The Moomin Phenomenon

It’s now time for the fifth and final episode of the podcast series about the Moomin phenomenon. And it’s finally time to focus on the creator: Tove Jansson. In this series, we’ve been discussing the Moomin phenomenon. Fans have told us how the Moomin world has absorbed them to the extent that they can even imagine tattooing the characters onto their bodies. We’ve also examined if there is such a thing as Moomin philosophy, and we’ve met many people who have been inspired by both Moomin ethics and aesthetics. We’ve also inundated ourselves with Moomin paraphernalia and asked ourselves if Moomin has become too commercial. We’ve been to Helsinki, the Finnish archipelago, London, north and south of Sweden and last but not least, Japan! And wherever we’ve traveled, we’ve found a world filled with Moomins. But this episode is going to hone in on something else. We’re taking a look at the creator of the Moomins, Tove Jansson. Even if there have been prolific amounts of extensive academic text about her person, Tove never wanted to be a particularly public figure. She was at her happiest ensconced on her little island in the archipelago and in her tucked away studio in Helsinki during the colder months together with her life partner and love, Tuulikki Pietilä. Who was Tove Jansson, and what is her legacy? One of the places we will visit is her famous and mythical studio in Helsinki. In this episode we'll meet Sophia Jansson - the niece of Tove Jansson, publishers Mark Ellingham and Natania Jansz and actors and singers Emma Klingenberg and Kim Gustavsson among others. 

This is the fourth episode of the podcast about the Moomin phenomenon, and this time we’ll be looking at the commercialisation of Moomin. Why is there so much Moomin STUFF in the world? Is it simply because it’s an easy way to feel closer to the world of Moomin? Do you, dear listener, have any Moomin merchandise or collectables in your home? Perhaps a fridge magnet? Or a plush toy? Have you tasted the Fillyjonk fizzy soft drink? Or, as we discussed in the last episode, Moomin whiskey? A Moomin mug was sold for 25 thousand pounds on auction – how is that even possible? In this episode, we are going to visit a real treasure chamber full of Moomin rarities and Tove Jansson's illustrations. And we try to answer the following question: How do you actually preserve the artistic value of a commercial brand while maintaining Tove Jansson’s artistry and values? In this episode we talk to Roleff Kråkström, Managing Director at Moomin Characters and professor Boel Westin among others. 

Now is the time to hear people who have been deeply influenced by the Moomins, from London, through Helsinki all the way to Tokyo. What does a theater director, an author of children’s books and a philosopher have in common? Well, they might just all be drawing their inspiration from Moominvalley. In fact, imagine all the people around the world influenced by the gentle Moomins, the hysterically dutiful Fillyjonk, the orderly Hemulens, or the free-spirited Snufkin. Imagine the righteous anger of Little My encouraging one person to take up a worthwhile cause, and pushing another to finally tell the stories they always wanted to tell. This is the third installment of the podcast about the Moomin phenomenon. In the past, we have looked at the fans of the Moomins, as well as the philosophy of the Moomins. But can an entire hospital be inspired by Moomin values and philosophy? Apparently there is such a place, the children's hospital in Helsinki, which has incorporated Moomin values in every step taking care of the patients. We will also visit a fruit garden full of instruments, a studio where the tunes of Moominvalley emerge. In this episode we'll meet the musician Lauri Porra and author Philip Ardagh and desingers Rika Kawato and Harriet Wine among others.

In this episode, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the true meaning of the thing they call "Moomin Philosophy" and try to figure out what the Moomins are all about between the lines. As we delve into Moomin philosophy in this episode, we’ll be speaking with academics and philosophers such as Sanna Tirkkonen and Björn Sundmark about their studies of the deeper aspects of the Moomins. Many people around the world have different Moomin characters as role models, despite (or maybe because of) the flaws and quirks that both children and adults can identify with. What is it about the Moomins that appeals to so many on so many levels?

The first episode is about the fans – why do they love or identify with the Moomins? Unbeknownst to many, there is an entire subculture built around the unique and curious creatures and characters from Moominvalley. In this episode, we travel to the North of Sweden to a tattoo studio to meet a fan ready to eternalise Moominmamma right onto human flesh. We also travel to Japan to visit a Moominpark where we meet Moomin-crazed fans. We search for the very first Moomin troll on an island in Finland, and find it on the wall of an outside loo. In London, we find well-known actor Samuel West who like many others was instantly hooked when he bought his first Moomin books as a child. We also hear from a hard-core Moomin fan whose childhood was made a lot brighter thanks to the Moomin stories, as well as from others engaged in the world-wide Moomin fan community.

Join us on a five-part journey through all things Moomin. Part one about the fans, part two about Moomin philosophy, part three about Moomin as inspiration, part four about Moomin, the brand, and part five, our finale, will be all about Tove Jansson herself.