Postal Museum and Rupriikki: On the move! – Towards a New Home
exhibition 24 April –15 November 2015 explores how people manage to build new homes and keep their identity from the viewpoint of Karelian evacuees and other refugees who later moved to Finland for humanitarian reasons. The exhibition is organised jointly by Postal Museum and Rupriikki Media Museum.
24.4. —
15.11.2015
It is not easy to be forced to leave the home. For many evacuees, adapting to a new culture and its customs was a personal tragedy, and it is still a disturbing experience. Today's refugees go through similar changes and emotions when they arrive in Finland. Even if they have built a new home, their roots are still in the old home region, and this is true even for the younger generations. Construction of an identity continues from generation to generation.
The experiences of the Karelians described in the exhibition are quite similar. They had to leave their homes In Karelia twice, first during the Winter War, then after the War. What made it easier for them to resettle in their new homes was the fact that other Karelians moved to the same region, there was a great community spirit, and they shared an easy-going character, optimism, cultural activities and a practice of helping each other out in practical jobs. Yet they all still have their roots firmly in the Karelian soil. Stories told by refugees from Chile, Iraq and Somalia paint a harsh picture. At home they experienced fear and uncertainty, and the flight was dangerous for many of them. Like the Karielian evacuees, the refugees in the exhibition describe how settling in the new home has been made easier because of their community spirit, social interaction and various activities. Learning Finnish helps with planning for the future. They long for the old home regions, but however strong the yearning, not everyone can return there.