Happy 100! Celebrating Finland’S 100 Years of Independence
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Vol. 36, No. 4 Winter 2017-18 Happy 100! Celebrating Finland’s 100 Years of Independence By Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner This year marks the 100th anniversary of Even after the Crown had declared it illegal, Finland’s independence. Finland is situated Finns used the slash-and-burn technique to in Northern Europe, bordered by Sweden clear forest land for farming. The Finns who in the west and Russia in the east, and is were arrested were given the choice of counted as one of the Nordic countries serving time in prison – or of going to together with Sweden, Norway, Denmark the New Sweden Colony. So, many of the and Iceland. The Finnish-Russian border, Swedes that traveled to the Delaware Valley at 833 miles long, is the longest border on the Kalmar Nyckel were actually Finns! between a European Union country and During the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), the Russian Federation. Finland has been King Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden fought a member of the EU since 1995. against Napoleon and his allies, but the campaign was not successful. In 1808, The geographic area nowadays known as Russia invaded Finland, and in 1809 Sweden Finland gradually became part of Sweden surrendered the eastern third of its territory as the result of Catholic crusades in the to Russia. The autonomous Grand Princi- 1300s and wars between Sweden and other pality of Finland was established as part of regional powers. During Sweden’s King Imperial Russia. During the years of the Gustav II Adolph’s reign in the early 1600s, Russian rule the degree of autonomy varied. the kingdom’s administrative structure Periods of censorship and political persecu- was reformed. Finland was also divided tion occurred, particularly in the years fol- into counties, which made taxation and lowing 1900. Finnish nationalism emerged, governing more effective. focused on Finnish cultural traditions, including music and the highly distinctive language and lyrics associated with it. Images on pages 1-2 courtesy of Visit Finland continued on page 2 Connecting Cultures and Community Happy 100! continued from front cover Note from the Director The time and events of history seem so set in stone when you look back at them, especially when school textbooks present events as the results of abstract ideas and impersonal forces. But in actuality, as “history” was playing itself out in real time, the outcomes were much less sure. As I have learned more about Finnish Independence and its relationship to the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, it Not long after the October Revolution as Fiskars and Iittala-Arabia have brought has become clear to me that at multiple in Russia in 1917, the Finnish Parliament special edition products on the market. points in the story, things could have gone voted to declare Finland an independent There’s even a special white and blue sock very differently. An article I read described nation. That date, December 6th, is still yarn! In the US, there have also been events how ideas were being debated in Rus- celebrated as Finland’s Independence Day. throughout the year. The traveling sauna sia at the time and how ordinary citizens Finland fought two wars against the Soviet has toured the country since February. In were actively listening to multiple warring Union during the Second World War-the September, the President of Finland, Sauli perspectives whose proponents used ev- Winter War and the Continuation War, and Niinistö, accompanied by his wife Mrs Jenni erything in their power to persuade these managed to maintain its independence Haukio, visited the Finnish Embassy in DC individuals to choose their side. It was a despite suffering heavy casualties and land and then traveled to Minnesota to attend chaotic time that had major impact on the losses. Finland is the only European country FinnFest, the biggest annual Finnish- modern world. bordering the Soviet Union that remained American celebration. One weekend in independent after the war. August, Finns both in Finland and abroad Individual people are always a driving were encouraged to host dinner parties with force in the course of social and political Finland’s independence continues to be their friends and neighbors as part of a change. One thing I have always valued a deeply emotional issue for the Finnish centennial celebration event titled about museums is that they help to bring people. The Independence Day has Finnish Your Dinner. alive the story of individuals in history. traditionally been a solemn celebration, Through tangible historic objects and and war veterans and the sacrifices of their The official theme for the anniversary artist’s work, museums invite people to generation are remembered and honored. celebration is Yhdessä, or “Together”, see things in a new way. When I was growing up in Finland, the in English. To me, this sums up the highlight of the day was to light up two modern-day Finnish society perfectly. ASHM’s current special exhibitions, candles in each window at 6pm and then Finland, like any other country, has its own Where the Children Sleep and Portraits of Migration, give you an opportunity to cozy up onto the couch to watch the set of challenging societal problems, but consider the situation of refugees and Presidential Independence Day reception all in all, Finnish society is built on a shared immigrants in the world today. I hope that broadcasted from the Presidential Palace responsibility for the well-being of all its seeing them will inspire you to be actively in Helsinki. The reception is still the most citizens. Regardless of who is in charge engaged in making history today, whether watched program each year on Finnish TV; politically, the long-term goals of safety, it relates to this topic or another which is in 2016, 88% of the TV audience tuned into good education, publicly funded health care important to you. I can’t help but wonder the live broadcast and commentary. and social support structure are viewed as how textbooks will interpret our era when benefiting everybody. Finland is a society it comes time to celebrate Finland 200 in The 100th anniversary is being celebrated built on both compassion and a sense of the year 2117! throughout the year both in Finland and social justice, which the Finns are in expatriate communities throughout the immensely proud of and which is also world. In Finland, there have been countless favorably recognized in various international cultural and educational events, both small comparisons year after year. This is a solid Tracey Beck and large. A new movie version of author foundation for beginning the second Väinö Linna’s book The Unknown Soldier, century of the Finnish independence. a national treasure depicting the struggle of the Finnish soldier during the Hyvää itsenäisyyspäivää, Suomi! Grattis Continuation War, will premier in late på självständighetsdagen, Finland! October. Home goods companies such Happy Independence Day, Finland! 2 Winter 2012-132017-18 | Vol. 36,30, No.No. 44 Local Events to Celebrate Finland 100 Concert with Brent Buswell Iltamat Gala Event Tickets for the concert and reception November 11, 7:30 pm December 9, 7:00 pm are $20 in advance (available at Cokesbury Retirement Center American Swedish Historical Museum newswedenalliance.org), $25 at the door. Hockessin, DE Join us for a special gala event “Iltamat” at As part of the Finland 100 celebrations, the ASHM on December 9, when we celebrate Delaware Valley Finnish-Americans have the centennial of Finland’s Independence! worked with the Cokesbury Retirement Center to have accordion player Brent We have invited Ameriikan Poijat, a Buswell present a concert on Saturday, 7-member brass band par excellence from November 11 at the Cokesbury Retirement Minnesota to entertain us with familiar Center in Hockessin, DE. Finnish songs and concert pieces, with Antti Vänskä, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Brent will play music in honor of Veteran’s Embassy of Finland as the guest of honor. Day with patriotic songs, including the Armed Forces Medley, as well as Finnish Along with ASHM, the New Sweden Alliance songs in honor Finland’s 100th Anniversary. and the Finnish-American Society of the He will be accompanied for some tunes by Delaware Valley are the enthusiastic his wife, Crista. The free performance is sponsors of this event. Don’t miss this scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm, but plan to milestone birthday of Finland! arrive earlier as seating is limited. Through this glass, we can understand the Celebrating Transparency history of companies such as Orrefors, Kosta, Boda, Åfors, and Karhula. We can the stories that we can see in the glass and also peek into the work of designers and those that we can tell through these new copper-wheel engravers such as Vicke additions to our collection. Lindstrand, Gnut Berqqvist, and Ewald Dahlskog (who also created the ASHM’s The scale of the donation is one that the Chicago Room wood-inlay mural). We can ASHM has not seen in several decades. also better understand the memories that The donor, Jennifer Silverman, has been such glass evoked in Swedish-Americans an enthusiastic collector of engraved who grew up admiring such fine glassware. Scandinavian glass for several years. And, of course, these 99 objects can exhibit Over her years of collecting, Jennifer came the worldwide prestige of Scandinavian to realize that many of her pieces were best glass in the twentieth century, today suited for display in a museum, leading made visible in fine-art museums to contact with the ASHM. Further around the world. discussion with Jennifer led to ASHM Executive Director, Tracey Beck, and But, perhaps most importantly, we can Curator, Trevor Brandt, driving to celebrate these glass pieces as works of art Connecticut to see the collection in person.