In Tove Jansson's Moomin stories, every character, no matter what kind of creature, gets to be part of the family - everyone is welcome in Moominhouse. The accepting atmosphere of the Moomin family allows the characters to grow, find themselves and become part of the community on their own terms. Although the Moomin books were written decades ago, their message of tolerance and acceptance remains relevant and important.
The door is always open
2025 marks 80 years of Moomin stories – the first Moomin story, Moomins and the Great Flood, was published in 1945. A consoling and adventurous story about a displaced family and their quest to find a home. The story lands in what will become known as Moominvalley. There stands a tall blue house – a joyful place where everyone is welcome, whoever they are, whenever they come.
Tove Jansson’s life and the Moomin stories she created are based on timeless values, especially tolerance and love for other people and nature. Respect, acceptance and appreciation of the diversity of life were self-evident for Jansson, and she strongly expressed these values in her stories. The characters of Moominvalley wander in a world where Moominhouse is a symbol of security, shelter and a sense of belonging.
Born in 1914, Tove Jansson represented the generation during which Finland granted women the right to vote – the third in the world and the first in Europe. Born into a family of artists, Jansson took a bold stand against social ills – an act which, at the time, was out of the mainstream. She lived with her life partner, the graphic artist Tuulikki “Tooti” Pietilä, from 1955 until the end of her life, even though homosexuality was illegal in Finland until 1971. Tove’s life choices and the message of freedom and acceptance in her Moomin stories reflected her uncompromising belief that everyone has the right to live as themselves and that everyone deserves to be heard and valued.
Tolerance is not just about accepting others
Even before Pietilä, Jansson had a relationship with Vivica Bandler, who inspired Tove’s creation of characters in the book Finn Family Moomintroll (1948). The characters Thingumy and Bob, which make their first appearance in the book, were inspired by Tove herself and her lover Vivica. According to several interpretations, the duo’s own secret language in the book was inspired by their shared secret of homosexuality that was illegal at the time.
It may not occur to many children – or adults – that the hilarious characters in the Moomin stories, such as Thingumy and Bob, can also be symbols with a deeper meaning. Or that the character Too-ticky, who first appeared in the 1957 book Moominland Midwinter, was inspired by Jansson’s partner Tuulikki Pietilä. Too-ticky teaches us that tolerance is not just about accepting others, but also about wanting to learn about the world and customs of new acquaintances.
The multi-layered stories of the Moomin books offer each reader a unique and personal interpretation, where something new can be discovered with each reading. There is no one right way to interpret Tove Jansson’s Moomin stories, there are as many ways as there are readers. The books seem as relevant and meaningful today as they did decades ago.
Guided by the message of the Moomin stories and the Moomin 80 anniversary
Tove Jansson wrote the first Moomin story, The Moomins and the Great Flood, during WWII to comfort herself in dark times, creating a world built on inclusivity and adventure where different perspectives are heard. The Moominhouse offers shelter, comfort and security to all that seek it – and it is in essence this that enables the Moomins and their extended family to courageously venture out into the world on all of their adventures, to take risks and to be free – safe in the knowledge that at the end of the journey they have a place to return to. Moominmamma, the mother of the Moomin family, always makes sure that Moominhouse is a safe and loving place for family and guests alike. A place where they belong – a place they can call home.
“I had no idea that you lived under the bridge. Please do come in. I’m sure my wife can make a bed up for you.”
Moominpappa in the book Comet in Moominland, 1946
Let’s live together, like in Moominvalley – regardless of appearance, status, values, gender, religion or sexual orientation. Everyone has the right to live in peace and be themselves, respecting the right of others to do the same, without trying to forcefully change each other’s views.