Swans Of Pertunmaa

Today marks the release of “Swans Of Pertunmaa,” a single born from misty dawns on the shores of Koukjärvi and carried by the timeless call of a swan family.

Our little cottage in Pertunmaa—just a few kilometres from the Kuortti ABC in the vast lake country of Suur-Savo—has always been a place of quiet rituals. Each spring, before the world wakes, the same two swans sweep across the grey water and settle into the reeds. Their arrival signals continuity: a reminder that some things endure, whatever names we give our towns or how we redraw our maps.

Last year, Pertunmaa quietly vanished from official charts, incorporated into the neighbouring municipality of Mäntyharju. On paper, the change was seamless; a new ward designation, a few lines on a map. But at Koukjärvi, nothing shifted. The reeds do not consult council minutes, and the swans have no regard for budgets or boundaries. They glide through the water’s reflection of willow branches and sky—symbols of roots deeper than any administrative decree, and of freedom that transcends human ideas of order.

When I returned to the shore with field recorders in hand, I came seeking those echoes of permanence. I found the soft lapping of waves against weathered stones, the low hum of wind through bent stalks, and the swans’ pure, resonant call. These sounds wove together effortlessly into the melody of “Swans Of Pertunmaa,” a song not only of place but of perspective: an invitation to pause, listen and remember what truly lasts.

As the single goes live on 23 May 2025, I hope it carries you to Koukjärvi’s dawn, wherever you are. In that preamble of mist and wings, may you find your own sense of home—rooted yet free.

Together, we’ll keep those authentic Pertunmaa voices alive—long after the lines on our maps have changed.

All the best for your weekend.

Markus

PS. Listen to the song here on Spotify: