a small and very special island. Its traditional culture is so distinctive and well-preserved that it has been designated as one of humanity's intangible cultural heritages. Here, weddings are celebrated like nowhere else in the world, and women are in charge.

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Kynö in Estonia

Kynö, or Kihnu in Estonian, is an island in the Pärnumaa region off the south-west coast of Estonia. The island is located near the holiday town of Pärnuand also near the island of Runö. Today there are about 400 year-round residents, and despite a small population, they are careful to keep the special traditions alive.

To Kynö by ferry

After visiting Pärnu, we drove to the Munalaiu ferry camp, which took just over half an hour by car. The ferry journey, for which we paid 23 euros, then took an hour. The weather was quite bad when we left, but it has become much better since then.

The harbour on Kynö

When we arrived at Kynö, we were greeted by a cosy little ferry landing with a few small shops where you could buy crafts, waffles, gooseberries or perhaps a map of the island for one euro. You can also rent bikes here. Cycling around the island is very popular.

On Kynö, women decide

The first thing we were told about Kynö before travelling here is that this is the island where women are in charge. We've even heard of this island as Europe's last matriarchy. On the island, women are in charge, and the most popular image is that of a woman in folk costume riding around on a motorbike with a sidecar. But what does it mean that the women are in charge? We met a female guide who could tell us more.

Life on Kynö in Estonia

Our guide, Mare, told us about life on the island. Throughout history, men have worked as fishermen, sealers, stone collectors and sailors, staying away from home for long periods of time. Meanwhile, women have taken over the helm and managed life at home - from education to church traditions.

Culture on Kynö is living, which includes the use of folk costumes, the singing of traditional songs, the speaking and writing of the local dialect (which has some loan words from Swedish, such as "sweater"), and the teaching of children to play the violin or accordion at school. Weddings are still celebrated in the traditional way, with relatives of the bride and groom taking turns singing songs to the bride-to-be.

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READ MORE: Dagö in Estonia - among lighthouses and Swedish history

How do you live today?

We are curious and asked about everything. How is it possible to maintain the old culture, and how do you live today? According to Mare, many people who come from Kynö want to stay, and there are a number of jobs in the municipality, the school, health care, the museum, and in tourism and shipping.

Estonia is at the forefront of the digital world, so it may also be possible to work online from the island. Despite this, jobs can be hard to come by, which is why some of the residents have moved away anyway. For those who remain, holding on to culture seems important, and there are plenty of music, art and cultural events organised on the island.

Are tourists coming?

We asked which tourists most often visit the island, and in first place are Estonians from the mainland. In second place, somewhat surprisingly... Japanese! The Japanese have a great cultural interest and are fascinated by this ancient culture that should be preserved according to UNESCO.

Germans come too, of course (to check out the motorbikes), but almost no Swedes. They would like to see more Swedes! But they don't want to see more of the tourists who (unfortunately) come to shoot birds just for fun. This is allowed by law, so the only thing the villagers could do as a protest is an art project ...

Kynö Museum

A good way to familiarise yourself with the culture is to visit the Kynö Museum, located in the middle of the island next to the school and church. When we arrived, the museum was decorated with lots of pictures from a previous festival on the island. When you arrive, it might look different.

At the museum you can learn about the clothes, the schooling and the culture of both women and men. The men have fished and hunted seals, but also engaged in naive art during their long periods at sea.

Kynö Church

The church on Kynö, which is directly opposite the museum, looks Lutheran but is Orthodox. The explanation is that the church was once built as a Lutheran church, and was later converted into an Orthodox church. During a period in history, the islanders were struggling with food shortages and were promised tax breaks and other benefits if they converted to the Orthodox faith.

The church, like all other social functions on Kynö, is run by women. It is the women who organise baptisms, weddings and funerals.

READ MORE: Saaremaa in Estonia - the island of windmills
READ MORE: Travelling by motorhome in Estonia - all you need to know

Guided tour

After visiting the museum and the church, our guide took us on a tour around the island in his pick-up truck. I (Helena) went in the front, and Peter did the ride in the back ...

Kynö lighthouse

At the very south end of Kynö is a lighthouse, Kihnu tuletorn. The area around the lighthouse is fantastic, and if you pay a small fee you can also go up to the lighthouse. I (Helena), who is afraid of heights, did not have to, and the photo from the top is Peter's ...

Next to the lighthouse is a small shop, where you can buy handicrafts, locally produced beer and locally produced ice cream. The woman who worked as a lighthouse keeper took the opportunity to knit, and these are not just any products, we realised.

Our guide told us that even the president has a jumper knitted by this woman, and that you have to wait at least two years if you want to order one yourself, as the queue is so long.

Lunch, coffee and local food

If you want to have lunch or coffee, there are several places to stop around the island. Unfortunately, the islanders still seem a little unaccustomed to tourists other than Estonians and Japanese (who come in groups with a guide).

Several of the places mentioned by the guide are only signposted in Estonian. The place in the picture below, which sells handicrafts and coffee, is in Lemsi and it may be useful to know that the café is called "Kohvik" in Estonian. But we've already told you, so maybe next summer there will be signs in English.

We had lunch at a nice place with outdoor seating in Rock City. It took quite a long time to get the food in (the beautiful weather probably surprised the staff) but the goose and potatoes tasted really good.

We also took the opportunity to buy some interesting food from Kynö in Estonia. They eat a lot of (smoked) fish and bake a special bread. The most special product is ... seal! We bought everything in a small farm shop called Rooslaiu Talu.

There was a lunch of bread and fish the next day, along with locally produced beer that we bought at the lighthouse. The beer was really good and also the smoked fish. We didn't really like the sweet and slightly sticky bread, but maybe it's a matter of taste. What about the seal? We have to admit that we haven't tried it yet. The perfect "seal-eating day" has simply not materialised, yet. We'll be back!

READ MORE: Haapsalu in Estonia - Noisy village charm on the coast
READ MORE: Rummu quarry in Estonia - prison turned bathing paradise

Long-haired cows

We also saw a bunch of long-haired cows during our tour of the island. Soooo charming! One wonders what some look like under their bangs...?

Free camping on Kynö in Estonia

There is a campsite on Kynö and we first considered staying there overnight. There are really cosy cabins and the possibility to stay with a motorhome, but we thought it was a bit too shady and continued down to the beach.

We found a fantastic spot by the beach. There was another couple camping a short distance away, but otherwise it was completely empty. We have never before freecamped as much as we do here in Estonia. Free camping is allowed, it's safe and there's lots of beautiful nature. And believe it or not, a short walk from our free campsite there was a free outdoor toilet, with toilet paper.

Video from Kihnu

Facts about Kynö in Estonia

Country: Estonia
Landscape: Pärnumaa
Municipality: Municipality of Kynö
Length: 7 kilometres (north-south)
Width: 4 kilometres (west-east)
Population: About 700 registered on the island and about 400 year-round residents.

Language and culture on Kynö

Language: Kynö dialect (a variant of Estonian) and Estonian. Many also know English.
Unesco heritage: The traditional culture of Kynö was designated in 2003 by UNESCO as one of the Intangible Masterpieces of Humanity through the programme Proclamation of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Cultural expressions include singing (kalevalametric rune singing), dancing, games, wedding traditions, handicrafts and specialised clothing. In 2008, Kynö's traditional culture was also included in the UNESCO list of world heritage sites. Representational List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Humanity and is thus an official intangible cultural heritage.

Things to see and do on Kynö

Villages: Linnaküla (centre), Lemsi, Rootsiküla ("Swedish village") and Sääre.
Attractions: Kynö Church (Kihnu kirik), Museum (Muuseum) and Kynö Lighthouse (Kihnu tuletorn)
Activities: Cycle around the island (bikes are available for hire), go fishing, make home visits, experience the island on a guided tour, try local food, buy local crafts or take part in events.

Journey to Kynö in Estonia

Ferry: The ferry to Kynö runs mainly from Munalaiu Port, but sometimes also from Pärnu Port (Kalda 2). In summer, the ferry runs about 3-4 times a day. Contact the tourist office in Pärnu or see the website. Veeteed for up-to-date information on ferries.
Winter road: In winter, a winter road can sometimes also run across the ice, but this is often only for a few weeks per winter.

Accommodation on Kynö in Estonia

Guest houses and bed & breakfasts: There are many different types of accommodation, including small guest houses, bed & breakfasts and farmhouse accommodation. You can find different types of accommodation at Visit Kihnu.
Camping: There is a campsite on the western part of the island, Linaküla Rannakämping. The campsite is mainly focused on cottage accommodation, but it is also possible to stay with a motorhome/caravan and pay for electricity. You can also free camp almost anywhere on the island, as long as it is not on a private property.

Programme "Promoting Estonia as a Tourism Destination" is supported by European Union Regional Development Fund.

Helena

20 July 2019 6:00

Estonia

Motorhome trip Estonia, nature, experiences in Europe

Helena

Administrator

21 Comments

Add yours →

Ruth in Virginia says:

What a fascinating place! The Baltic countries have been
a blank page for me. Your journey has shown me, how many beautiful
places there are in little Estonia, even though it is a poor country.
"Rock City"! Wonder where that name comes from?

The campsite looks very nice but the beach is quite sticky. 🙂

20 July 2019 - 6:30

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Really! Both beautiful and very special and interesting! Haha, we also wondered about "Rock city"! Apparently there was a boat called that once! Looked like nice sandy bottom in the water actually (but did not swim here).
  
  20 July 2019 - 8:53
  
  Reply
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

What a little gem you have discovered!
After this post, it would be strange if the proportion of Swedish tourists did not increase.
This is exactly the kind of place we want to mix the "must-see" attractions with, and the possibility of hiking in scenic places is not bad either!

20 July 2019 - 9:03

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Truly a gem! A very special and interesting island to visit!
  
  20 July 2019 - 16:48
  
  Reply
Ama de casa says:

What a cool place! Love the cheerful house ðŸ™'

The cow looked to be Scottish highland cattle, they are so beautiful! Was often and visited them on Järvafältet when we lived in Sollentuna.

You're good at refusing heights 😉.

20 July 2019 - 9:05

Reply
- Lisa says:
  
  Kynö seems well worth a visit, may be another time. We chose Ösel where there would also be ladies on motorbikes. We didn't see any, and didn't notice that time had stood still there. Nice anyway.
  Kovik , must laugh took us a very long time to understand that not every other town was called that but that it means café . Estonian is not so easy to understand.
  
  20 July 2019 - 9:51
  
  Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Ama de casa, maybe that's what it is? The cows were super nice in any case! 🙂 And yes, there are sooo many heights to refuse ... 😉.
  
  20 July 2019 - 16:49
  
  Reply
Margaretha Lillvik says:

I have also been curious about Estonia for a long time and who knows, maybe I will make a trip there. Now we have received some tips from you. Nice to hear that you can fricamp, we like that. What about the roads and toll roads? We have visited Poland before so now it is probably time for Estonia too. Very interesting country to visit I think.

20 July 2019 - 10:50

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Margaretha, Estonia is really worth discovering and a nice country to travel in! The roads are excellent! No toll roads.
  
  20 July 2019 - 16:50
  
  Reply
  - Mr Jonas says:
    
    Why does a Swedish article say Munalaiu Port and Pärnu Port in English? Port in Estonian is called sadam, so you can write Munalaiu sadam and Pärnu sadam.
    
    27 July 2019 - 19:58
    
    Reply
    - Comment by post author
      
      Helena says:
      
      Hi Jonas! Thank you for your comment, yes we have noticed that harbour is called sadam in Estonian. Could also have written harbour in Swedish actually. The reason why it's easy to end up in English is that I always have to use English when I write, because I read brochures and websites etc. in English. So it's easy to do that. Basically, I agree with you, and try to translate into Swedish, or keep the original language. But as I said, it takes extra time and since I write every day, it's hard to get it exactly right all the time 😉.
      
      27 July 2019 - 20:23
      
      Reply
Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Women are in charge everywhere! Did you meet anyone who spoke Swedish?

20 July 2019 - 16:22

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  There is no longer a Swedish-speaking population here, but there are various historical memories of the Swedish population that existed in the past. There were only a few on Kynö, but there were many more on the surrounding islands. Did not meet any Swedish tourists on Kynö (they are apparently few) but heard Swedish tourists on the larger islands.
  
  20 July 2019 - 16:54
  
  Reply
Elisabeth says:

What an exciting place! There aren't many matrisrkat, so it's nice to meet something.

20 July 2019 - 20:12

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Very interesting place! 🙂
  
  27 July 2019 - 20:24
  
  Reply
BP says:

What an exciting and unique place - to visit, not to live in. You are really discovering a number of places totally unknown to me and probably to most readers.
Liked the museum with the naive paintings - those always make me happy.
Now I'm just waiting for the review of the seal. Really exciting. Love to test "unusual" and unfamiliar dishes.

20 July 2019 - 20:43

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  This place was completely unknown to us also before. Loved such places. very interesting!
  
  27 July 2019 - 20:24
  
  Reply
Lena - good for the soul says:

What a cute and funny little island. Truly special! It's great when you preserve proud traditions. And those cows! So cute!

Hug Lena

22 July 2019 - 8:09

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Aren't the cows beautiful? Love them 🙂
  
  27 July 2019 - 20:25
  
  Reply
staffan skott says:

Thank you!
The cross on the church is the Orthodox cross.

25 July 2019 - 8:00

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Yes, that's exactly right! We did not get it together at first when we saw the Orthodox cross on a church that looked more like a Lutheran church, but then we got the explanation! 🙂
  
  27 July 2019 - 20:25
  
  Reply

Kynö in Estonia - the island where women are in charge

In co-operation with the Estonian Tourist Board

Kynö in Estonia

To Kynö by ferry

The harbour on Kynö

On Kynö, women decide

Life on Kynö in Estonia

How do you live today?

Are tourists coming?

Kynö Museum

Kynö Church

Guided tour

Kynö lighthouse

Lunch, coffee and local food

Long-haired cows

Free camping on Kynö in Estonia

Video from Kihnu

Facts about Kynö in Estonia

Language and culture on Kynö

Things to see and do on Kynö

Journey to Kynö in Estonia

Accommodation on Kynö in Estonia

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21 Comments

Ruth in Virginia says:

Helena says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Helena says:

Ama de casa says:

Lisa says:

Helena says:

Margaretha Lillvik says:

Helena says:

Mr Jonas says:

Helena says:

Mr Nils-Åke Hansson says:

Helena says:

Elisabeth says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Lena - good for the soul says:

Helena says:

staffan skott says:

Helena says:

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