Summer at Doghill

Mauri Kunnas 2015: Kesä Koiramäessä

The Doghill kids are waiting anxiously for summer. The watch the different signs of it including swallows. This summer they have a visitor from the city to spend the whole summer with them.

This book continues the story of the Doghill farm. The Doghill folk show us, what kind of summer activities people used to have in the 19th century.

I can practically hear the birds,  taste the wild straberrys, smell the flowers and feel the waves in my toes. The hail in book reminded me of the hail storms when I was a child.

Bonfire of Whitsuntide

Why coudn't the school books be as much fun as this book? I bet my boys learned something of the Finnish history and customs easily.  This is also s great book to read in the darkness of November.

Doghill Christmas Church

Kunnas, Mauri 1997

There was one spread about Christmas at Doghill in the Winter in Doghill book. This Christmas Church book is a small book that describes the festivities of the 19th century Finland.

The profits of this book were donated to the Church of Pyhä Olavi, which was burned to the ground by a mad man.









The book is beautifully illustrated and the story is simple yet educational even for the young kids.

Doghill Martha and the Chirstmas pageant

Kunnas, Mauri 2000

Martha and her mother visit Porvoo just before Christmas. They catch a star boy performance that does not go exactly as planned. The story line is guaranteed Kunnas style. Again a wonderful book for children to “accidently” learn a little bit of history.

The Starboys (Tiernapojat - the Finnish word comes from  Swedish sjtärne meaning star) are originally from central Europe, to Finland it came in the 18th century. The musical play was first played in Oulu, where it then spread to other parts of the country.

Characters of Tiernapojat

The Finnish version contains a praise to Tsar Alexander. I have seen the play several times and I have never heard praise. Maybe it was edited during the cold war.  In any case this book has the lyrics, notes and chords of one version of the play. It is also pointed out in the book that there are several versions of this play.

Wintery Porvoo

Tales from Doghill

Kunnas, Mauri 2007

This book introduces some of the folk tales that people used to tell, when there was no TV. The urban legends before the digital age.

There is a new hired man in Doghill. He plays tricks on the kids and tells stories of fairytale creatures that live among us. He scares the kids few times, but in the end he learns his lesson.

The original title is “Koiramäen lapset ja Näkki”. The Finnish name Näkki refers to the spirit of water that was used to scare children not to play alone near water. Other stories include a wife that is afraid of thunder, a golden treasure that was exposed by white fire. My favorite is the undertaker that has a nick name ferless. Well he is afraid of the preacher’s wife.  Which in my opinion is scarier that all the ghosts and spirits.

More pictures at Mauri Kunnas’s web site.

Doghill Martha and Runeberg

Kunnas, Mauri 2005

The cliff notes are not used in Finland. But here is a book that summarizes the corner stones of the beginning of the Finnish literary culture. The book introduces the most noted poet in Finland: J.L.Runeberg. Creating havoc with him are Elias Lönnrot, J.V. Snellman and Zacharias Topelius. All of them are notable contributers to the Finnish literature. 

In this book they speak Finnish, but in real life they were all Swedish speaking men. The little dog Marta acts as a muse to Runeberg and also saves the men from Cossaks.

Mauri Kunnas also points out that Mrs. Runeberg might have been a great writer, if she didn’t have to manage the household. She still managed to write something.

Some of J.L Runeberg’s works are introduced in this book:

Saarijärven Paavo – a poem of a farmer, who suffers from poor crops. In the end, the crop is plentiful, but Saarijärven Paavo shares it with his neighbors, whose crops was lost.

Maamme – The poem used in Finnish national Anthem. A tribute to Finnish landscape and mentality.

 
Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat: Sven Tuuva: A goofy like soldier that participates in the Swedish army. Note that the story is situated in time, when Finland was part of Sweden. Or more correctly: Finland was one of Sweden’s provinces. 

Koivu ja Tähti – a story of two children that are taken to Russia (implied, never said) and want to come home. All they remember is a birch and a star. Seems to be a lost case, but the children find their way home.

The book also tells about, how Elias Lönnrot collected poems for Kalevala. Mauri Kunnas made a Canine Kalevala version of that epic.

Winter in Doghill

Kunnas, Mauri 1988

The third Doghill book is about winter in Doghill.

You would think that on a farm there is nothing to do in the winter. Well, that is not the case in Doghill. There is still clothes to wash, mouths to feed and the forest to take care of. 

Even the hunger issues of the 19th century are dealt in the book: the poorer dogs of the village are fed at Doghill and the it emphazises the fact that Doghill is a wealthy house that helps those in need. 

Christmas chores in Doghill

The ambulatory school is in Doghill for two weeks and even adults attend. Learning to read is important to almost all the dogs in world of Doghill. 

Forestry and fertilization

Christmas and Shrovetide are described in detail. At Christmas time the whole hose attends Christmas Church. About the Doghill Christmas Church Mauri Kunnas made another book.

Christmas chores included washing the house with fir branches and gravel, making candles and decorating the floors with straw.


Forestry  as well as fertilizing the fields was done in winter.

Doghill kids go to town

Kunnas, Mauri, 1982

The first Doghill book was Doghill farm.  In this book the Doghill kids, Kille and Elsa go to visit their cousins in town.  Their uncle is a baker and has a grand town house, the kids meet other families in town. There is also the shoemaker, who is the alterman of his profession. He has two apprentices, who do not get paid at all.

Kille and Elsa also meet the vice consul Julin and his family. The differences between all these families are remarkable and the kids are amazed at how different things are in town.  The book is full of words that are no longer used. This book as well as the Doghill farm book are great lessons to Finnish history.

Even the school is very different from the ambulatory school Kille and Elsa attend.

The scenes in this book are very much like the LuostarinmäenKäsityöläismuseo in Turku.  Luostarinmäen museo is the old part of Turku, which survived the 1827 fire. A place worth visiting.

Doghill farm

Kunnas, Mauri, Koiramäen talossa 1980

“Life on Doghill Farm is the same as on all other farms in the olden days. Except that all Doghill residents are dogs. “is written at the Mauri Kunnas website.

The book has big pictures that are full of details and it doesn’t hurt that you learn something about. Why people think history is boring is beyond me, here the book tells about everyday life in the 19^th century farm with a funny twist. The Finnish society was built on agriculture and this book illustrates just  how much work farming is. Even the children of Doghill participate in the upkeep of a farm and have fun doing it.  Family is very important to the Doghill dogs, Grandma and Grandpa are a part of the core family and they all live in the same house.

The inspiration for this book came from a real farm house Yli-Kirra in Punkalaidun, an hour away from Tampere.








Doghill Pransi and Fiina at Särkänninemi

Later came out other books about the Doghill dogs:
The Doghill kids go to town,
Doghill winter,
Doghill Martha And The Christmas Pageant,
Doghill Christmas Church,
Tales from Doghill and
Doghill Marha and Runeberg.

Mauri Kunnas started with the Finnish Elf book, but as a small girl I thought there were too much text and too few pictures. But now I appreciate the stories and admire the images.

In spring 2013, Doghill themepark was opened in Särkänniemi, Tampere. We visited it right away and if you like Doghill books, you’ll love Doghill.

Doghill family, Pransi, Martta, Fiina and Kille,
 at Mr. Clutterbuck's house

Other Mauri Kunnas characters can be seen in Mr. Clutterbuck’s house  in Sastamala. This house we visited in 2012 and the boys and I loved it. There is lot to see and do.