"Look at old maps," advises art historian Sirje Simson who has, over the past few years, taken every opportunity to return to the island. "Ruhnu is like the navel of the world - the world's structure was built around a tiny island."

The island of Ruhnu or Runö is a place we know a lot about, yet so little. Proper archaeological research took place there only a few years ago. It established that the oldest human settlement dated back to 5000 BC. All at once, the island has become twice as old, and research continues. It is known that the island was mostly used by seal hunters who set up camp there. Although the date of permanent settlement remains unclear, six Stone Age settlements have been found. Märt Kapsta, head of the Ruhnu Museum, points out that the ancient network of roads almost totally coincides with present-day paths. The same roads and paths have been used on the island for millennia. Such longevity of movement is by no means accidental: the island contains a certain power that many perceive, but only a few understand. One of the most "charged" areas is the small elevation in the middle of the island. In 1644 a wooden church, where sermons are occasionally delivered to this day and people listen to the presence of God, was erected there. In the early 20th century a new church was built beside the old one, which was no longer able to accommodate all the islanders. In the course of building the foundation, various items were unearthed, indicating that the elevation had been filled with a special power as early as the Stone Age.

MALL NUKKE. ESTONIAN MAP N°8. COLOR PENCIL, COPY. 2002

The fact that the island moves is another proof of its peculiar and fairy-tale nature. For centuries, Ruhnu was inhabited mainly by Swedes and ruled by Swedish law, which had its impact on the island. The eastern coast is gradually but consistently sinking, while the western part is rising - several small islets visible on old maps have, over time, been united to the island. Ruhnu is thus quietly but steadily floating towards Sweden, although the Swedes left the island almost en masse on 6 August 1944, fleeing the approaching Soviet troops.

It is typical of both the islanders and Ruhnu itself that there are so many elements mixed together. The island's soil, for instance, contains all the plentiful varieties of Estonian soil. In addition, the place boasts a lighthouse, said to have been designed by Jean Eiffel and produced in Le Havre, and a nearly 800 metre deep artesian well that was thought might lead to gas or oil discoveries during the Soviet period. A person often wears several hats. There is a blacksmith named Mitja on the island who also works as a volunteer fireman, hunter, miller, and mechanic and is responsible for the rescue service. "You need two things to survive on Ruhnu," he says, "a good wife and a decent saw."

This article is based on information derived from tapes recorded for the Culture Echo Programme of Estonian Radio. See also www.ruhnu.ee