The small island of Kihnu in the Baltic sea is a unique, centuries-old society where women do most of the jobs on land: from farming to lighthouse keeping, leading church services and even dressing up as Santa at Christmas, while the men are away at sea fishing.
The men of Kihnu island, six miles off the coast of Estonia, are away at sea fishing for weeks or months at a time, leaving the women to run what is often dubbed one of the last matriarchal societies in Europe.
Steeped in folk traditions, Kihnu’s historic way of life, however, is now threatened as economic hardship drives more and more islanders away in search of work.
The island of six square miles has only a few paved roads, two small food shops, a museum, church and primary school with 36 children, down from over 100 some years ago.
Kihnu life still revolves around ancient folk traditions and songs, a unique culture which UNESCO describes as a “masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity.”
