St. Urho's Day: It's Not Easy Being a Finn

Celebrations

March 16^th is St. Urho’s Day, an invention of Finns in northern Minnesota who were tired of all the to-do about St. Patrick’s Day for the Irish.  In need of some miraculous event for their saint, they had him getting rid of the grasshoppers in Finland to save the wine crop, thus the colors of purple and green.

I lied, although I am of Finnish heritage from both my mother and father, I have never had any ill effects of being Finnish.  Both of my grandfathers and one of my grandmothers were born in Finland and the other grandmother was first generation, born in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  They all lived in northern Minnesota and my father’s parents were part of the Finnish community that was black balled by the mine owners.  My grandfather ran co-ops, especially for that Finnish community, in northern Minnesota.

My father as the only one who moved away, having been offered a managerial job with the REA (Rural Electrification Act), a New Deal program, in Melrose.  Melrose was a small town in central Minnesota, populated by German Catholics. And, although I was one of the few protestants and the only one with a Finnish heritage, it all seem normal to me.

I’ve always been quite proud of my Finnish heritage, especially being part of a group known for its independence, it’s courage (Sisu), and it’s belief in ordinary people.

Time to celebrate Finnish heritage from saunas to sisu; from “The Kalevala” being the basis of Longfellow’s “Hiawatha” to recent books by Karl Marlantes (author of “Matterhorn”, about the Viet Nam War) “Cold Victory” about Finland in the 1950s and “Deep River” about the Finnish experience in Finland and in America around the turn of the century, in which I can see my grandparent’s experience; from the bravery of Finland against the Russians in WWII to their excellent schools and high happiness index.  There is also the music of Sibelius and the Finnish representation in sport, especially winter sport, but also in track, not to forget Paavo Nurmi.

It’s a good day to be a Finn, not to forget that is always a good day to be of Finnish heritage.  Although I have some concern about the shift in Finland to a more conservative leader and its inclusion in NATO.  Let’s hope they do not lose their independent character in the process.

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