On Skaftö
Skaftö is far out at sea in the middle of Bohuslän with a beautiful archipelago on the outside that provides protection from the waves. The cultural traditions of Skaftö means fishing, shipping and seaside resorts as the main industry. The proximity to the sea and nature makes Skafto a paradise for both residents and visitors.
On the east side of Skaftö is Flatön and Ängön. The Swedish author, artist, composer and singer Evert Taube, spent much time in the 40's and wrote some of his songs there. He is widely regarded as one of Swedens most respected musicians and the foremost troubadour of the Swedish ballad tradition in the 20th century. The nature of Skaftö can be described as in his song Inbjudan till Bohuslän. The mountains rise in the west and in the middle of the island there are both farmland and pastures.
Som blågrå dyning bohusbergen rullar
I ödsligt majestät mot havets rand
Men mellan dess kala urtidskullar
Är bördig jord och gammalt bondeland
In the southwest Islandsberg spreads out with its huge cliff facing the open sea. The lighthouse at the tip of the cliff was a familiar place to Evert Taube. His uncle was the lighthouse keeper there. In the song he also mentions the changing colors of Bohuslän. It is in the spring the blue anemones and the wood anemones flower and colour Vägeröds Dalar.
Ja kom och se vårt Bohuslän om våren
Du Rönnerdahl, som äger blick för färg
The villages of Skaftö have grown up around the natural ports available, which Taube also writes about in the song.
Dit tränger Skagerack med blåa kilar
It is in these narrow bays the villages emerged. The herring periods have played a major role in the development of the societies. While Grundsund is a typical fishing community Fiskebäckskil and Östersidan developed into shipping communities with big houses built by shipowners. Even Rågårdsvik and Stockevik have had fishing as the main industry thanks to the herring periods during the 18th century. In Grundsund LL158 Sandö is still at the quay. Sandö is one of the last white motorized fishing boats that went fishing off the Shetland Islands during the 50s and onwards.
In the late 19th century the seaside resorts grew stronger. The salty water in Bohusläns was believed to have a healing effect, which also Taube describes in the song.
Här blir du frisk till hälsan och humöret
Här trivs du, Rönnerdahl, det lovar jag!
