Ethnic Identity in Finnish- Australian Literature

Abstrakti

The Finnish emigrant community in Australia is comparatively small but there are a number of emerging Finnish-Australian authors. This article examines the work of Finnish-Australian author Maria Takolander, in particular her acclaimed short story collection The Double.

The article discusses the markers of Finnish ethnicity present in Takolander’s work, with reference to how these markers have been impacted by the Australian context in which the stories were written. Ultimately, it can be seen that traditional markers of Finnish ethnicity, such as a love of nature, have been reinterpreted through interaction with Australian culture.

This article forms part of my doctoral dissertation on Finnish emigrant literature and its connection to the Kalevala.