All things Finnish

Blog of particular Finnish things I have seen during my year in Kuopio

[@Nuudom]

The ironic thing is that one of the episodes in Moomin is about some people from the zoo try to take the Moomin family to the zoo, because they thought they were hippos. And in that episode it was stated that Moomins are NOT hippos. : D

[@taidegalleria]

Yeah, you got the Sauna part spot on.

[@merc340sr]

I'm glad you noticed the wave from Alvar Aalto. I find that much of the Finnish architecture, glass, jewelry and brass sculptures has wavy and undulating shapes!

[@Staccet]

About sauna and sauna culture. Sauna has a long history, in the "olden" days it was important part of peoples lives. Sauna was the cleanest and practical place to give birth in the household (mainly in the countryside). There was also a custom of going to sauna before the wedding ceremonies to enhance your fertility. After death your body would be washed and prepared for burial. So it is a somewhat of an sacred place and as such you would behave in it as you would in church but now days it varies. There also has been some old beliefs such as saunatonttu, a sauna gnome/elf/spirit, a small human like creature of goodwill. It was believed cause of the loud banging sounds by kicking the sauna stove when you throw too much water on it but that is just metal bending. Fun facts: There is 3,2 million saunas in Finland (Population 5,4 million) There is Finnish Sauna Society which preserves the tradition and history and has many different saunas for the use of its members and visitors.

[@huulio]

Sauna is a shrine. You are not wrong my friend :)

[@angela14962002]

ugh....now I want a chocolate bar! :)

[@suomipoika1796]

You forgot the dish drying cabinet :)

[@hasheburntit2477]

Finland is one awesome Country

[@oraalid0nitsi]

Fazer set to stun.

[@paanikki]

The Z in Fazer is pronounced like TS. The A is pronounced like in the word CAR. The moomin family are actually trolls, not hippos or any other "real world" animals. Unfortunately they are known worldwide mostly by the japanese-made cartoons and not the original books.

[@lyrigag8409]

Moomi is not a hippo but a small troll. A good troll.. digest that for a moment - yes a good one.

[@Saturinus]

They even adressed this in one episode, when they were put in zoo because some people thought they were hippos. >_

[@KlMl]

Yeah 5:03 The best thing ever invented on the planet earth

[@Pahis1]

Ohh.. You made a big mistake calling muumi a hippo. On one episode muumi pappa (the father muumi) got very angry with a human who thought he was a hippo. He is not a hippo he is a muumi (or moomin)

[@timomastosalo]

Sauna is a verb, like bathing is too. :) I'd like to bathe - is a possible expression in English, similarly you can say - I'd like to sauna (in Finnish). Sauna is a form of bath, the shrine-like atmosphere might come from the calmness Finns go to in there. It's appreciating the chance to relax, wind out. Finns tend to work hard (and stress), so when there's a permission to be laid back, you feel grateful. Might comes thru as worshipping, but - in Christianity gratefulness IS a big part of worshipping :) I'm not saying Finns are so Christian, increasingly less (which saddens me, I see the evil grow here) just that it's not that alien emotion in other cultures neither. But many attitudes and traditions still come from Christianity, tho people wouldn't realize. There IS something churchlike in the way Finns often behave in the sauna. But in can be a reckless joint of a bar as well :) The good thing is you can choose the way you like to have your sauna. Built, and used, etc. You can find Finnish Canadians to help you with your sauna, if you haven't already built it. Most of them live in the Great Lakes area, Thunder Bay & vicinity, + Vancouver area.

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

Tupla is Finnish for DOUBLE. Ralf H.

[@Summerman000kesamies]

actually the z in Fazer is pronounced as "ts"

[@ketjuariittaa]

Sauna is place, go to sauna is saunomaan. Oliko hyvät löylyt? Kostea, kuuma ja hikinen l. hyvä. Was steemy good? Moist, hot and swety anotherwice good

[@ruohooliparempaa]

Once one ABC lady got angry at me, I just asked , why U have locks at doors if ure always open? ;)