Finland: University of Eastern Finland

Villagehood observed through Mujejärvi

For University of Eastern Finland, the starting point of our HEART project pilot regarding intangible cultural heritage was found within the small village of Mujejärvi between Nurmes and Kuhmo. The village today is home to only 16 people, but it has a vast history which shows the development of villagehood and the cultural heritage themes surrounding it from the past to the present. The village itself preserves the villagehood themes through an active village association that was our main partner during the pilot.

To lead transformative learning, we hosted workshops at Mujejärvi with our project team and art educator and collected material (new and old images, oral stories, objects) to present at an exhibition in Nurmes museum. These workshops and the exhibition about the village were important to the people living there; they had the chance to reflect on their past and talk about the present all the while thinking about the specific cultural heritage small villages like Mujejärvi are both preserving and living through.

The participants and the art educator Miia Rosenius have gathered around a table to discuss about the old photographs in one of the workshop sessions.

By combining the material collected in the workshops we created a narrative exhibition “10 stories from Mujejärvi” that was displayed at the Nurmes Museum from November 8th, 2023, to December 15th, 2023. We also created a virtual version of the exhibition to enhance its accessibility. The themes displayed in the exhibition and connected to the intangible cultural heritage of villages were the following: haymaking and heritage landscapes (haymaking skills), village customs and celebrations, architectural heritage (wood building skills), transport (movement in the village), generational stories related to Raatelehto and Kujangi farms, trade and self-sufficiency and deep relationships with nature (berry and mushroom picking, hunting, chaga mushroom).

A poster for “10 Stories from Mujejärvi”—an exhibition in Nurmes made by our art educator Miia Rosenius.
The exhibition’s themes and stories were connected with an old photograph, a new photograph and an object. This is the new picture for village customs and celebrations. Picture by Joona Rantala.

Miia Rosenius

Art educator

Miia Rosenius is a visual artist and an art educator. Miia lives in North Karelia, in Eastern Finland. She has a strong bond to this area as she was born here and lately has moved back to Kontiolahti. Miia feels that the place you live in is a major factor to your wellbeing and in North Karelia there is lot of space and she can feel being part of the nature. It has an inevitable effect also on her art which often finds its inspiration from the surrounding environment.

Miia has studied Bachelor of Cultural Studies as Visual Artist and has also Master of Arts degree in Art Education. She makes art in various methods. Including three dimensional elements and space her artwork is often installations. Also drawing and printmaking have always been part of her expression. Miia is fascinated by the relationship of art, space around it and the viewer. These three factors always have an effect on each other and they all became important in a situation where the art and the interpretation take shape.

Miia’s artistic identity also includes the role of an art teacher and she is regularly teaching in art schools. Miia has worked in many community and environmental art projects. She finds dialogue and encountering all kind of people and cultures endlessly intriguing, and the essence of community-based art projects. Miia thinks it is important that art can be part of our everyday life and different communities can be actively involved.

Miia Rosenius
Website
www.miiarosenius.fi
Instagram
@miiarosenius

Lahja Toivanen

Heritage expert

Lahja Toivanen is pictured here with her loyal dog named Hilu. She is sitting under a birch tree at her family farmstead in the small village of Mujejärvi, situated in Nurmes by the main road leading to the town of Kuhmo. The farm, surrounded by stunning flower fields on top of a hill, is home to many culturally significant memories and stories about the history and villagehood of Mujejärvi owing to it being home to several generations going back to the 17th century. At the farmstead, one may spot an old smithy, where Lahja’s grandfather and father had worked in during their time. Sheep, cattle and a horse were also kept on the farmstead in the past. Nowadays, the farmstead is no longer permanently inhabited, but it still serves as a summer home.

Lahja is the acting secretary of the Mujejärvi village association (Mujejärven kylä ry) which, regardless of the village’s small size, is very active thanks to its dedicated members. The members of the village association have made great efforts to preserve the local culture and history of Mujejärvi. Lahja has carried out numerous photography and scrapbook projects, among other things. Several books, authored by Mauri Mönkkönen, have also been published about life in Mujejärvi. One of the highlights of the year is the annual Mujejärvi Day event, which brings Mujejärvi residents, both past and present, together.

Lahja Toivanen
Co-funded by the European Union

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.