Finnish Culture

[davywavy]

One of the conversations I tend to have with social reformers goes something like this:
"David", they say to me. "The UK should adopt a more nordic and scandinavian social model because they're ever so much fairerer and stuff than Britain"
"What", I reply. "A tenth of our population and four times the natural resources? I'm up for that. What do you propose we do with the surplus people?"

Things tend to go downhill quite rapidly after that.

Nevertheless, let it not be said that I've not got an interest in the culture of our Scandinavian neighbours. I've considered holidaying there in the past, but to date I've stuck to an abiding love of the Moomins and occasional trips to hear Finnish music.

And it's to Finnish music we now come, because I can't help but think there are probably entire musical traditions up there in the frozen north of which I'm utterly unaware. Take, for example, joiking. I bet you don't know what it is*, but apparently its a a form of ritual chanting with few or even no lyrics. Or there's hummpa, a Finnish form of Jazz Foxtrot which sounds like the sort of thing one might listen to for a day or two before putting on your hockey mask and going out to clean the streets.

Anyway, I'm off on Monday night to an evening of Finnish folk culture embodied by this bunch of jolly fellows who sing songs about their national sport:

Wish me luck.

*All right, I bet one of you knows what it is, and you know who you are.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Are you quite Finnished?

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm Dane.

[(Anonymous)]

So when are you going to write The David with The Dragon Tattoo?
H

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know I ought to.

I've been busy with rewriting much of the book, and now I've agreed to write another! Fool that I am.

[veridian-sylph.livejournal.com]

I've been living in Finland for over a year now and, apart from the occasional street musicians (less common in the winter when the temperatures average 15 degrees below zero) who are most usually non-Finns anyway, I haven't heard much 'traditional music'. However I have been to Summer evening markets, where the locals all turn out for a street party with whatever they play and generally cavort around to something a little like a tango.

There are also many jazz festivals, rock festivals, plus opera and even a few expat Morris troops here, so I'm sure to find something interesting.

I've just begun my official Suomi classes, so if you need a genuine Finnish phrase or expression, I may be able to oblige.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

That does sound very lively. I wish we did that sort of thing more here.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Oh, you might also be interested in friending zenicurean, who is my Finnish Lj friend.