Overview

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.