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Happy 141st!
It's Canada Day today. Despite all the hoopla, crowds and fireworks everywhere, we're just enjoying the holiday around home, puttering about and trying to keep cool in a heat wave. This thoughtful Canada Day meditation, written by a Canadian... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on July 1, 2008
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lines of age
The lines on the rock are like the lines on the face of an elder. What events have created them? Where have these rocks come from? What tumultuous journeys have they suffered? How old are they? ... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on May 23, 2008
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time traveller
Heidi Henderson is a time traveller and author of the blog, Archea, Musings in Natural History.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on May 6, 2008
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geologic journey
Spotting a seemingly insignificant looking rock like this one now sends me wondering about its history, its journey through millions of years. Thanks to the powerful series Geologic Journey, my view of our world, especially of Canada and... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on April 28, 2008
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immigrants' journeys
A story of one Finnish family's immigrant experience.
UPDATE April 28, 2008: I just learned about this exhibition on the same theme: Free Spirit: Stories of You, Me and BC is a major feature exhibition at the Royal BC Museum in Victoria, BC's capital. We'll have to see this the next time we go visit!
Posted by Marja-Leena on April 14, 2008
BC's Finnish settlers
Addendum April 14, 2008: Please read about the story of one Finnish family's experience immigrating and settling here!
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Posted by Marja-Leena on March 25, 2008
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Looking back: Joulupukki
Isn't it fascinating how the Santa Claus figure has evolved in different countries? In Finland, the jolly fellow is called 'Joulupukki' and his home is on Korvatunturi Mountain, in Finnish Lapland.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on December 19, 2007
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Range Creek Canyon art
It's been awhile since I wrote about rock art... Many of us know about the fantastic collections of native rock art in Utah, USA. The quality and quantity of beautiful rock art in the Range Creek Canyon of Utah first... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on December 17, 2007
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dying languages
Image credit: Enduring Voices Project Finnish was my first language. I was five years old when my family emigrated to Canada. Arriving in Winnipeg, I was promptly placed in school, not knowing a word of English. Now that was... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on September 20, 2007
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Sámi cultural heritage project
...an interesting, informative and beautifully designed website: Recalling Ancestral Voices, concerning the repatriation of Sámi cultural heritage.
Posted by Marja-Leena on June 29, 2007
Portraits of Women
A superb collection of women portraits from about 500 years - a video slide show set to music.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on May 29, 2007
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International Women's Day 2007
Today we are celebrating the achievements of women around the world on this International Women's Day. It's an important way to remember the struggles of women who fought for equality for their sisters and coming generations of women. My... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on March 8, 2007
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OriginsNet
Reader Bill, knowing my interest in prehistoric art, recently sent me a link to a very informative website. OriginsNet is about "Researching the Origins of Art, Religion, & Mind".
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Posted by Marja-Leena on February 21, 2007
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Dream Anatomy
Aboriginal "x-ray style" figure. Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia. Rock painting, ca. 6000 B.C.E. © Archivo Iconografico, S.A./Corbis Hot on the heels of our most interesting visit a week ago to BodyWorlds, I've just come across in my... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on January 14, 2007
Happy 89th, Finland
Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää to Finland and my Finnish readers! On December 6, 1917, shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, Finland declared its independence. On this date, 89 years later, Finns are celebrating their country's Independence Day. If you are... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on December 5, 2006
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poppy day
Wear White Poppies for a culture of peace Today on Remembrance Day in Canada Many thanks to wood s lot who always finds such treasures UPDATE: 8:30 pm. I've just been reading a lovely post about Remembrance Day... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on November 11, 2006
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Shanghai in films
Shanghai of the 1930's is the subject of a documentary and the background for a movie...
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Posted by Marja-Leena on October 14, 2006
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Sept.11, 1906
It's hard to avoid all the nauseous revisiting of the events of five years ago, even in our Canadian media and present government. Unwilling as I am to be drawn into this again, especially since I avoid the subject of... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on September 11, 2006
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Modern Finnish Ruins
"Abandoned buildings, derelict factories filled with incredible old machines sitting alone in the dark halls with their power turned off for good, or nearly collapsed sawmills rotting silently away in the forest, being reclaimed by nature are the best, most authentic and interactive museums of industrial archaeology and local history....
Posted by Marja-Leena on August 31, 2006
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the human journey
I've been happily lost in my travels through the pages of the Atlas of the Human Journey. I'm always fascinated to learn more about the amazing migration of humans from Africa to all the far corners of the earth.... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on August 24, 2006
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postcard from Pier 21
Today I received the above intriguing postcard from a cousin (he lives in Victoria). Here's part of what he wrote: "Finally found my way back to our Canadian beginnings. This is a great museum. There are artifacts from the... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on August 8, 2006
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Blue Buddha
This past Monday evening 'The Nature of Things with David Suzuki' presented Blue Buddha: Lost Secrets of Tibetan Medicine. It traces the odyssey of traditional Tibetan medicine from it's roots in ancient Tibet, to a worldwide interest in it's... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on July 19, 2006
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Happy 139th birthday, Canada!
On this Canada Day, we have pomp and ceremony in Ottawa, parades, musicals events and fireworks in many communities and many vacationers at cottages and campgrounds. We're at home awaiting family guests, some from the US too. The weather... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on July 1, 2006
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watch this!
...the PBS series How Art Made the World is beginning tonight on your local PBS channel. In Vancouver, that's KCTS 9 from Seattle at 10 pm.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on June 26, 2006
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Alberta Trip Days 5 & 6
Heading west towards home, we visited Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, the Frank Slide and Kimberley.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on June 26, 2006
Alberta Trip Day 2
Leaving Christina Lake, our journey continued eastward through the beautiful Rocky mountains straddling both BC and Alberta. Once over the other side, the first thing we noticed was the wideness of the rolling almost treeless hills and the wideness of the huge sky above.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on June 14, 2006
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Alberta Trip Day I
....we drove the scenic Crowsnest Highway from Hope (east of Vancouver) all the way to Lethbridge, Alberta.
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Posted by Marja-Leena on June 13, 2006
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June 1, 1906
For some time I've been thinking about mentioning some fascinating Finnish history that I've been reading at Virtual Finland. Guest writer Hank at Finland for Thought beat me to it with the following: “1.6.1906 was a significant date in the... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on June 1, 2006
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more Petra
Petra, Jordan, 1998 Photograph by Annie Griffiths Belt “Reclining on a rooftop carved two millennia ago, a Bedouin surveys the realm of the Nabataeans, whose ancient capital beckons from the sands of southern Jordan. Forgotten for centuries, Petra still... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on March 26, 2006
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The Tommy Douglas Story
Wow - we've just finished viewing a very moving film Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story, a two-part drama on CBC-TV. It's a fascinating biography of the man who became a long time premier of Saskatchewan and then the first... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on March 13, 2006
Isabel Bayrakdarian in Armenia
Last Thursday evening we decided to do a rare thing and watch TV, specifically CBC's Opening Night which featured A Long Journey Home. This is a beautifully filmed and spiritually moving documentary that follows Armenian-Canadian operatic soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian on... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on January 22, 2006
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happy winter solstice
Detail from Silent Messengers II Those of us in the northern Hemisphere can now breathe a collective sigh of relief that the sun has not disappeared forever and the days will be getting longer! Spring will come and we... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on December 21, 2005
EU Flag's 50th
Living in North America, I don't seem to hear enough about European news, especially about the European Union. So it's very interesting to me to learn that recently there was an installation of possibly the world's largest flag in... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on December 10, 2005
Finnish libraries
The Dome Hall, National Library of Finland As I've mentioned before, I love reading Virtual Finland for all kinds of interesting facts about my birth country. I knew that Finns have long led the world in reading and literacy.... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on November 26, 2005
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Pekka Kivikäs
As my readers know, I'm nuts about prehistoric art, particularly that of northern Europe. One site that I check periodically is Arkeo.net, a Finnish portal for archaeology fans. Recently I spotted a notice about some new books (PDF) that... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on September 26, 2005
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blogs and shows
1. Thanks to blog friend Anna of Self-Winding for pointing out that The Padacia has posted a couple of my Nexus prints. Thanks also to this mystery blogger from Oslo - it's nice to find another beautiful blog. Curiosity sent... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on September 6, 2005
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Art of the Hibakusha
Like so many others, we have been following the marking of the 60th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, then Nagasaki tomorrow. This made us recall the stories once told us by two Japanese-Canadian friends now in their seventies... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on August 8, 2005
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Art in Nature
Doesn't this scene look very magical and surreal, with the strange almost man-made looking sculptural forms scattered about in the landscape? Photo from the World Conservation Union (IUCN), via BBC It is the desert floor of Wadi al-Hitan, or Whale... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on July 20, 2005
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Becoming Human
Are you a bookmarker like me? When I come across some interesting web sites that I don't have time to read in depth at that moment, I'll save it into a temp folder. The list gets rather long, so... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on February 23, 2005
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about Báiki
Cover of issue 25 of Báiki, with image of sculpture: "NAA", © 2003 Rose-Marie Huuva, reindeer hide and sealskin I recently received a copy of Báiki: the North American Sámi Journal, which 'is a major English-language source of information... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on December 12, 2004
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Finland's Independence Day
Finland is celebrating its 87th Independence Day (Itsenäisyys Päivä) today, December 6th. Though I'm a proud Canadian, I'm also proud of my birth country. Finland was part of the Swedish realm for some 600 years up to 1809 and then... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on December 6, 2004
Ararat by Egoyan
Our Saturday Night at the Movies was spent comfortably at home with a DVD of Atom Egoyan's Ararat. Yes, I know it's already two years old, it took us this long to get around to it. Wow, what a powerful... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on November 30, 2004
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The Museum Called Canada
Imagine this - an interesting website with a virtual tour about a book The Museum Called Canada. The "tour guides" are "a renowned academic and author with a documented love for unconventional histories" Charlotte Gray and "museum curator" is the... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on October 13, 2004
Canadian Thanksgiving
This is a three-day long weekend in which many families get together for a big dinner centered usually around a big roast turkey, traditionally as a thanks for the harvest, right? Well, I decided to search some of the history... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on October 11, 2004
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Colony of Avalon
This caught my eye today on CBC Arts News: "Funding problems plague ongoing Nfld. archeological dig." "An ongoing excavation project in Newfoundland and Labrador continues to turn up some of the oldest artifacts ever discovered in North America, but the... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on July 22, 2004
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Karelia's Rock Art & History
Andrew Heninen is a Karelian (Finnish-Russian) programmer with a keen interest in the history of lost Finnish territories. Karelia (or Karjala in Finnish) is a territory which straddles the present-day border between Finland and Russia, and is home to the... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on July 6, 2004
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the Sami and Siida
Part of my ongoing research into my Finnish ethnology has been learning more about the other groups in the Finno-Ugrian family of people. The Sami (formerly called Lapps) of Northern Finland, Sweden, Norway and Northwest Russia are one group and... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on June 15, 2004
More on Full Circle
A few days ago I wrote about the Newfoundland and Labrador Museum exhibition commemorating the events surrounding the Viking landfall in L'Anse aux Meadows - Full Circle: First Contact. Then National Geographic News posted an interesting article called "Sagas" Portray... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on May 14, 2004
Full Circle
"One hundred thousand years ago, our ancestors walked out of their African homeland to explore and settle the rest of the world. The paths they chose were to lead them to all corners of the earth. While some tribes turned... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on May 9, 2004
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The Ainu
Feeding my fascination for ancient as well as the indigenous cultures of the world, I was excited to find at the rich Mysterium a post about the Ainu: "A beautiful audio-visual presentation on Japan's Indigenous Ainu people, their origins, art... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on April 3, 2004
Fenno-Ugrian people
Some of my image research delves into the marks left by early humans, particularly the Fenno-Ugrian peoples. Their region includes Finland (my birth country), Karelia (now in Russia), Estonia and Lapland or Sami. The Gallen-Kallela Museum in Finland had an... [Continue Reading...]
Posted by Marja-Leena on November 30, 2003
