Doctoral Researcher Aleksi Moine from the University of Helsinki investigates corporeality in Northern Karelian healing incantations and the role of words in healing rituals. His research raises past conceptions of what it is to be a human into current debate.
Aleksi Moine , a doctoral researcher in folklore studies, is active in a number of fields in the humanities. Raised in a Finnish- and French-speaking family, Moine began his university studies in France.
"For the first couple of years, I studied philosophy, comparative literature, history and languages, such as Russian, Latin and classical Greek. Then I was admitted into the École normale supérieure and completed a bachelor's degree in classical studies, or rather, classical philology.
After that I wanted to pursue something other than philology or linguistics, but retained my interest in languages. I started studying mythology and historical anthropology, and after some twists and turns ended up completing a master's degree in Finnish language and culture in Paris. Then I headed off to Iceland to complete another master's degree, this time in Viking and mediaeval Norse studies. My main focus was on vernacular Christianity in mediaeval Iceland. I moved to Finland in 2017 with the idea of writing a doctoral thesis on the Finno-Karelian tradition of incantation. In reality, however, I taught French at the Lycée franco-finlandais in Helsinki for a few years before applying to the University of Helsinki.
I also work as literary translator; I mainly translate Finnish literature written in Finnish or Swedish into French. I have also translated some research articles from those languages, as well as from Russian, into French."
What is the topic of your doctoral thesis?
"The working title of my doctoral thesis in Finnish is Jumalan sanat ja Kristuksen kädet. 1800-luvun Ilomantsin parannusloitsujen lausumistatapahtuma antropopoeettisena prosessina (Words of God and hands of Christ. The performance of healing incantations in 19th-century Ilomantsi as an anthropopoetic process). I study Northern Karelian healing incantations that were collected in the 1800s. Often such incantations are anachronistically labelled as Kalevala-metric charms, in other words, they are the kind that Elias Lönnrot collected and used as source material for the Kalevala.
I look at these incantations from the point of view of corporeality, that is to say, I study how they portray the human body. First of all, I explore the notions of the body on which the healing ritual is founded. I also delve into the actions of the caster of the charm, the tietäjä, during the healing ritual - how they describe their own actions in the incantation and how they, for example, touch the person to be healed. I'm hoping my research will help us understand past perceptions of humanity, health and the body."
What inspired you to pursue a doctoral degree in your field?
"I'm curious, inquisitive and I want to learn and understand the world. At the same time, I have always been fascinated by languages, words, and the power of words. As a classics student, I was intrigued by the characters of Orpheus and other mythical poets. When I read the Kalevala for a mythology research course, I noticed that the Finno-Karelian tradition also has a very interesting approach to words and poetry."
What contribution can your thesis make to the wider community or society?
"Researching the past provides offers a key to the future. Even if my research has no direct bearing on modern society, it offers an opportunity to reflect on how humans and the environment were perceived in the past. As those perceptions differ greatly from our own, they provide an opportunity to critically examine the modern world and gain a better understanding of it. Collections of incantations and other Kalevala-metric poems have contributed to the building of our national identity. By investigating the sources of these processes we can gain an insight into where we come from and where we are heading.
It's important to conduct research that helps us understand, for example, the roots of the current ecological crisis and growing nationalism. Research can provide us with tools to impact these phenomena in our modern society. Many processes have existed several hundreds of years and can't simply be erased. What's more, the sources of long processes tend to be forgotten."
How is your thesis coming along? How do you feel about writing a doctoral thesis?
"I began the project on a salaried doctoral researcher position funded by the University of Helsinki Research Foundation in August 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Because of the pandemic, the beginning was challenging and also lonely at times. The University, and in many ways the work community, were new to me.
During Covid, I spent a lot of time at home reading. Many courses were postponed or cancelled, but luckily I was able to work on archived material online. Writing the thesis has been an intensive project, and it has been difficult to separate work and free time.
Working alone requires support from the people around you, and in this sense my own community and colleagues have been indispensable. It has been great to have three fellow doctoral researchers also studying topics related to magic. We have a really nice community spirit and are able to discuss our research and share ideas with each other."
What are your plans for the future? Where do you see yourself after completing your degree?
"Perhaps I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up! I have a lot of ideas. A research career is an option, but a lot depends on funding opportunities. The competition is tough. I think it would be nice to carry on with my research, but focus on the living rather than the dead, as interesting as archive material is. Perhaps I could conduct field studies or take my research in a more artistic direction."
What advice would you give to someone who is just in the early stages of their journey towards a doctorate?
"I would say that select a topic that genuinely interests you, as you will be spending several years on the research. Personally I benefited from taking a break before embarking on my research as that gave me confidence about my choice of topic.
Also, keep in mind that the thesis is not your whole life. Put your feet up once in a while and stick to your hobbies and social life to avoid work taking control of everything. Finding a balance between work and free time can be a challenge when you could immerse yourself totally in your interesting topic. Finally, don't compare yourself with others. As a doctoral researcher, you will always have your own perspective on your research."
