Hiiumaa is home to around 9500 inhabitants. Surrounded by the sea and the winds, the people of Hiiumaa know how to keep things together and are actively involved in village associations and the development of Hiiumaa life. The island’s indigenous culture is strong – after all, we are all familiar with the Hii language, the Hii humour and the Hii spirit, which teaches us to take life with a grain of salt. And then there’s Leiger, the beloved hero of Hiiumaa, whose legends tell the origins of many of the island’s most remarkable natural sites.
Above all, it is associated with the emergence of the Sääretirb. The Great Troll went to his brother Leigri’s sauna in Hiiumaa. On the way back to Saaremaa, however, the westerly wind often raised the water level in the Soela Strait to such a high level that the water was already up to its knees. Tõll then said that he could no longer go to the sauna, something had to be done. Leiger then proposed that Tõll should start building roads on the Saaremaa side, he would meet him on the Hiiumaa side and they would meet in the middle. Leiger started to carry stones to where Sääretirp is now, finally got tired and went to see how Tõllu was doing. When they got there, they saw that Tõll hadn’t even started yet. Leiger got angry and also gave up.
A number of writers, musicians and artists, who have been attracted to the island’s magical atmosphere throughout the ages, also consider Hiiumaa their home island. Go figure, whether it’s the seagulls, the sea breeze or the wonderful silence that makes Hiiumaa such a special place – but once you’ve discovered the island’s charm, you’ll keep coming back. Here you’ll find stories of enterprising people in Hiiumaa.
