In diesen Thanksgiving-Ferien unternahm ich mit meinem Freund einen Ausflug nach Upper Michigan (er beanspruchte seine finnischen Wurzeln von beiden Seiten seiner Familien). Als ich weiter von Iron Mountain nach Houghton und Calumet reiste, ist mir hier eine Besonderheit aufgefallen.
Ich mag Upper Michigan wirklich, nicht nur wegen der Natur oder Landschaft, sondern auch wegen der hier noch lebendigen finnischen Kultur. Wie ich erfuhr, haben die finnischen Nachkommen in den USA ihre Kultur trotz harter Arbeit im Bergbau und anderen Bereichen besser bewahrt als andere europäische Nachkommen. Ich habe dort viele Häuser besucht und sie lernen, was man „Sisu“ nennt. Es gibt sogar das Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock, MI.
Diese finnischen Nachkommen sprechen vielleicht kein Finnisch, aber sie haben ihre Kultur hier so gut bewahrt, dass Upper Michigan für mich ein anderes Finnland ist. Sie sind so finnisch, dass einige Häuser hier sogar die finnische Flagge an ihren Häusern hissen und an manchen Orten gibt es finnische Sprache an Bord, in Büchern oder sogar in Kirchen. (Nicht nur in Kleinstädten, sondern auch in ländlichen Gegenden)
Meine Frage hier ist also, was die Finnen (aus Finnland) über ihre Nachkommen in anderen Ländern denken. Sind sie stolz auf den finnischen Beitrag außerhalb Finnlands? usw
Bild: Ich habe dieses Buch im Haus der Großeltern mütterlicherseits meines Freundes in der Nähe von Calumet, MI, bekommen, sie praktizieren immer noch die finnische Kultur.
Wenn Sie Interesse haben, empfehle ich Ihnen, Upper Michigan zu besuchen.
https://i.redd.it/t0c6pongg84g1.jpeg
Von Vietnam-1234
18 Kommentare
Hell yeah!
Embrace what you love!
Finnish descendants are bonded with genetics and I think most of this sub is against an ethnicity-based definition of a Finn.
But yet the same global progressive English-speaking people defend the rights of the Sami people and their rights for their living areas, that is based on ethnicity.
Sometimes it is a bit contradictory.
I would imagine that people on r/Finland are interested in the Finnish language, for example. Yet, the use of Finnish is forbidden in this sub. So this sub is a hub for English-speaking discussion on Finland, but I find it a bit problematic. Like, Finland is just another market area for English-speaking IT workers to choose from..
I would rather highlight Finland and its distinctivity (3000 years of Finnish-speaking cultural heritage) compared to global English-speaking bulk.
I would say most Finns don’t really give a shit if someone claims Finnish ancestry. And why should they? Upper Michigan is not „another Finland“. It’s Upper Michigan.
Finns do often get weirdly excited when something related to the country is reported on the news, say. Descendants of Finns living in America are not exciting. Why would we be proud of some Finns moving to the US generations ago? It has nothing to do with us.
Also, sisu is not pronounced see-soo, so I don’t know what kind of „Finnish culture“ they’re practicing. That framed poster is extremely cringeworthy.
Got (distant) family up there, and I happen to know ~20 american Finns quite well.
It’s a thing. Not quite Finnish, but I love the enthusiasm.
Torille perkele!
Pretty much how Europeans often view Italian/Irish/whatevernationality-Americans. Often cringe and Americanised culturally, not representing the original culture much. Even worse if they can’t speak a word of the original language but claim to totally be 100% Italian or 1/8 Viking or whatnot.
But tbh Finnish-Americans aren’t that much talked about in general, I doubt most Finns really remember they exist nor consider them Finnish.
If there are some different Finnish or “Finnish” cultural activities going on in the US, just enjoy it. More power to you.
As long as there isn’t a sauna with a carpeting or something, Finns doesn’t really care.
It’s not See•Soo it’s sísù
Language is a very important part of Finnish culture, and if a Finn hears you pronounce „Sisu“ as „see-soo“ they most definitely will not see you as Finnish lmao
I think it’s endearing. If they’re proud to have Finnish heritage, good for them. They might not be „Finns“, but I personally always welcome finding out more about one’s heritage
We don’t think about you.
Finnish Americans‘ version of Finnish culture is very different from the one in Finland. They have actually preserved lots of traditions that have been long forgotten here. Basically they came from the Finnish culture in the 1800s and after that got isolated from us.
If you are hollywood level movie star or othervise celebrity, local tabloids might mention it. But other than that I don’t know if anyone cares.
For context: a lot of people left to work in Sweden, US and other places in the 20th century. Having finnish blood in you is almost given 😄
I think it’s pronounced si-Su.
„Pronounced „see-soo““ dawg 🥀
‚Murica great yet?
I’m not Finnish but generally I object to the idea that anyone born and raised in the US can really claim any kind of genuine cultural ties to another country, unless one or both of their were born and raised in that country. Particularly so when they act like certain personality traits are inherited by virtue of where their ancestors were from.
You see it all the time with Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Greek Americans and so on. “I’m Italian we love cooking” blah blah blah.
It’s a peculiar type of unprocessed national self-loathing you get from a country of egomaniacs who grew up in an ahistorical cultural desert. To me the whole thing is a source of derision and mockery.
In short: you’re not Finnish or a Finn, and you never will be.
Europeans as a whole dont consider a nationality/ethnicity to be „active“ or valid unless you speak the language to a decent degree and you are immersed in and understand the culture. You should also live or have lived there for an extended time OR have parents who are from there.
This disqualifies pretty much every American who claims some European nationality trough past relatives. Americans who make such claims are considered very silly and are often laughed about.
Immigrants who have lived a long time in and integrated into European countries are considered to have a stronger case for their new nationality than such Americans.
Yeah I don’t know why US is so freaking obsessed with „We have preserved your culture better than you have! We are more authentic than the people living in the country“ thing.
Cultures develope and change. Being stuck on how one family maybe did things 100 years ago isn’t some ancient correct way that needs chest thumping.
Finland ain’t that big but just how things are done in east and west are very different but both equally Finnish.
But I do think it’s fun that there are these mini-Finlands! There’s some down in Argentina too, my granma lived there as a baby for a while until they moved back to Finland. I found it really interesting to read about their experiences in the jungle. And how freaking brave has it been back in the day to take that journey across Atlantic. Huge investment and risk.