Jutis – Nature, Village History and Local Festivals

Jutis combines a distinctive landscape around Västra Jutis with an engaging village history and vibrant local traditions. Anyone looking for a holiday that combines observing nature, historical insights and community festivals will find many different points of interest here. The shore area at Västra Jutis consists of open grassland, mixed woodland mainly made up of birch and pine, and a small open wetland. The area in question, comprising seven sections, lies mainly at the level of Jutis on Lake Västra Jutis.

Experiencing Nature and Finding Your Way Around

One specific way to get to know the area is the Jutis Moose Safari. It starts daily in Jutis; advance registration is required to take part. Jutis is located on the Silver Road, 39 kilometres from Arjeplog. The village is also on Road 95, around 42 kilometres west of Arjeplog. This information helps with general travel planning and with deciding whether Jutis is suitable as a destination in its own right. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, this provides an initial basis for assessing the desired location in relation to the journey and planned nature experiences.

Village History Between Settlement and Craftsmanship

The history of Jutis dates back to 1775: the Sámi settler Per Eriksson settled there and named the place Rioktus. Historically, Jutis was a typical small farming settlement whose main sources of income were agriculture and forestry. From the mid-1930s onwards, Jutis served for a long time as a local centre with a post office, telegraph station and shop. A survey carried out by Nasabolaget also recorded a kåta, a cattle shed, a barn and a pole storehouse, as well as stony soil and sandy loam, in Jutis in 1781. Nasabolaget operated the state-owned silver mine on the Norwegian border. The waterways around Jutis were also formerly used to operate a mill, a forge and a smelting works.

Local Traditions and Community Life

Recurring events are part of the character of the village. A Palt dinner is held every year on Good Friday. At the start of the autumn moose hunt, Jutis holds a moose festival. Every year on Walpurgis Eve, a fire is lit at the Byastuga, where people barbecue and celebrate together. The Byastuga of the Jutis Byaförening is a 200-square-metre community hall with a restaurant kitchen and facilities for large groups. The Jutis Byaförening focuses its activities on the village of Jutis.

An unusual local publication is the annual Jutiskalendern. It contains nature-themed images from the area around Jutis, shows participants naked and benefits the Cancer Society and the local village association. Those who prefer to plan their trip around history, customs or the landscape can take these different themes into account when choosing accommodation and tailor the length of their stay to their own interests.

Other Places for Travel Planning

For additional orientation, you can also visit the pages on Laisvall, Mellanström, Arjeplog, Slagnäs, Vuoggatjalme and Jäckvik.

To the higher-level travel overview: Arjeplog.