Sisu / Text Workshop with Meri Alarcón
11 April 12.00 noon–2.00 pm • Together with poet and writer Meri Alarcón, participants will try simple writing exercises and work creatively with words, sentences, and cuttings from newspapers.
Sisu / Lecture: The History of the Finnish in Sweden
Lectures
Sisu / Lecture: The History of the Finnish in Sweden
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How have Finnish and Finnish-speaking communities shaped the history of Sweden? In this lecture, Ali Jonasson explores the presence of Finnish speakers in Sweden over the centuries, from early migrations and settlements of Forest Finns to today’s Swedish-Finnish minority. The lecture will also touch on the lesser-known Finnish history of Bohuslän.
Admission free, no pre-registration required.
Ali Jonasson is a scholar of religion, author, and Swedish Finn. His work and writing focus on the history, culture, and memory of minority communities. He is the author of Finnkampen: The Illustrated History of Swedish Finns (Verbal Förlag, 2025) and the recently released poetry collection I tystnad hit (Verbal Förlag, 2026). Finnkampen: The Illustrated History of Swedish Finns presents the history of Swedish Finns in comic book form. Laughter and tears, tango and hip-hop, spells of the Forest Finns and self-defence guards. The book depicts the era of the eastern half of the kingdom and parts of Sweden, from skull measurements and labour immigration to today’s cultural revival and official recognition.
About
Ali Jonasson
Ali Jonasson (born 1984 in Gothenburg) is a writer, poet, translator, and lecturer with a strong focus on national minority issues, language policy, cultural heritage, and class struggles. With roots in Swedish-Finnish, Sámi, and Lantalaisian traditions, he carries a multi-layered identity that affects both his writing and public engagement. Growing up on Hisingen in Gothenburg has strongly influenced his work. As a lecturer and former researcher in religious studies, he highlights the role of national minorities in Sweden and their right to language and culture.
11 april
Sisu / Language & Comics
During a full day, we will explore comics as a means of telling stories about heritage, belonging, and experiences that move across languages and countries. Sweden and Finland share a long and intertwined history. The past century has seen war and migration, events that continue to be reflected in both stories and demographics. Today, Finnish and Meänkieli are recognised as national minority languages in Sweden. Using comics as our starting point, The Nordic Watercolour Museum, together with the Swedish Comics Association, invites you to a day of lectures, talks, and workshops. Come to explore identity through creative drawing or simply to listen to the stories of others.
Full programmeHighlights from the programme
Sisu / Workshop: Explore Your Identity Through Comics with Mats Kejonen
11 april 1.00–2.00 pm • Swedish-Finnish comic artist Mats Kejonen will give a short introduction to visual storytelling and to exploring identity through comics. Participants will then have the opportunity to create their own comics under Mats’s guidance.
Guided Tour with Finnish Interpretation
11 april 2.00–3.00 pm • We offer a guided tour (in Swedish) with interpretation into Finnish. Join us for a guided tour of the museum’s exhibitions and discover the diversity of watercolour art.
