Finns and their culture

The Finns are well-known as calm, reserved and honest people, that made a name by themselves in the areas technology, portable radio, furniture and shipbuilding. Finland is called to be to the most competitive country in the world by the world economy forum because of its fast reaction in the business area. This was possible only with"Sisu", the passionate persistence for which Finns are known.

Sisu

"Sisu" is called the magic word - to translate approximately with passionate tenacity. Sisu means perseverance, tenacity, power, strength, but also persistence, with character. It is a central value, an ideal condition of body and spirit. Therefore Finns are doing also a lot of sports, and successes in the perseverance disciplines (marathon, ski long run etc..) is only the logical consequence. (note: Asking some Finns about Sisu became however somewhat difficult - popular sweets have got the same name... =) ).

Kalevala

It lasts a long time, until a Finnish national consciousness could grow. This development promoted two things: the acknowledgment of the Finnish language as national language and the publication of national epos "Kalevala". Elias Lönnrot (1802 to 1884) collected on many journeys through Karelien thousands of verse lines from the old Runo singers. Over generations, the singers passed old stories and legends. Everything was however only verbally delivered, until Lönnrot wrote it down - a special kind of culture history.

The Kalevala has not been only important for the development of the Finnish national consciousness in 19th Century; it affected beyond that the entire Finnish spirit life until today. The study of the Kalevalas belongs to the obligation reading of each Finnish pupil. Reading the original version becomes somewhat difficult because of the typical Kalevala verses (four-legged Trochaeen) and the singing stress...

Who would like to get to know the Finnish character and the identity of the Finnish people, reading the Kalevala would be a good way to start. Hardly in another work you can find the description of the efforts and achievements of former generations and their close relation to the nature.

Meals, meals, meals...

The Finnish kitchen contains native specialities, but also shows a Scandinavian and Russian impact. In Finland, fish courts and the rendeer meat get a special interest. The Finns are crazy for mushrooms, not a miracle with that amount of forest areas. Finally, their ancestors came as hunters and collectors from the Russian forests to Scandinavia. Mushrooms as ragout are therefore a practical standard supplement. Milk and cream play an important role in the local art of the culinary refinement. They are nearly used for all meals as additional ingredients. In general, the Finnish kitchen is home made food - meaning it is mostly crude and nutritious. Potatoes with herbes are practically the inofficial national court; you cannot escape it.

It exists a Finnish speaking:

"If liquor, tar or saunoa does not work, the disease might be fatal."

Hearing the word "saunoa", everyone thinks immediately of Finland, although the Finns did not invent the saunoa. Already our ancestors learned to store heat in stones and to warm up thus a room. These so-called stone heatings and sweating baths affected also the bath culture of later cultures. The Romans developed the bath culture further, up to the organization of hot spring plants. Thanks to the Finns has kept this form of bathing it could not be forgotten.

The most important rule with "saunoa" is: there are no rules! Make your bathing in such a way that you feel comfortable. Important is only the change of hot to cold: some people swear on the cold shower after the bath, another one on the dipping basin. Popular in Finnland is also swimming in the nearby lake; during the winter a hole is chopped into the ice cover of the lake. During the winter, "rolling in the snow" for cooling is very famous.