Kurkijärvi is a 40 kilometre long village around the lake of the same name. The history of the settlement goes back a long way. The settlement has been built near the lake because of its bountiful fish and the waterroutes. The first inhabitants were the Sámi. Objects, e.g., toys, made of reindeer bones have been found in the fields following their residence. Kurkijärvi has been a popular summertime fishing spot. Initially, the people of Härmä in Southern Ii have owned the fishing rights of Lake Kurkijärvi. Later in the 17th century, Heikki Pertunpoika from Kipinä in Kollaja leased the hunting and gathering rights.
Source: Kurkijärvi Maamiesseura
