Time to tell the blog world that I just returned from two months in Finland. While there, I visited Exhibition Centre Weegee in Espoo, Finland, and discovered Helinä Rautavaara. I was instantly enchanted with the collection of her belongings and her story.
Described as a "Globetrotter and collector," Rautavaara led a colorful life, making a career out of documenting foreign cultures and religions (fun fact: disguised as a man, she enlisted in the Finnish army and joined a group of parachutists).
Online resources have more thorough information on this adventurous woman, but let this serve to pique your interest. The amount of things she collected while abroad was overwhelming (though somewhat relatable), but the most relevant thing to me was how she integrated herself into the cultures she visited. She stayed for long periods of time in locations throughout the world, and spent time learning about the cultures and customs. What a fitting personality to encounter on my own unique trip abroad!
Described as a "Globetrotter and collector," Rautavaara led a colorful life, making a career out of documenting foreign cultures and religions (fun fact: disguised as a man, she enlisted in the Finnish army and joined a group of parachutists).
Rautavaara’s style of dressing in ethnic clothes and decorating her home in exotic styles was a reflection of both styles adopted from the 1960s to the 1990s and of her taste as a collector.
Online resources have more thorough information on this adventurous woman, but let this serve to pique your interest. The amount of things she collected while abroad was overwhelming (though somewhat relatable), but the most relevant thing to me was how she integrated herself into the cultures she visited. She stayed for long periods of time in locations throughout the world, and spent time learning about the cultures and customs. What a fitting personality to encounter on my own unique trip abroad!
Rautavaara herself summed up her relationship to the collection with the following words: “I have never understood an object’s significance as an object, rather it has always been part of an entire culture, not to mention being part of a ritual associated with it.”
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During her travels, Rautavaara got the name Nana Akua Okomfo. “Nana” can signify either a mother, grandparent or even a chief. Okomfo refers to a priest or priestess.Source
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