Seppäläiset
Seppäläiset refers to a group of Finnish settlers who established themselves in the northern parts of Karelia, particularly in the areas around the Salla and Kuusamo regions, during the 17th and 18th centuries. These settlers were primarily farmers and hunters from Savo, a historical province of Finland. They were drawn to these sparsely populated frontier lands by the promise of new land for cultivation and abundant natural resources for hunting and trapping.
The settlement of Seppäläiset was characterized by a gradual migration, often in small family groups. They
The establishment of Seppäläiset communities was part of a broader trend of Finnish expansion into eastern