To Malminharju and Beyond

Associations are hubs of deaf social life. They have always provided the community with a variety of different activities. Hobby clubs, sewing clubs, study groups and group events have brought deaf people together since the end of the 19th century. Deaf associations also established separate sports clubs. The 1920s saw the founding of a central organisation for these clubs, the Finnish Deaf Sports Federation.

Many associations also acquired holiday homes for their members to socialise and spend time in. Finnish Association of the Deaf founded its own course and holiday centre in Heinola in the 1960s. The new centre was named Malminharju (‘Malm’s ridge’) after Carl Oscar Malm, the father of the Finnish deaf education. During its busiest years, Malminharju received thousands of visitors, with various courses, meetings and holidays were organised in its facilities.

The sign language community is inherently international in nature. Even as early as during Carl Oscar Malm’s times, the Finnish community had close ties to Sweden, and many Finns also attended the first Nordic events for deaf people that were organised between them at the turn of the 19th century. Finns have remained active participants in international events and established extensive networks around the world.