Paper Short Abstract:

By approaching the recent attack on the Elias Lönnrot statue in Helsinki as an example of memory activism, the paper explores how memory, temporality, and (in)justice, and themes related to colonialism, WWII, and Karelianness, were reflected in the public discussions surrounding the intervention.

Paper Abstract:

Elias Lönnrot (1802–1884) was a physician, philologist, linguist, collector of oral poetry, and the creator of the Kalevala (1835/1849), the national epic of Finland. The bronze statue of Lönnrot, created by Emil Wikström, was erected and unveiled in the center of Helsinki in 1902. In August 2024, the statue of Elias Lönnrot was attacked. Red paint resembling blood was splattered on the statue, dripping from Lönnrot’s pen, and letters inscribed with the word “KOLONIALISTI” appeared on it. Very soon, it was noted that an anonymous collective of Karelian activists, Ruškiemustu, had published a statement highlighting that, instead of being celebrated, the Kalevala should be recognized as a symbol of the long-lasting oppression of the Karelians for the purposes of Finnish nationalism. Subsequently, a short-lived public discussion about the intervention began. In my presentation, I will approach the attack on Lönnrot’s statue as an example of memory activism. By analyzing the activists’ statement regarding the attack, the ensuing media discussion, and contextualizing these within the broader mnemonic resources and gaps related to Karelia and Karelianness in Finland, I will explore the negotiations surrounding memory, temporality, and social (in)justice reflected in these discussions. I will analyze how themes related to colonialism, World War II, and Karelianness, as raised by Ruškiemustu in their statement, were reflected in public discourse.