PHASES OF THE SKRABB-TALLBACKA-FAMILY-COMMITTEE

Raimo Hautanen:

Under the good old family-tree

At the summer of 1957 group of family members got together, at the home of Oskari Tallbacka in Alajärvi, to talk about family-research and family-meeting, from his and Valter Keltikangas’ invitation. Among Tallbacka and Keltikangas, there were Lauri Viitaniemi, Erkki Kantola, Väinö Tuomaala (from Evijärvi) and Vihtori Peltokangas (from Vaasa). Tuomaala was an expert on family-research.

The first family-meeting was held at home of Lauri Viitaniemi, at the cape of Tallbacka in June 1958. It strated with celebration. According to newspaper, there were about 300 members of our family. Program included service at the Church of Alajärvi where, Toivo Viitasaari, also member of our family, preached. Holy Communion was served by Otto Tunturi, and after that the Family-choir, led by Helle Tallbacka, sang outside. Dr. Aulis Ojajärvi spoke on the stairs of church for the memory of past ganerations.
The first Olderman og our Family was chosen to be Matti Tallbacka (farmer), who was the oldest one alive. His period lasted till 1974. The stick of the Olderman is designed by Aulis Ojajärvi, and made by Oskari Koskela, the carpenter. At the end of celebration, after the choir had sang, Uuno Keltikangas told about expectations and meanings of our Family Committee.

25 years of break

The family-committee had break for quarter of Century. The second family-meeting was on July 1984. Dr. Matti Viitaniemi had speech about Skrabb-Tallbackas and their part of the Alajärvi’s settlement and hard work on the fields. He also told how one of the ancestors was rewarded with a prize on Finnish Economy Society in 1819. In the meeting, the stick of the Olderman was officially handed to Oskari Tallbacka, who had run the assignment since 1974, and run till 1988. Aged Olderman took part of celebration actively.

Summer-festival at the cape of Tallbacka

The third family-meeting at the end of June 1990 was held at home of Lauri Viitaniemi, at the cape of Tallbacka. But before that, celebration started with Toivo Viitasaari’s sermon at the Church of Alajärvi. Kirsti Wallenius spoke and Erkki Mäntyniemi sang with accompaniment of Terho Korpela.

Jorma Joensuu spoke about family-research and finding his own family-roots.
“In continuously and quickly changing society people need something permanent to hold on. Family-tree is stable an safe. There is no storm that could knock down this tree. The ancestors are and will be permanent.” He said.

The chairman of Family Committee (since 1984), Sakari Tallbacka handed the stick of the Olderman to Erkki Tallbacka, with him the stick was handed to next generation. He is the third Olderman of our family.

Memorial tablet for ancestors

The fourth family-meeting was in July 1995. Some of the people gathered already 9 a.m. at the cape of Tallbacka to unveil the memorial tablet at the stone fence. Erkki Kantola spoke, Katri and Olli Kantola were the messengers. To the memorial tablet had been written (by free translation):

SKRABB-TALLBACKA-FAMILY SINCE 1549
FOR THE HONOR OF HARD-WORKING FARMERS
9TH OF JULY 1995

Jorma Höykinpuro “shocked” people by telling about new progenitos of Skrabb’. Instead of Olli Pietarinpoika, it was Juho Olavinpoika. Skrabb’s and Pynttäri’s masters had been mixed to each other. Juho Olavinpoika is mentioned in tax-books already 1547, so our family got few years more.

Translation by Mirka ja Mari Vuori.

A book and a pin for the family

The family’s 5th family festival in July 2000 became remarkable, since the family book “Skrabb-Tallbacka-suvun vaiheita”, was announced there. The family researcher, Heikki Koskela, took the main responsibility for editing the book. He was supported by the book committee and another family researcher, Jorma Höykinpuro, who introduced the book at the festival in Alajärvi’s house of parish.

The book includes information about 700 families, in other words more than 3200 persons, who are descendants of Juha Juhanpoika Skrabb, who lived between 1743 and 1790. There are “skrabbies” from eight generations in the book.

Also the family pin was sold at the festival. It was designed by secretary of the association, Raimo Hautanen. Both, the book and the pin began selling well at the festival.

The main speaker of the festival, the manager and the former member of Parliament, Matti Korkia-Aho from Kokkola, was concerned about people forgetting their relatives. “When we go back in time, people used horses or bicycles at most for travelling. Even so, they visited from long distance. People knew about their relatives through many generations”, said Matti Korkia-Aho.

The speaker is relieved as he has observed family festivals and family books gaining popularity. People have become more interested about their relatives and they are willing to find their family-roots.

Later during the festival, the family council chose principal Raimo Hautamäki, from Ilmajoki, for the chairman. For the first honorary memebers of the family association were chosen actively participating members of our family: chamber councillor Sakari Tallbacka, parish councillor Jorma Joensuu, economy councillor Kalevi Saukko and farmer Erkki Kantola from Alajärvi and engineer Pauli Tavisalo from Jämsänkoski.

Translation in English: Maarit ja Mirka Vuori.