Passing down handicraft traditions and training thatchers in Mariestad
“It’s so darned cool, in three weeks we’ve learned more than I ever thought possible! Our talented teachers constantly mix theory with practice. This way we get to learn the ins and outs of the craft!”
This is how Ludde Edman describes his first weeks of training as a thatcher at Dacapo in Mariestad, which provides vocational courses in-house and university and college education in collaboration with other establishments. A new course for thatchers was begun at the school three weeks ago, and over the next two years, eight students will be trained in the trade.
Joar Nilsson, who is the teacher in charge of the course, tells us there is a lack of thatchers in Sweden.
“Many existing roofs are in need of repair, while more and more people also want to thatch new roofs. It’s good that we’ve begun the training courses, because there’s not enough of us in the industry today,” says Joar.
- What?
Two-year course in thatchering
- Where?
Mariestad
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The best roof for the environment
Nilla Thomson has worked with the environment and sustainability issues all her professional life, including at various government agencies. Now she wants to do something practical.
“I look forward to starting a job, so I’ll be able in a few years to point to a roof I’ve helped thatch! Thatching has such a cool history, and the principle is the same all over the world. The materials used vary depending on the geography, but the basics of the craft remain the same,” says Nilla.
Skaraborg has plenty of reed beds, which is why most of the thatched roofs in the area are made from that particular material. And in addition to being an eco-friendly choice of cladding, thatched roofs help improve sustainability in many ways.
“Lakes can easily become overgrown and by cutting back the reeds, we promote biodiversity in the lake and bring its ecosystem into better balance. And since we put the reeds to use, nothing goes to waste. If we cut the reeds correctly without damaging the roots, we can harvest reeds every year, making them an infinite resource. There’s nothing better from a sustainability standpoint,” says Joar.
If we cut the reeds correctly without damaging the roots, we can harvest reeds every year, making them an infinite resource. There’s nothing better from a sustainability standpoint,
About Dacapo
Dacapo Mariestad is a municipal education platform. It provides vocational courses in-house and university and college education in collaboration with other establishments.
Want to learn more about thatching?
You can find lots of information about thatching at Svenska Stråtaktäckarföreningen (stratak.info) both for the merely curious and for people who work in the industry.
Denmark, with around 400 thatchers and where 1% of all roofs are thatched, is ahead of Sweden.Stråtags-Info
