Matti Kurikka (January 24, 1863 Maloye Karlino, Tsarskoselsky Uyezd, Saint Petersburg Governorate, historical Ingria – October 4, 1915 Westerly, Rhode Island, United States) was a Finnish journalist, theosophist, and utopian socialist.
Kurikka was the editor of the newspaper Työmies from 1897 to 1899. In 1908 Kurikka purchased the newspaper . As editor of Wiipurin Sanomat, Kurikka was initially influenced by the Young Finns' political movement, later moving towards Christian socialism. Kurikka moved to North America in 1900 and founded the newspaper , the first Finnish-Canadian newspaper.[1]
In 1901 Kurikka helped establish Sointula, a utopian island colony on Malcolm Island, British Columbia, based on cooperative principles.[2] [3] [4] Sointula dissolved as a utopian colony in 1905 due to financial difficulties and a devastating fire,[5] but continued as a fishing and logging-based community. Kurikka had attempted to found utopian communities in Chillagoe, Queensland, Australia,[6] and in Canada prior to Sointula.
Kurikka died in Westerly, Rhode Island in 1915.[7] Shortly before his own death, Matti Kurikka delivered the eulogy at Finnish revolutionary Johan Kock's funeral.[8]