Forsøl in Hammerfest. Photo: Marthe Nyvoll
Fotefar mot nord is an ambitious project for cultural heritage that began in 1992. It is a guide to 10,000 years of history in Northern Norway and Namdalen. Each of the region's 103 municipalities (in 1992) facilitated cultural heritage or cultural environments, such as cultural trails, signs or exhibitions. In addition, a booklet with historical material about each of the projects was produced. In the fall of 2003, the book Fotefar mot nord – a cultural historical journey in Northern Norway and Namdalen was published. This magnificent book is based on these booklets.
Fotefar mot nord stems from the large cultural program of the Regional Committee for Northern Norway and Northern Trøndelag 1988-94. The purpose of the project was to present a cross-section of northern Norwegian cultural history through physical sites and objects. The work was coordinated by the then four counties, with participation from municipalities, museums, local historians and history societies, as well as individuals.
In April 2021, a pilot project was launched to revitalize Fotefar mot nord and ensure its continued operation. The pilot project is run by Nordland County Council, and has a working group and a steering committee with members from the involved county councils and the Sami Parliament. The pilot project is a joint project with contributions from the county councils of Trøndelag, Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, as well as the Sami Parliament and The Directorate for Cultural Heritage. From 2024 to 2027, we also have support from Arctic 2030.