Hiljainen Kansa | Exploring Finland
Looking for something unusual? Looking for something bizarre? Well, that is something you might find just north of Suomussalmi. Hiljainen Kansa is an art exhibition outdoors. You can consider it one single art installation. Translated this is The Silent People and it consists of hundreds of peat-headed figurines, each with their own clothes. Their creator was the dancer and choreographer Reijo Kela.
A Short History of Hiljainen Kansa
The Silent People were first introduced to the world in 1988. The figures were initially located at two separate fields closer to Suomussalmi. They even made a trip to Helsinki in 1994 before they were later set up at their current location later that year.
Things to Do and See
The main attraction here is the peat-headed figurines themselves. You can walk around them on the field and try to understand the bizarre meaning of the them. There is also a small coffee shop next to the field.
How to Get to Hiljainen Kansa
- Flights: The closest airports are Kuusamo Airport (KAO) to the north and Kajaani Airport (KAJ) to the south.
- Car: Hiljainen kansa is located along the road E63, just north of Suomussalmi.
The driving distance from 5 major Finnish cities, according to Google Maps:
- Helsinki – 694 kilometers (8 h)
- Turku – 756 kilometers (8 h 50 min)
- Vaasa – 502 kilometers (6 h)
- Oulu – 205 kilometers (2 h 40 min)
- Joensuu – 345 kilometers (4 h)
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