06/06/2026
Today in the Aika Pages we bring you the first article of three from June 13, 1902.
Author Unknown (Most likely the article is written by Matti Kurikka,
translator’s note.)
Will the Women be Shared?
The title of this article is a splendid example of how little those living in the dark understand our cause. We are constantly hearing this from them.
[BOTTOM PART OF THE NEWSPAPER IS MISSING]
Now that we will enjoy free social conditions as well as a new, blessed economic situation, we need to carefully think about how we can mould the future for our own happiness and for the success of upcoming generations. We need to do that by getting rid of the things that are negative in the current situation and by preserving those that are positive.
We should not take into account the ways in which the Catholic clergy organized family life in Europe, so that it was able to become the almighty master of families with its sacraments. We should instead examine the formation and development of the family from the aspect of nature’s theory of evolution. By doing this, we will find a statement made by Darwin, which in a very clever way explains the reasons for the first long lasting marriages.
We know that when hunting and fishing were the only livelihood of humans, there were no proprietary rights to land, but after farming was begun, borders were already being drawn.
For what? In order to prevent disputes, each one would mark their piece of land, so that others knew they were putting their life at risk if they tried to seize the marked land.
Therefore Darwin explains that the first marriage was also born out of an attempt to prevent disputes, it was born out of jealousy. When the men (even the stronger ones) of more advanced tribes realized that in order to prevent disputes and fights it was best to know, which woman belonged to whom, permanent marriages started to become more common. This didn’t mean that divorce wasn’t possible, it only meant that other men were not allowed to approach a woman that belonged to someone else. Women as “weaker vessels” were naturally forced to follow the general opinion.
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….the murders caused by militarism, the poisoning caused by alcohol, all kept up by the state to abolish the family. The great majority of mankind is shouting for help on behalf of millions of children, not realizing the reasons for their sufferings and not knowing if help can be expected.
We have moved back to a patriarchal way of life, where individual families no longer need to worry about the future of their children, and where everyone has a chance to take from nature what he needs, using the most modern means. We would not be worthy of our new conditions, if we weren’t also able to create the right marriage ideal.
As a member of the family, whose duty it will be to lead this great affair - perhaps the greatest we will ever have to solve - into the right direction, I will speak my mind on this matter, keeping in mind, and also asking all my comrades to keep in mind, the basis of our life together: “treat others as you would want them to treat you”.
As a company the Kalevan Kansa [People of Kaleva, KK] will not interfere in love or marital affairs, as long as general order and peace do not require the board of directors to do so.
In order to clear things up, I would like to divide people into three different categories:
a) Those, who realize, that in spirit life there are neither sexes nor marriages and who therefore already in their material bodies want to strive for purity and spiritual ideals, denying on the quiet…
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c) The third type of people, the great majority, are those, who practice churchly- or prostitution-
immorality for fun. They have often sunk to the level of animals, or even lower, in satisfying their lusts. And the same goes for the use of alcohol.
There is even a fourth group of people, those who satisfy their lusts by self-pollution or by other unnatural means. They are, however, beyond the marital issue, and do therefore not have a part in this discussion.
We can already see, that the issue of sexual relationships belongs mainly to the field of private life, where the K.K.C.C. and its rules cannot and should not step. It is the private business of each man and woman to strive towards a life that is as pure as possible.
But as soon as there are members, who need help, shelter or care, the KK will step forward. As soon as a woman belonging to our big family announces that she is in a state where she needs
special treatment and care, the KK doctor has to be there to help her. As soon as a child, a new member of the family, is born, the KK has to be prepared to take certain measures. If it neglects them when the time is right, the issues will reappear later in an even more difficult way.
But let us return to our question: “Will the women be shared?” As you see, no. And neither will the men! Let no one interfere in matters of the heart of others. When a KK member lives with his or her spouse without disturbing anyone, then it doesn’t concern the KK as a whole an neither its individual…
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[Most likely the article is written by Matti Kurikka. Translator’s note.]
To read more of the Aika Pages: https://sointulamuseum.ca/may-30-1902/
