Moomins

(Mumin, Moumine, Muumi, Moem)

(Photo: JariJK)

Finland is the home country of Moomins because they were created by Finnish Tove Jansson (1914-2001). Tove Jansson spent almost 30 summers on the very small island of Klovharu (or shortly Haru) in Pellinki. Fishing Tours Bo and Tua Uddström organizes (by reservation) treks to Tove Jansson's home island from Emäsalo (Porvoo region).

Tove Jansson began wrote her first Moomin book in 1939 (published in 1945). Her books are compared to the work of Lewis Carroll and J.R. Tolkien. Nowadays her books are translated into more than 30 languages (comic strips into more than 60 languages). Tove Jansson draw a comic (cartoon) strip Moomin for the Evening News (London) in 1953-1968.

The international Moomin boom came in 2 waves. First in the 1950's in the West and then in 1960's and 1970's in the East (Japan etc.). First Moomin films were made in 1969-1972 in Japan by Mushi Pro / Tokyo Movie Shinshu / Zuiyo / Fuji TV (65 episodes).

The puppet Moomin stories (the only one out of the 4 television series based on Tove Jansson's book that isn't made in Japan) was made in Austria, Poland (Film Polski) etc. in 1979-1980's. It was a creation of an Austrian studio named Jupiter Film. It was shown on BBC2 etc. in the early 1980's. Nowadays this series is available on DVD. Details at http://www.themoomins.com.

In the beginning of 1990's Moomin films were made by Telescreen Benelux (Dennis Livson), TV Tokyo and Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE (directed by Japanese Hiroshi Saito and Masayuki Ojima, quality inspected by Tove and Lars Jansson, 78 episodes). More details about Japanese Moomin series at http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2006 .

Moomin World (Moominland theme park especially for children, the world's 4th best theme park for children according to The Independent on Sunday, Golden Pony Award 2007 by The Games & Parks Industry magazine: "Moomin World is welcoming, well themed and full of educational contents.") lies in Naantali near Turku in Finland. With children we recommend accommodation in Spa Hotel Caribia in Turku (one of the best spa hotels in Finland, a good kid's pool, http://www.caribia.fi). There are special Moomin Story rooms in Naantali Spa Suite Hotel! Moomin World and Naantali Spa also arrange Wedding Ceremonies with the Moomins.

Moomin Valley (Moomin museum) is situated in Tampere Finland. In Moominvalley museum you see original illustrations by Tove Jansson, 40 miniatures and tableaux about events in Moomin books and a small (2,5 meters high) Moomin House. You see also the original Moominvalley multimedia and you may visit the Moominvalley shop which sells gift items and Moomin books in different languages.

A Moomin gift shop named Moomin Shop is situated at Forum (address Mannerheimintie 20, Helsinki).

Even Ex-President Tarja Halonen's husband wears a tie with Moomin characters - also in his official portrait!

Very special:

Tove Jansson, the creator of Moomins, has painted one altarpiece, too. You can see it in the church of Teuva. The altarpiece is named "Ten Virgins" and Tove Jansson painted it in 1953. She painted it from May to December. Sometimes it was very cold there, because there weren't window glasses in the church yet. She had to wear a fur coat. The altarpiece is rather unusual because it is horizontal in shape (over 5 meters long and 1.5 meters in height). The church is called "the church of four women" bacause all designers, including the architect, were women. It was very unusual in that time. Tove Jansson also wrote the book "Moominsummer Madness" (published in 1954) when she lived in Teuva.

(Photo: JariJK)

Moomin links:

All Things Moomin - The Official Home of The Moomins (characters, history, places, the official online shop - the first online shop shipping Moomin products worldwide, the global Moomin fan club etc.): http://www.moomin.com

The official Moomin page on Instagram: http://instagram.com/moomin_official

The official Moomin page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Moomin

The official Moomin page on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/moominofficial/

The official Moomin Twitter account: https://twitter.com/moominofficial

Moomin World in Naantali (Moomin Theme Park): http://www.muumimaailma.fi/en/home

Photos from Moomin World: http://www.suomineito.fi/index.php?hakusana=muumimaailma&luokka=kuvat

Moomin World Shop: http://www.moominworldshop.fi/

Self-drive travel route in Finland - on the footsteps of Moomins: http://www.blog.suomi-holiday.fi/8.php

The Official Moomin Blog: http://blog.moomin.com/

Moomin Valley in Tampere (Moomin museum): http://muumilaakso.tampere.fi/en/

Virtual Finland - Tove Jansson: http://finland.fi/public/default.aspx?contentid=160071&contentlan=2&culture=en-US

24 things you may not know about the Moomins (BuzzFeed): http://www.buzzfeed.com/robynwilder/things-you-may-not-know-about-the-moomins

50 Lessons That Moomins Can Teach You About Life (BuzzFeed): http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/50-lessons-that-moomins-can-teach-you-about-life

Pegasos - Tove Jansson: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/tjansson.htm

Moomin page by Johannes Martinus Stienen: http://www.stienen.nl/john

Memories of Moominland: http://briansibley-exlibris.blogspot.com/2007/07/memories-of-moominland.html

Moomin Trove: http://www.moomintrove.com

The Moomins: http://www.themoomins.com

The Official Moomin Page of Japan: http://www.moomin.co.jp

Coins and stamps:

Tove Jansson coins: http://www.suomenrahapaja.fi/eng/products/searchresults?q=Jansson

New Moomin stamps in May 2015: https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/new-moomin-stamps-will-be-issued-in-finland-in-may/