A rune singer tradition in the north of Karelia is known to exist for ages, legends and songs were passed on from one generation to another, keeping connection between them. It was rune singers who made the Kalevala region famous: The runes performed by them were carefully recorded for the descendants by Elias Lonnrot who compiled the epos “Kalevala”.
The exposition, reflecting a rich heritage of our ancestors – the nonpareil one presenting the rune singer tradition in this area was created in the Kalevalian museum of rune singers. The exposition is located in the memorial house of folk tales narrator Mary Remshu, where in 1984 the Kalevala rune singer museum was opened thanks to those who were interested in retaining the history of the region. The museum exhibits over 300 items, mainly, the memorial things of the Kalevala folk tales narrators.
In 2006 with the help of the project “The Leisurely Story of Runes” the emphases was made on using multimedia tools that gives an opportunity not only to retain but to make the perception of almost disappeared genres (runes, yogs and cries, etc.) more effective. A multimedia program is created which contains diverse material – the travel history of the White Sea Karelia Finnish explorers in the 19th century, the travel maps, etc.
The excursions on different topics, among which “Rune Singer Traditions of the Kalevala Region”, “the Properly Built House”, “Elias Lyonrott: Life and Work”, “Kalevala Revives”, “Loynrott trips”, “Traditional occupations of the Northern Karelians” and others are carried out in the memorial house-museum of M.A. Remshu. The museum also organizers meetings with local folk groups and old people of the Kalevala village.
