You have seen the human like sculptures in Rauma .. woman with a handbag sitting in front of the Art Museum, three women swimming in the channel, the lady reading a bible at the church .. and so many more places. One is hidden behind a fence. I show this at my tour.

But now during this lace week you can see so much more as she opens her yard and studio to the public! Definitely go visit her place at Länsikatu 7 in old Rauma . She might even be sitting on her terrace.

It’s not just figures. They have fantastic expressions! Modern and surprising. A little bit theatrical.

I only saw one price tag, so I guess she does not sell any of her work these days and hence her studio is usually closed.

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Kerttu Horila’s CV

An amazing opportunity to see and try bobbin lace making during the Rauma Lace Week!
Go to Vanha Opisto at Vähäkoulunkatu 8 in old Rauma (across the river from the Church of the Holy Cross). Free entrance 🙂

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Read also about the history of bobbin lace and see the Lace Week program here

Rauma lace week is an opportunity to get to see the yards of the Old Rauma. This year, 35 yards are open for the public to see. Some have something to sell, old clothes and things.

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Another opportunity to see the old village life is at the Muina village museum. It is on the same direction as the Ylen art home, but much closer to the Rauma town.

Check their website to see when it is open.

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Address: Kotiseutumuseo Muina, Muinantie 7 , 26740 Vasarainen

Why not drive out of the Rauma town and visit an art house in a village? Väinö Ylen (1908 – 2000) was a mason and a part time farmer. He became interested in arts after participating at the art courses in Rauma. His barn has about 200 works.

In his art he depicts the old ways of working and the life of the village community.

His wife was a house wife and died 10 years before him. They had no children and they inherited their house and arts to Kodisjoki religious community. The house museum is currently under renovation.

Google-maps sends you to a wrong location (house number 900 something). Drive further, through Kodisjoki village, until you reach a yellow barn  and a white house number 1535 on your right hand side.

Before going, check on its website Taidekoti Ylen if it is open.
Address: Kodisjoentie 1535, 27310 KODISJOKI

Etusivu

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June 13 is a flag day in Rauma. Why? Did you see these men march in their sailor’s hats to the monument of Hj. Nortamo in front of the cafe Prassen?

Frans Hjalmar Nortamo (known as Hj. Nortamo, also known as Nordling) was born on June 13, 1860 in Rauma. He was a doctor and worked in many places besides Rauma. As he got older, he started missing his hometown and started to write about it.

Nortamo is best known for his series of ‘Raumlaissi jaarituksi’ (‘Yarns from Rauma’), which was also a name of a book published in 1920. It was written in the dialect of Rauma, and is regarded as the first Finnish language text that has been written in a dialect (during the times when dialects were out of fashion).

The dialect of Rauma has a lot of words from the old seafaring days from Swedish, English, Estonian, French, Russian and German languages. Rauma dialect is regarded as its own language (Rauman gial). It is hundreds of years old and it was best used in the 1800 century.

Nortamo’s writings have been crucial in saving the knowledge of the dialect for the current generations.

He died on November 30, 1931 in Pori.

Both Rauma and Pori have statues and street names dedicated to the famous writer.

Tauno Koskela, another writer from Rauma, continued his work as the savior of Rauman language. He was also head of the Nortamo club Nortamo-Seor that was created 1 year before the death of the famous writer.

Some words that remind me of my Estonian language are:

Word in Rauma language -> Finnish meaning -> English translation for you (with the correct Estonian version in brackets)

• afäär – bisness, kauppa – business
• ahter – perä, laivan peräpää – stern, the rear of the ship (also referring to a woman’s butt)
• ankkur- ankkuri – anchor
• eilä – eilinen – yesterday’s (eile)
• evangeeljum – evankeliumi – Gospel
• hilja- myöhään – late
• hirvhammas – joker
• jakk – pusero, lyhyt takki – jacket
• jopi – homma, työ – job
• just- tarkalleen, juuri niin – right so
• kali – kalja – suds
• kartiin- ikkunaverho – curtain
• kaste- kastike- sauce
• kastrull – varrellinen keittoastia – pan, sauce pan
• kasöör- kassanhoitaja – cashier
• katalook – puhelin- tai muu luettelo – catalogue
• klimpp – kokkare – dumpling (in soup)
• koer-koira- dog
• kostyym -asu, puhu – costume
• kraan – nosturi – crane
• kraappi – raapia – scratch (in Estonian kraapima)
• krapin- rapina (in Estonian krabin)- patter (noise)
• kruus – savipullo (also a cup in Estonian) – clay bottle
• kröhä -yskä – cough (in Estonian köha)
• köökk – keittiö – kitchen
• ladv- latva – topp (topp of a tree for example)
• laev – laiva – ship
• leip – leipä – bread (in Estonian leib)
• liki – lähellä – close (in Estonian ligi)
• limunaad- limonaati – lemonade (in Estonian limonaad)
• lips- solmio, kravatti – tie
• mamma- äiti, isoäiti – mother or grandmother
• mamsel – neiti – miss, young lady
• mandel – manteli – almond
• maneer- tapa – manner
• mansikas- mansikka- strawberry
• masinist- koneenkäyttäjä – machinist
• massöörskä – hierojatar – (in Estonian massöör) – masseur
• matras – patja- mattress (in Estonian madrats)
• matruus – ammattimerimies – professional sailor
• meetter – metri- meter
• metssika – mäyrä – badger  (but sounds like metssiga / wild boar in Estonian /villisika)
• mukul – lapsi- child
• mull – sonnivasikka – bull calf (mullikka)
• muuttorpaatt – moottorivene – motorboat (in Estonian mootorpaat)
• mööpel – huonekalu – furniture (in Estonian mööbel)
• neli – neljä -four
• nisu-vehnä – what (nisu in Estonian)
• nokk – nokka, niemi, nenä – nose, cape
• nolkk – nulikka, pätkä (keltanokka) – freshman (nolk – a young man who does something wrong)
• olu – olut – beer (in Estonian õlu)
• opplaine -aloittelija, uusi työntekijä – beginner
• paatt- vene- boat (in Estonian paat)
• pakane-pakkanen – frost, cold
• pankkrott- konkurssi – bankrupcy
• pap, pappa – isoisä, isä, vaari – dad, grandfather
• paperos- savuke – cigarette
• pasiseer- matkustaja – passenger (sounds like Russian „passazir“)
• pits-pitsi – bobbing lace
• plangett – lomake – paper form (in Estonian plankett)
• pliitta – hellanlevy – the stove plate
• pluus – takki, pusero – shirt
• pott- astia, pullo – container, bottle
• prilli – silmälasit- spectacles (in Estonian prillid)
• pross-naisten rintakoru – women’s brooch
• pruun-ruskea – brown
• puolamari- puolukka – cowberry (pohl, pohlamari)
• pukett- kukkakimppu – bouquet
• pukseer- hinaaja – tug (to carry broken cars)
• puljong- lihaliemi- broth
• pyst -pienehko patsas, rintaveistos – byst
• raad- raati – council
• raam – kehys – frame
• reis-reisi – thigh
• reiss- matka – trip
• remontt – korjaus, kunnostus -repair
• ruum-lastitila laivassa – cargo space on board
• ruuppar-sireeni, äänitorvi – horn
• ränn – vesikouru – gutter
• rästäs- räystäs – eaves
• sinkk – kinkku – ham
• svampp – pesusieni – sponge (švamm in Estonian)
• syltt- hillo – jam, conserve (sült is meat jelly, not the sweat jam)
• talrik, taltrik – lautanen – plate
• tapplus- tappelu – fight
• telefuun -puhelin – telephone (telefon in Estonian)
• telekram – sähke – telegram
• tikkerpäär – karviaismarja – gooseberry
• tool- tuoli – chair
• toopp – tuoppi – mug
• toos-rasia, koppa
• trapp – rappu, porras- stairs (trepp)
• tross – touvi, paksu köysi – rope
• trotuaar – jalkakäytävä – pavement
• tuur – vuooro / onni – luck
• täkk- sängynpeitto / laivan kansi – blanket (tekk)
• täkst- teksti-text (tekst)
• uus- uusi- new
• vahdat- katsoa, tuijotta – stare (vahtima)
• vahe – kahden rakennuksen väinen sopla, kapea, päättyvä kadunpätkä – area between something, street end
• vahetta- vaihtaa- change (vahetama)
• vahetuskaupp – vaihtokauppa- barter deal, swap
• vaht – vahti / vaahto – guard / foam
• vakstuuk – vahakangas – oilcloth (vakstu)
• vale- valhe- lie
• valehammas- tekohammas – artificial tooth
• vare- kiviröykkiö- cairn
• vares- varis – crow
• värkk – läite, koje, tarvike -accessory
• väärt- arvoinen – worth
• yässeks -yöksi – (stay) for the night (ööseks)
• äksaam – testi, koe, tutkinto – exam (eksam)
• äppelssiin – appelsiini – orange
• öli – öljy – oil
  
  

You might also hear such Rauma words often:

• Ehto – ilta tai illallinen – evening or supper
• Fingerpori- sormustin – thimble
• Hamin – satama – port
• Hellambiitta – liesilevy -stove plate
• Kippar- laivuri, kapteni – captain (e.g. Kipparinpuisto is a kids’ play area that refers to the captain’s garden)
• Kitukränn – Suomen kapein katu (kapeimillaan 2,65m) – unofficially the narrowest street in Finland
• Lapskous – Lapskoussi is a traditional food of Rauma that has come to the town with the seamen. The dish is also known in other European port cities. You can often buy one for lunch or to home at Ankkuri restaurant in the theatre building.
• Lyst – huvi, hauskuus – fun
• Mummu – äidinäiti, mummo – grandmother, mother’s mom
• Nurangätine – vääränkätine, joskus vasenkätinen – „wrong handed“ referring to the left-handed
• Onnipuss – linja-auto- bus
• Paapuur – laivan vasen puoli perästä katsoen – the left side of the ship from the rear
• Peti- sänky, vuode – bed
• Petat – sijata vuode- make the bed
• Potatt – peruna – potato
• Pusk – pensas – bush
• Puting- vanukas- pudding (puding)
• Sylyvau – sylivauva (also name of the company in Rauma)- infant
• Pyyrman – entisajan kaupungin virallinen tiedottaja, uudistenlukija, joka rummuttamalla kutsu väen koolle – An official „spokesman“ for the old city, a news reader. He calls the people by drumming.
• Raum – salmi -strait
• Saför – kuski, autonkuljettaja – driver (refers to Russian shafjor)
• Styyrpuur- laivan oikea puoli perästä katsoen – right side of the ship from the rear (the sign you can see at the entrance of the old people’s house)
• Suvilyst – kesäloma, piknik – summer holiday (suvi is summer in Estonian)
• Terveksi – terveisiä  – greetings (write to your friends on a Christmas card – Oikke luanikast uutt vuatt ja terveksi Raumalt!)
• Tua- tuo – that
• Tupla- talven ajaksi asennettava sisäikkuna / kaksinkertainen – winter window / double
• Tämne – tälläinen, tämmöinen – such, like that  („tämne mnää vaa ole“ -> „I am like this“)
• Täsä- tässä – here

Source of Rauma words: “Raumlaine sanakiri. Rauma-suomi sanakirja. Raumankielisiä tervehdyksiä ja muita sanontoja.”

by Hannu Heino

The South West town of Finland, Rauma, is known for its bobbin lace history from the mid 17th century onwards. Why? Not only women, but also kids and old men participated in lace-making. Seamen would do it when bored on long trips.

Rauma was known as a lace making town and in its peek time almost all women in Rauma made laces, which were known for its high quality and the finest yarn from Netherlands. Out of 1500 inhabitants 200-300 had it as a profession. The other professional Finnish lace-makers were from the town of Orimattila and Tytärsaari island.

We do not know when and how lace making started in Rauma. The knowledge might have come with the seamen, the Franciscan monks or the noble Dutch woman. In historical documents lace-making in Rauma is first mentioned in 1740’s.

The fashion of lace trimmed cap (called tykkimyssy in Finnish) created a high demand for the lace starting from 1700’s into the beginning of the 1800’s. The peak time was the end of 1700’s and beginning of 1800.

At the end of 1700’s lace was popular and sold to such Finnish regions as Pohjanmaa in Western FInland, Hämee and Uusimaa in the South of Finland near Helsinki. In 1807 it was exported to Sweden, Norway, Russia and Copenhagen.

It went out of fashion in 1840’s with the noblewomen because of the new hairstyle. Old women in rural areas were the last to wear the lace trimmed cap on church visits til the end of 1800’s.

Thereafter the main use of lace was in bed linens, pillow slips and tablecloths. But those were not profitable enough to make, so the business of bobbin lace making started to regress. In 1890’s lace was made in factories and Sabina Lundström was one of the few professional lace makers left in Rauma.

In 1901 an architecture student Carl Frankenhaeuser was researching the Rauma church. As he went home in Porvoo and told his mother, a well-educated widow Thella Frankenhaeuser, about the regress of the nice Rauma lace, the woman took great interest in enlivening the lace-making. She got new lace samples and yarn to Rauma women. Years later another organization took over her role as a mediator of Rauma lace and started schooling the lace makers as well (1920 til the war started in 1940).

In 1948 a society of Rauma amateur lace makers was established (Nyplääjät ry), which takes care of preserving the traditions. Rauma Adult Education Center organizes the lace making courses these days.

RAUMA LACE WEEK 2019

This year the festival takes place between Saturday 20th and Sunday 28th of July, 2019. SEE THE RAUMA LACE WEEK PROGRAM HERE
Next year Rauma is celebrating Rauma Lace Week for the 50th time!

The city is filled with exciting events and exhibitions throughout the 9 festival days. The Lace Week consists of 50 exhibition destinations, children’s programme, concerts and live music, all kinds of live performances, handicrafts and arts, traditions and history, wellness and sports events, street markets and the city carnival Night of the Black Lace.

One of the highlights of Lace Week is a friendly battle in which contestants vie for the title of the town’s fastest lace-maker.

Initially, Lace Week was a set of exhibitions during which skilled bobbin lace-makers could display their works, but it has since developed into a wide-ranging communal event.

The most anticipated event of the week is the Night of the Black Lace, when market stalls and merry locals fill the streets of Old Rauma. The warm evening air is filled with the cheerful chatter of friends and music from lively dance halls and outdoor concerts. All shops and boutiques in the Old Rauma area have longer opening hours, and it’s also a busy night for bars and cafés.

Most of the festivities take place in the heart of Old Rauma. The program of the lace week .

The lace shop of Rauma (see here) Pits-Priia is located at Kauppakatu 29. The shop is open on Saturdays throughout the year from 10am to 2pm, and weekdays during the summer months from 10am to 3pm. The shop sells lace products, gifts and equipment for lace makers. There is an exhibition of lace art and you can see a lace maker at work. Another place to learn about the lace history is the Raatihuone (town hall of Rauma) and the nearby Marela house museum. Vanha Rauma is relatively small ( 29 hectares) and every place can be called “nearby”.