Helena Patursson
Encyclopedia
Súsanna Helena Patursson (27 August 1864 in Kirkjubøur
– 15 December 1916 in Kirkjubøur) was a Faroese
actress and writer, and the first political feminist
in the country. She also wrote the first play
in the Faroese language
. Her brothers Sverre Patursson and Jóannes Patursson
were also well-known.
Helena Patursson is the daughter of the king's farmer Poul Peder Pedersen and Ellen Cathrine Djonesen. She grew up on the king's farm Kirkjubøargarður
, where she got private lessons together with her brothers. Later she went to Copenhagen
, where she learned piano and handiworks. She worked there as paralegal until 1904, when she returned to the Faroes.
Like her brothers Helena Paturson was an activist, ever since the Christmas meeting of the Faroe Islands 1888, where the nationalist movement was founded. Her activities are addressed to women. In 1889 wrote she the first play in Faroese, Veðurføst (feminine
form of veðurfastur = unable to move from a place because of weather conditions, "weather fastened"), from which unfortunately only fragments are preserved. It is about women's role in the national awakening and teaching Faroese at home, which had at this time no official status as a language.
She also write in the papers Føringatíðindi (Faroese's Times) and Fuglaframi (Bird's = the Faroese people's furtherance) of her brothers Jóannes and Sverre. In Copenhagen she was organised in a women's union and in 1896 persuaded the Faroese Association there to affiliate with women.
Back on the Faroes, Helena Patursson founded her own magazine Oyggjarnar (the Islands), which was not only the first paper for Faroese women, but also at its time (1905-1908) the only periodical in Faroese language. Thus Oyggjarnar had several importance in the history of the Faroe Islands. It was not only addressed to women, but most articles were about feminine jobs and education, their role in the national awakening, and recipes for good meals, which was considered as a national request in that time. For instance Oyggjarnar emphasized that girls get the same good food as boys. A new women's role became popular, where parts of the old farmer's culture were preserved, but got a new quality. The traditional wool processing now became a decorative handicraft, etc.
A compilation of her articles came out 1909 in Matreglur fyri hvørt hús (Meals for every house), which was the first Faroese cookbook. Fríðka um búgvið (Home's beautification) was the second book in 1912. But by 1908 the paper Oyggjarnar had been discontinued because she received less support by her famous brothers.
Súsanna Helena Patursson's biographer, the Faroese professor for literature Malan Marnersdóttir, supposes that it was a sign of the times that a single woman's voice was missed in that time, when men dominated the political scene of the national movement. However, Helena Patursson was a pioneer, and her work and ideas were continued in 1952, when the Kvinnufelagið (Women's Union) was founded.
Kirkjubøur
Kirkjubøur is the southernmost village on Streymoy, Faroe Islands and the country's most important historical site.It is located on the west coast and has a view towards the islands Hestur and Koltur.-History:...
– 15 December 1916 in Kirkjubøur) was a Faroese
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
actress and writer, and the first political feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
in the country. She also wrote the first play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
in the Faroese language
Faroese language
Faroese , is an Insular Nordic language spoken by 48,000 people in the Faroe Islands and about 25,000 Faroese people in Denmark and elsewhere...
. Her brothers Sverre Patursson and Jóannes Patursson
Jóannes Patursson
Jóannes Patursson was a Faroese nationalist leader and poet.He was the great-grandson of the Faroese national hero Nólsoyar Páll. His brother Sverre Patursson was an important writer and his sister Susanna Helena Patursson the first feminist of the Faroe Islands.-Background:Jóannes was born in...
were also well-known.
Helena Patursson is the daughter of the king's farmer Poul Peder Pedersen and Ellen Cathrine Djonesen. She grew up on the king's farm Kirkjubøargarður
Kirkjubøargarður
Kirkjubøargarður is one of the oldest still inhabited wooden houses of the world. The farm itself has always been the largest in the Faroe Islands....
, where she got private lessons together with her brothers. Later she went to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, where she learned piano and handiworks. She worked there as paralegal until 1904, when she returned to the Faroes.
Like her brothers Helena Paturson was an activist, ever since the Christmas meeting of the Faroe Islands 1888, where the nationalist movement was founded. Her activities are addressed to women. In 1889 wrote she the first play in Faroese, Veðurføst (feminine
Grammatical gender
Grammatical gender is defined linguistically as a system of classes of nouns which trigger specific types of inflections in associated words, such as adjectives, verbs and others. For a system of noun classes to be a gender system, every noun must belong to one of the classes and there should be...
form of veðurfastur = unable to move from a place because of weather conditions, "weather fastened"), from which unfortunately only fragments are preserved. It is about women's role in the national awakening and teaching Faroese at home, which had at this time no official status as a language.
She also write in the papers Føringatíðindi (Faroese's Times) and Fuglaframi (Bird's = the Faroese people's furtherance) of her brothers Jóannes and Sverre. In Copenhagen she was organised in a women's union and in 1896 persuaded the Faroese Association there to affiliate with women.
Back on the Faroes, Helena Patursson founded her own magazine Oyggjarnar (the Islands), which was not only the first paper for Faroese women, but also at its time (1905-1908) the only periodical in Faroese language. Thus Oyggjarnar had several importance in the history of the Faroe Islands. It was not only addressed to women, but most articles were about feminine jobs and education, their role in the national awakening, and recipes for good meals, which was considered as a national request in that time. For instance Oyggjarnar emphasized that girls get the same good food as boys. A new women's role became popular, where parts of the old farmer's culture were preserved, but got a new quality. The traditional wool processing now became a decorative handicraft, etc.
A compilation of her articles came out 1909 in Matreglur fyri hvørt hús (Meals for every house), which was the first Faroese cookbook. Fríðka um búgvið (Home's beautification) was the second book in 1912. But by 1908 the paper Oyggjarnar had been discontinued because she received less support by her famous brothers.
Súsanna Helena Patursson's biographer, the Faroese professor for literature Malan Marnersdóttir, supposes that it was a sign of the times that a single woman's voice was missed in that time, when men dominated the political scene of the national movement. However, Helena Patursson was a pioneer, and her work and ideas were continued in 1952, when the Kvinnufelagið (Women's Union) was founded.
External links
- Kvinfo.dk - Súsanna Helena Patursson (Danish Female Biographic Lexicon, by Malan Marnerdóttir, which is the base for this article)