Finn-men facts for kids
Finn-men were people from the Arctic, also called Inuit. They were seen a long time ago in the northern parts of Scotland. People also called them Muckle men, Fion, or Fin Finn. They traveled in small boats called kayaks.
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Sightings of Finn-men
The first time someone officially wrote about seeing a Finn-man was in 1682. This happened in a place called Orkney, in Scotland. A man named James Wallace wrote about it around 1688. He said people on the island of Eday saw a Finn-man in his small boat. When the islanders tried to catch him, he quickly paddled away.
In 1684, another Finn-man was seen near Westray. Some people thought he was connected to fish disappearing from the sea. One of their boats was caught in Orkney. It was then sent to the Physicians Hall in Edinburgh to be studied.
Where did Finn-men come from?
At first, people thought these Finn-men came from Finland. But they were actually Inuit people from a place called the Davis Strait. This is a cold sea area between Canada and Greenland. James Wallace knew they were Inuit. However, many people still believed they came from Finland or other parts of Europe.
James Wallace's son, also named James, later wrote that storms might have pushed them to Scotland. It's also possible they were prisoners who had escaped. European ships sometimes captured Inuit people to show them off as curiosities. This practice was so concerning that in 1720, the Dutch government made a law. This law made it illegal to kill or kidnap Inuit people.
What Finn-men looked like
John Brand wrote about seeing a Finn-man in his book A Brief Description of Orkney. He described them as very fast. He wondered how one person in a small boat could travel so far from their home.
Brand said their boats were made of seal skins or other types of leather. The Finn-men also wore leather coats. They sat in the middle of their boat with a small oar. They used fishing lines to catch fish. When a big wave came, they knew how to sink their boat a little. This helped the wave pass over without flipping them. Local fishers believed that when Finn-men arrived, the fish would leave the coast.
Finn-men's boats
Today, you can still see kayaks that belonged to Finn-men. These old boats are kept in museums in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. They are important historical items.
Finn-men in stories
The stories of Finn-men became mixed with other old Scottish tales. These included myths about selkies and Finfolk. Selkies are creatures that can change from seals to humans. Finfolk are magical people from the sea. Sometimes, people even thought Finn-men were the same as these mythical creatures. Their appearance was often explained using these old traditions.
Related media
The story of the Finn-men is explored in a TV show called Explorers. You can find it on Red Bull TV. The episode about them is called "Journey of the Finnmen".
