Elizabeth Reijo was raised in Oulu, WI. Her parents were born in America while her grandparents were all born in Finland. She grew up speaking a lot of Finnish because her grandparents lived nearby and did not speak a lot of English. Betty didn’t get her first loom until she was 45, when she started weaving regularly. She weaves rag rugs for something to keep her fit and active and to give her something to do with her hands. Reijo is active in her community and featured in this documentary, teaching kids how to bake pulla as part of the Oulu Cultural and Heritage Center’s Summer School.
Betty Reijo passed away in 2024.
Fieldwork conducted by Mirva Johnson with support from the Wisconsin Arts Board.