ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Batsfjord's unique and successful development in a region which is otherwise characterized by outmigration, state subsidies, and the absence of that particular communal spirit which has given Batsfjord its special identity. It discusses how and why Batsfjord confirms and reinforces its identity as a successful post-war community. The chapter shows how Batsfjord reinvented itself after World War II and created a modern place-identity linked to industrialization, development, new ideas and initiatives as well as a vision of the future. This new identity is an example of how change in the economic base of a community can result in a mental realignment. The chapter illustrates how material and symbolic changes are closely linked. It also illustrates that reinventing a place is not necessarily a strategic and planned process. Even though the origin myth is currently used to promote the community, it is not an attempt of conventional marketing.
