The Story of Sointula

The morning rain seemed like a good excuse for a short cruise, so we made our way eastward from Port Hardy along Queen Charlotte Strait to the community of Sointula on Malcolm Island.  

The Peaceful Town of Sointula

 



Colorful homes and flower gardens at Sointula

Sointula was settled by Finnish immigrants, evident by the colorful homes, flower gardens, and unique wood fences and old barns in the area.  Everyone seems to be on island time, no one’s in a hurry and people wave as they pass by; you might even see chickens crossing the road.  

Chickens crossing the road in Sointula

Most of the activity takes place at the docks, the marine ways, and in the village at the Co-op Grocery Store and town cafes.  

Malcolm Island Docks and Harbour Office

While checking in at the Harbour Office for our stay at the Malcolm Island docks, we made special note of the new office, clean showers, and nice laundry facilities, and of course the lovely flower beds.  Located next to the office is the cute red ‘Burger Barn,’ open noon to 7pm, which seems quite popular.  A stop at Sointula, however, isn’t complete without a ride into town; if you don’t have bicycles aboard your boat, the Harbour Office has loaner bicycles for guests.  Learning about the history of Sointula made our visit all that more interesting.  Finnish immigrants who were tired of working the coal mines in the Nanaimo area, organized the Kalevan Kansa Colonization Company and the AIKA Newspaper.  

Archive Photo, Sointula

The immigrants, under the leadership of Matti Kurikka, negotiated with the B.C. government for land, and in 1901 the Company took possession of Malcolm Island (28,000 acres).  The name Sointula, meaning place of harmony, was chosen to match the life style of communal ownership, equal rights, and decision making by consensus.  

Yesteryear buildings at Sointula

This idealistic utopia didn’t last; and by late 1904, much of the colony deteriorated and the founder left, along with half the colony.  The remaining pioneers, under the direction of Austin Makela, tried to make the best of it but were saddled with debt.  As a consequence, the Colonization Company sold the assets to the bank and returned the Island to the Government of British Columbia.  

The Sointula Co-op Grocery Store, established 1909

The pioneers who stayed were allowed to keep their homes and continue their efforts to create new businesses including the 1909 Co-operative Grocery Store.  The Co-op Grocery Store is still in business today and is the oldest running cooperative in British Columbia.  After shopping at this historic grocery store, we road our bikes back towards the docks, stopping at the Tarkanen Marine Ways to check out their new buildings.  A fire in 2016 destroyed the workshop and sheds which were quickly rebuilt and then re-opened for business this spring.  

Tarkanen Marine Ways and Work Sheds

Tarkanen has three marine ways with varying size cradles which can accommodate power vessels up to 60 feet and accommodate some sailboats.  Tarkanen (250-973-6710) is the only marine ways between Campbell River or Lund, and shearwater.  Services at Tarkanen include welding, fiberglass repairs, and bottom painting for both commercial and pleasure boats.  Folks at Tarkanen are friendly and were hard at work, perhaps inherited from the Finnish can do attitude.  

Exploring the Streets of Sointula

After depositing our groceries at the boat, we biked west of town and enjoyed more peaceful residential streets and country-style houses along the seashore; the sea breeze and warm afternoon sun melted away the concerns of the world for Sointula, ‘the place of harmony.’

Malcolm Island Lions Harbour Authority Docks