Forgotten pioneers? The Karelian connection and the role of Kaale women in the mobilization of Finnish Roma at the start of the twentieth century

While studies of Finnish Kaale pioneer men within the process of Roma mobilization in Finland have become more common in recent years, little to no information or discussion has thus far focused on the role of Roma women within these processes, their visions for the future of their communities, and their connection to the shaping of Roma civic emancipation in Finland. Based on recently discovered archival sources, this article addresses these gaps by exploring the lives of two key Roma women: Ida Blomerus and Sofia Schwartz. This article also analyzes the ways in which their engagement can only be understood by considering the dynamics occurring in a particular region of the country, Karelia. Through this, the aim of this article is to demonstrate that Romani women´s involvement constitutes a crucial aspect of the civic emancipation movement in Finland and that Roma women were neither passive subjects nor silent voices within the history of Roma mobilization.