Finnish American Rag Rug Weavers – Official trailer

Between 1865 and 1920, Finnish immigrants brought traditional arts to America, including woven and braided rag rugs. As a hallmark of Finnish ethnic culture, rag rugs and their makers hold special places in the hearts of Finnish America.  Cultural sociologist Michael Loukinen brings us into the homes and to the workrooms of traditional weavers in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He portrays the interwoven world of cultural beliefs, aesthetic practices, and family history that each rug represents. From the treasured family-memory heirloom, from each carefully protected rug to its threadbare, tattered clump on a tractor seat, these rugs are an art form that embodies several Finnish American cultural values.

Our film reveals extreme thrift and recycling, the artistic challenge of creating beautiful patterns and color combinations from rag strips, and the heart-rending process of completing a rag rug of a deceased family weaver. In the world of rag-rugs, weavers and braiders recognize one another for their skill, their artistry, and their willingness to teach others this tradition.  Bonds between master weavers and apprentices are strong. In recent decades, rag rug makers and public folklorists have worked to document ongoing ethnic American traditions and to provide important material support for apprentices to learn from master artists. Folklorist Yvonne Lockwood has studied rag rugs and their weavers, and published a seminal book.  Weavers attest that her attention toward their work has had a profound impact on the understanding and appreciation of their art.

-Written by folklorist, Hilary-Joy Virtanen, PhD

This film was released in 2019 and is 53 minutes long.

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