Marvellous Moomin Madness

A Taste for Adventure

A global phenomenon for more than 80 years, with stories translated into more than 60 languages, Tove Jansson must have gotten something right in her Moomin tales. They are a set of close-knit characters whose adventures and love of nature show us a whole philosophy of life. Their adventures are fantastical, but their questions about the world are rooted in reality and humanity.

Is It Art?

If we believe that art inspires, brings joy, and helps us explore the dark and the light of our reality, then yes, the Moomins and their world are art. Simple pen and ink line drawings, with delicate watercolor washes. The Moomins are part of a rare group of fictional characters, like Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter and Winnie-the-Pooh by E.H. Shepard, who have lived on in the imaginations of the wider world just to be rediscovered by children again and again. That is partly due to the excellent storytelling, but also because of the simple yet exquisite illustrations.

Origin Story

The artist drew her first Moomin after a heated family argument on Immanuel Kant’s philosophy. Experimenting with creating the ugliest character she could come up with, she drew a proto-Moomin on the wall in the toilet of the family home. In 1938, a Moomin made its public debut in the Finnish magazine Garm, in a satirical anti-Hitler cartoon.

Jansson created her Moominland stories in the 1940s, partly as an escapist distraction from the horrors of war. These were small creatures who could deal with threats and jeopardy, stormy floods and comets. But in the midst of catastrophe, we never lose the sense that the characters are there for each other. What a cool origin story!

Moomin Boom

Although they took a while to gain popularity, once translated into English, the Moomins were in great demand. There are 10 Moomin novels and story collections, five picture books, and hundreds of comic strips, which were written by Tove and her younger brother Lars. Later came multiple TV series and films. The 1990s saw a Moomin Boom, or as the Finns called it, muumibuumi.

Moomin merchandise still commands high prices and includes teacups, handbags, t-shirts, and toys. An ultra-rare Moomin cup could cost $20,000! Both Finland and Japan have Moomin theme parks, and later this year, a brand new Moomin feature film is due for release. The artist did sometimes grow tired of her Moomin celebrity, when the endless comic strip requests tore her away from her other art.

Loss and Love

Each character in Moominvalley has a very distinct personality. Some say each character is a facet of Jansson’s personality. Some say that they are based on people she knew and loved. Certainly, the Moomin family reflects the ethos of Jansson’s own family, where everyone was encouraged to practice tolerance. Sofia Jansson, the artist’s niece, is the custodian of Tove Jansson’s legacy. She remembers a family who valued “respect for nature and seeing whoever is there regardless of creed or skin color, size or shape or nationality.”

Which Moomin Character Are You?

There is a test you can take to find out which Moomin you are! Are you a fiery, spiky Little My? Or are you a calm and nurturing Moominmamma? Or a lonely Groke? Perhaps you are a musical philosopher like Snufkin? (You can also compose a song with the harmonica played by Snufkin!)

There are so many weird and wonderful options. Who else appears in the world of Moomins? There is a ghost who takes up knitting to calm his nerves. There are invisible shrews who live in a boathouse, oh, and a hobgoblin who rides through the sky on a panther.

Same Sex Love

Homosexuality was illegal in Finland when Jansson wrote her books. Now considered something of an LGBTQ icon, openly sharing her personal life at the time could have landed her in jail. And so Jansson hid her precious love for women in her books, with stories that emphasize acceptance, respect, and being true to yourself. Thingumy and Bob are a small, timid, elf-like pair with long noses who speak with their own made-up language.

It is not clear if they are male or female, and this is probably the point. Too-Ticky was created in the image of Jansson’s life-partner, Tuulikki Pietilä. Too-Ticky gave Moomintroll guidance through the hard times of winter. The artist’s niece, Sofia Jansson, has said that her aunt was a forerunner in doing your own thing fearlessly

Catastrophe

The first Moomin book, published in 1945, was The Moomins and the Great Flood. The narrative follows the Moomin family dealing with the aftermath of a flood. Moominmamma and baby Moomintroll are stranded; Moominpappa seems lost. This mirrored the global situation, where World War II had just ended. Displacement and loss were everywhere, homes demolished. Starting again and making a new life was very brave indeed.

And today, this story feels even more prescient, as millions of people are displaced by climate change. The world can seem a dark place sometimes. We may have outgrown our toys and picture books, and yet we still feel that longing for comfort.

A Bohemian Family

The Moomins are a bohemian bunch; their home has an open door for anyone who wants to come in. Friends, family, and adopted family share the chaos and the warmth of family life. You can truly be yourself within this family. All are welcome.

Jansson’s overarching message is that we should go on little adventures, stay curious, love nature, and seek the warm embrace of family, whatever family looks like to you. Go on, pick up a Moomin book, and immerse yourself in the Moomin world!