Elsa Eklund (Enäjärvi from 1922) was born into a family of merchants and farmers in 1901. She began her studies at the University of Helsinki in 1919. Initially she studied mathematics, physics and chemistry, but soon transferred to the department of history and linguistics. There she studied a combination of Finnish literature, Finnish language and literature, Finnish and Scandinavian history, and Finnish and comparative folklore studies. Eklund's interest in folklore was sparked when she met Martti Haavio at the beginning of her studies.

Martti Haavio is said to have fallen passionately in love with Elsa the very first time they met. Haavio used the pen name P. Mustapää when writing love poems to his muse, the earliest of which were published in the poetry album Nuoret runoilijat ('Young poets', 1924). When Elsa Enäjärvi reviewed the album, she did not know who had written it. The chaotic love described in P. Mustapää's debut collections Laulu ihanista silmistä ('A song about lovely eyes', 1925) and Laulu vaakalinnusta ('A song about a griffin’ 1927) prompted in their subject a mixed response, on one hand, delighted and, on the other, anxious. Haavio's early love poems to Elsa were published in P. Mustapää's later collections right through to the 1960s. Elsa and Martti were married in 1929, and had five children.

Elsa was a keen writer and from 1921 her texts and literary reviews were published in magazines and newspapers. Over the course of thirty years, she published over 300 scientific papers, literary and theatre reviews, general interest articles and opinion pieces that dealt with folklore, the history of literature and other cultural topics. In addition to this, she also edited the book Elämäni ja ystäväni ('My life and my friends', 1933) by Emma Irene Åström, the first Finnish woman to graduate with an academic degree, and also translated the book into Finnish.

Elsa Enäjärvi’s research subjects were shaped by the trips she made in the 1920s to Estonia, Riga, Stockholm and Uppsala. A hardworking woman, collecting folk poetry was not enough for her; she also published articles, reviews and translations detailing her findings. Enäjärvi specialised in the study of folk games. Adapting a ‘historic-geographic’ method, she delved into foreign archives and into an area which had not previously been studied. The only Finn to mention the topic was Professor Yrjö Hirn. Elsa Enäjärvi’s academic research was published in Finnish, Swedish, English, German, French and Estonian.

For her doctoral dissertation, Elsa Enäjärvi acquainted herself with the traditional game collections of the British Museum in London. Her study visit resulted in articles on theatre and literature, as well as a book on English culture called Vanha iloinen Englanti (1928), ‘Merry olde England’. The 31-year-old researcher became the first woman to complete a doctoral degree in Finland with her dissertation The Game of Rich and Poor, which examined in detail the singing game of the same name. Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio and Martti Haavio received their doctorates at the University of Helsinki in 1932.

In the 1930s Enäjärvi-Haavio concentrated her research on folk poetry. She was invited to be the first woman deputy member of the Kalevala Society in 1932, and a working member in 1947. The University of Helsinki appointed her as docent of Finnish and comparative folk poetics in 1947. Enäjärvi-Haavio was also declared suitable for appointment as professor of folk poetry, but her husband Martti Haavio was chosen for the post in 1949. Instead of pursuing an academic career, Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio was active in social organisations. She sought to influence the people’s opinions with speeches, newspaper articles and radio presentations. Enäjärvi-Haavio is said to have been involved in over 30 non-governmental organisations. Her most important duties were in the Finnish Federation of University Women, the Family Federation of Finland, the Taxpayers Association of Finland, the Kalevala Women’s Association and the Finnish Cultural Foundation. She was also a representative of the National Coalition Party in the City Council and was appointed to be a presidential elector in 1950. She attended the 30th anniversary congress of the International Federation of University Women in Switzerland as the director of the Finnish delegation. In early 1951, Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio died of cancer. She was only 49 years of age.

References

• Raija Majamaa, ’Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio (1901-1951)’. National Biography of Finland online publication. Finnish Literature Society. Accessed 11 Febraury,2015.
• Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio on the Porvarillisen Työn Arkisto website. Accessed 11 February, 2015.
• Elsa Enäjärvi-Haavio on Wikipedia.