Community and Memories: A Day at the Petalax Human Library
On Saturday, May 25, 2024, we held our second Human Library event, once again in collaboration with the Petalax Local History Association. The event coincided with the local community association's spring talk, creating a day filled with activity and camaraderie. The morning began with members tending to the grounds of the collective farm Jossinas in Petalax, raking, weeding, and tidying up. After a few hours of diligent outdoor work, participants enjoyed coffee, cake, and a series of storytelling sessions.
This time, we featured five storytellers, or "books," who shared tales ranging from historical accounts of schooling to stories about local figures. The discussions were lively, with the audience actively engaging and providing comments throughout the event, creating a warm and familiar atmosphere. The storytellers included:
Gösta Stenbacka, who spoke about Jossinas and a memorable school trip.
Kerstin Knip, who recounted the tale of Anna Jakobsdotter, labeled as a witch.
Kerstin Stenbacka, who shared experiences from the 1960s about being a boarder during the school week.
Lisbet Öhman, who described attending school on an island and later living away from home to attend secondary school in the 1960s.
Pia Timberg and Seija Punnonen, who offered memories from their school days in Kokkola and Vesanto, respectively.
The event was held outdoors, which added to the enjoyment of the day, although it did affect the sound quality of some recordings.
