Martha Organization

{{Short description|Finnish organisation}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}}

{{Infobox organization

| name = Martha Organization

| native_name = Marttaliitto ry

| native_name_lang = fi

| nickname = Marthas

| image = File:Lapinlahdenkatu 3.jpg

| caption = This building, owned by the Martha Organisation, is located in Kamppi, Helsinki, at Lapinlahdenkatu 3. The Martha suborganisation of Uusimaa’s premises are also located inside the building.

| formation = {{start date and age|1899|03|29|df=yes}}

| type = NGO

| headquarters = Lapinlahdenkatu 3, Helsinki, Finland{{Cite web |url=https://www.kauppalehti.fi/yritykset/yritys/marttaliitto+ry/01167128 |title=Marttaliitto ry |website=Kauppalehti |language=fi |access-date=10 October 2023}}

| location_country = Finland

| membership = {{Circa}} 44,000

| sec_gen = {{ill|Marianne Heikkilä|fi}}

| key_people = Annie Furuhjelm, Lucina Hagman, Cely Mechelin, Dagmar Neovius, Alli Nissinen and Helmi Setälä

| website = {{URL|https://www.martat.fi/}}

}}

The Martha Organization{{Cite web |url=https://uia.org/s/or/en/1100063905 |title=Marttaliitto |website=Union of International Associations |access-date=10 October 2023}}{{Cite web |url=https://okm.fi/en/advisory-organisations |title=Advisory organisations |last= |first= |date= |website=Ministry of Education and Culture |access-date=10 October 2023}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.martat.fi/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Jarjestoesittely-2021-englanniksi-paivitetty-4.2.2021-PDF.pdf |title=Martat |date=2021 |website=Martha Organization |access-date=10 October 2023}} ({{Langx|fi|Marttaliitto ry}} or {{Lang|fi|Martat}}, {{Langx|sv|Martharörelsen}}), also known as the Marthas and the Martha Association,{{Cite web |url=https://www.martat.fi/in-english/ |title=In English |website=Martha Organization |access-date=10 October 2023}} is a Finnish organisation founded by Lucina Hagman in 1899. The organisation defines its activities as follows: "The Martha Organization is a citizens' organisation providing advice in home economics, with the aim of furthering welfare in homes and families, and providing diverse activities and possibilities of influencing the community and its members." The Martha Organization takes its name from the biblical figure of Martha.

File:Marttapiirit vuonna 2018.png

The organisation has a three-tier structure. The lowest tier consists of local Martha communities and clubs, which the members belong to. These communities belong to regional Martha suborganisations. The Martha Organization itself is the central organisation. The members of the Martha Organization, called Martta, number about 50,000. The Martha communities now also accept male members.Vilenius, Esa: [http://www2.lappeenranta.fi/lehtitietokanta/artikkeli.php?id=1601 Willit Martat ottivat itselleen laatuaikaa lumikenkäretkellä] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720190339/http://www2.lappeenranta.fi/lehtitietokanta/artikkeli.php?id=1601 |date=2011-07-20 }}, Etelä-Saimaa, 9 March 2004. Accessed 16 September 2009.{{Cite web |url=http://www.karjalanmaa.fi/tarkennus.php?lehti=515&id=2775 |title=Joensuun torin Marttakahvio täyttää 30 vuotta |last=Ignatius |first=Heikki |date=23 July 2004 |website=Karjalan Maa |language=fi |access-date=16 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720185537/http://www.karjalanmaa.fi/tarkennus.php?lehti=515&id=2775 |archive-date=20 July 2011}} They are called Martti or Matti.[http://martat.pyhamaa.fi/historia.htm Historiikki] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720192212/http://martat.pyhamaa.fi/historia.htm |date=2011-07-20 }} 2008, Pyhämaan Martat. Accessed 16 September 2009.

Whereas the organisation's activity was previously focused mainly on the countryside, the organisation has lately sought to expand to cities. University students have also formed Martha communities. Men have founded Martti clubs. The Swedish clubs have their own national organisation called {{ill|Swedish Martha Association in Finland|fi|Finlands svenska Marthaförbund|sv|Finlands svenska Marthaförbund}} ({{Langx|sv|Finlands svenska Marthaförbund|links=no}} or {{Lang|sv|Marthaförbundet}}).{{R|okm-1}}

The organisation publishes a magazine called Martat that comes out six times a year.{{Cite web|title=Martat-lehti|url=https://www.martat.fi/martat/jasenkanava/martatlehti/|access-date=2020-08-22|website=Martat|language=fi}} The magazine was formerly named Emäntälehti Martat.

In 2007, Finnish anarchists established their own Martha Organization based on anarchist principles.{{cite web | url = https://www.hs.fi/elama/art-2000004669915.html | title = Anarkistimartta meni marjaan| date = 3 August 2009 | publisher = Helsingin Sanomat | access-date = 4 May 2014|language=fi}}{{subscription required}} The Anarchist Marthas have operations in Helsinki and Rovaniemi. It had about 130 members in 2011.{{cite web | url = http://yle.fi/uutiset/anarkistimartat_haastavat_pullantuoksuiset_martat/5408185 | title = Anarkistimartat haastavat pullantuoksuiset martat | date = 17 August 2011 | publisher = Yle Uutiset | access-date = 4 May 2014|language=fi}} The Anarchist Marthas organised popular public knitting clubs, among other events.{{cite journal|last1=Sjöberg|first1=Barbro|last2=Porko-Hudd|first2=Mia|year=2019|title=A Life Tangled in Yarns – Leisure Knitting for Well-Being|journal=Techne serien - Forskning i slöjdpedagogik och slöjdvetenskap|volume=26|issue=2|pp=49–66|url=https://journals.oslomet.no/index.php/techneA/article/view/3405|issn=1893-1774}}