What Is a Finntown?

What is a Finntown? Olavi Koivukangas Introduction er continents developed their own men travelled together to remote ethnic agglomerations, examples destinations, sometimes led by a A phenomen of the Finnish-Amer- being many Little Italy suburbs and former emigrant with some knowl- ican life and culture, especially in Chinatowns in the United States. edge of the English language. This the first half of the 20th century, The theme of the finntown is so ”group emigration” could include was the finntown. This pattern in- wide and polyphasic to present in dozens of young men originating cluded both work and leisure time, a short article as it covers all the from the same neighbourhood. typical features being a group of aspects of the human life. Conse- Then later wives and girlfriends emigrants from Finland working quently only some appearances of were to follow either individually together and: boarding-houses, the finntown will be discussed in or in minor groups. ethnic churches, temperance and the following presentation. There were really effective labour movement societies with ”push and pull” factors operating halls for meeting, groceries, co-op- on the both sides of the ocean. Roots of the Finntown eratives, public saunas etc. In the The pattern of Finnish emigration finntowns there were also bands, in Finland to New Zealand since the the choruses, drama groups and many 1850’s holds good also to Finnish sport activities as well as ethnic The origins of the finntown, all emigration to all over the world. (2) newspapers and publications. over the world, can be found in the Most of the first generation immi- old villages and parishes in rural Early Finntowns grants worked in industrial and Finland in the 19th century. The domestic work, and there were most typical feature of the Finnish Concerning the Finnish settlement only a few professionals, until the emigration has been the ”chain mi- in the United States the first second generation. The finntown gration”, which started when sea- finntowns were those by Finnish also maintained an interrelation- men, gold-diggers and early set- seamen and gold-miners followed ship, not only with Finland, the old tlers invited their relatives and by the agglomerations in New country, to get new arrivals, but friends to join them beyond seas. York after the passing through the also with Finnish settlements in Sometimes money or a pre-paid examination on the Ellis Island. the surrounding rural areas and ticket was sent to a relative or a The first finntowns, since the mid- other finntowns. (1) friend in Finland. The pioneer set- dle of the 19th century, were the ar- For the immigrants from Finland tler was often able to provide the eas near habour where Finnish the finntown was a result of the newcomers with accommodation seamen, as well as sailors of other challenges of the new country, es- and work on his own farm or with nationalities, lived when not on pecially the foreign language and the neighbours. The early emigra- the high seas. An examples of this culture. But also emigrants from tion from Finland could well be is Cherry Street in the lower part of other countries from Europe or oth- called as the ”individual emigra- Manhattan in New York. (3) The tion”. Finnish seaman settlement in Pyr- A presentation in FinnFest, Lake Later when emigration became a mont, near the Sydney harbour, is Worth, Florida, February 13, 2004. mass movement, dozens of young another good example from the 31 Siirtolaisuus-Migration 2/2004 other side of the globe in the sec- available in the same or a neigh- from the late 19th century to the de- ond half of the 19th century. (4) bouring mine, and it was relatively pression of the 1930’s. When the Also in St. Petersburg, Russia, easy to settle down in the existing finntowns grew bigger they devel- some finntowns developed when Finnish community. (6) oped four major types of institu- Finns started to settle in the town Some Finns preferred to work in tions: in larger numbers after Russia had the forests instead of going under- 1. churches conquered Finland in 1809. These ground to mines. Also in the prim- 2. temperance and other fraternal Finnish agglomerations were itive log cabins in big forests the societies mainly on the Northern side of the Finns stuck together working in 3. consumer co-operatives River Neva, especially in the sub- groups – as well as spending to- 4. political organizations urbs of Kasan and Vyborg. (See gether their leisure hours. In histo- Figure 3.) The explanation was ry of migration these first years in a In the early stage in the finntown mainly the work available, first in foreign country are sometimes there were congregations first es- handcraft occupations and later in called as ”dog’s years” when tablished in the 19th century fol- industry, eg. in the Nobel metal greenhorns tried to find their place lowed by labour movement or so- factories. The highest proportion in a foreign culture and language. cialist societies soon followed by of the Finns of the total population Often this ”niche” was found in temperance and labour move- was over 12 per cent in the suburb the finntowns both in cities and ments. There was really active so- of Vyborg in 1881. A reason here rural settlements. cial life in these finntowns. There was the railway station of Finland In the second phase of adjust- were different opinions among the in the vicinity and accommodation ment the Finns often moved more Finns and not only between the available to rent. The Finns In St to West and settled on land. The church people and socialist but Peterburg were mainly manual Finnish emigrants were often sons also inside the temperance activi- workers and in service occupa- and daughters of farmers in the old ties. There were temperance socie- tions. Women often worked as country, and the ultimate goal of ties among church people and housemaids, a pattern much simi- them had to have a piece of land of among more secular or liberal per- lar with the Finnish women in New their own either after the return to sons. According to Sakari Sariola York later. The St. Petersbrg Finland or at least in America. there were nearly 300 Finnish pubs Finns, also Swedish speaking, had When settling on land in the USA but les than 100 Finnish churches. churches, schools, and other na- and Canada, the Finns stuck to- In these pubs there was often a tional institutions to maintain their gether. Many communities got room for dancing and this in- ethnic identity. (5) even a Finnish name, as Aura, Ka- creased the tension between the Concerning the Finnish emigra- leva, etc. A reason for Finns to set- church and temperance people. (7) tion to the USA after a stop, even tle on land was the dangerous The first Finnish temperance for a few years, in the New York work in the American mines as well society, based on the Goodtemplar finntowns, especially in Harlem as long lasting strikes and fatal ac- philosophy (secret ceremonies, and Brooklyn, many of the Finnish cidents. In 1900 in Scofield, Utah, abstinence promises etc.), was the emigrants went on to the Middle 63 Finnish miners died in an acci- Pohjantähti in Quincy, Mass. in West to Michigan and Minnesota, dent and in 1903 in Hanna, Wyo- 1885 followed by the ”Onnen especially to Hancock area in ming, no less than 93 Finnish min- Aika” in Republic, Mich. Soon al- Michigan and to Northern Minne- ers lost their lives. most in every finntown there were sota for mining. Many Finnish im- temperance societies under such migrants went directly to Middle names as: Väinö, Aura, Onnen The consolation of West. Also here the first place of Tähti, Pohjan Leimu, Lännen residence was usually a Finnish the Finntown Rusko, Armon Lähde, Nuorison boarding house where friends and Kaunistus etc. (8) relatives from the old country The hay day of the finntown set- But soon these first Finnish could be found. The work was also tlement in the USA was the time temperance societies left the 32 What is a Finntown? Scandinavians and formed their own societies. These were much more than just abstaining from drinking alcohol. They were a net- work of economic, social and cul- tural activities in the finntowns. Before the year 1902 there were 161 Finnish temperance societies, with more than 13 000 members, belonging to the federal associa- tion. The temperance hall became another home to many immigrants between the boarding house and the pub. (9) In addition to drinking also violence was a feature of the finntowns. The use of knife, the ”puukko”, was quite common, and there were violence not only between the Finns but also with other nationalities. Often the Irishmen were mentioned in this connection to have been similar fighters as the Finns. A reason to the violence Figure 4. The Harlem Finntown on Manhattan, New York. – Source: may have been the origin of the Tommola 1989, p. 114. immigrants. Nearly half of the emigrants came from the province of Vaasa, and many young men had an group, which was more or less When talking about finntowns we involved in knife fights in their old in opposition with the Lutheran should not forget the Harmony Is- home country before emigration. State Church. In 1906 there were 68 land of Matti Kurikka on the Mal- Drinking and fighting may have Finnish Laestadian congregations colm Island, Vancouver, in the ear- been a reason for leaving the in America with over 8 000 mem- ly years of the 20th century.

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