FRANCE: ART AND LITERATURE

France is renowned for its contributions to the world of art. The earliest art is in the form of cave drawings. Some of the oldest and most famous of these are found in Pech Merle, Lascaux, Cosquer Cave, Chauvet Cave, and Trois-Frères Cave. Gold work and manuscript illumination were influenced by Celtic traditions of the fifth to eighth centuries. Romanesque art and Gothic styles were popular in French architecture from about 1000AD and 1200AD. Gothic painting didn’t appear until about 1200.

During the 1500s, Italian Renaissance influences on art began to seep across the border. Artists like Rosso Fiorentino, Nicolo dell’Abbate, Michelangelo da Caravaggio, Leonardo da Vinci, and others introduced adding mythological ideas into their art. As French artists moved through Classicism, Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassicism movements, France and Paris especially was becoming a haven for artists all over Europe.

Renoir

After the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, the face of French art changed drastically. Instead of being mostly influenced by Greek and Roman mythology and art, artists started looking beyond Europe to Asia and Africa. Probably the most prolific artistic style coming out of France is the Impressionistic movement.  Artists such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas paved the way for other artists to this day. The late 19^th century brought another wave of art movements, such as expressionism and others, introducing artists such as Georges Seurat, Paul Cézanne, Paul Gaughin to the world and marking their place in art history and art museums. There were many artists who were born in other countries but moved to France to study art and ended up staying, such as Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.

Seurat was known for his pointillism. 

The 20^th century brought forward the French counterparts of many of the modern movements: cubism, surrealism, avant-garde Dadaism (or perhaps, anti-art is the term), abstract art, expressionism, pop art, and everything in between and outside of it. Today, France has a plethora of art museums and art schools.  The Louvre in Paris is the most visited art museum in the world. The Musée d’Orsay also in Paris is another museum that ranks high on tourist must-sees. There are also many smaller museums showing works for a specific artist or a particular art period. In fact, there are even several textile and tapestry museums.

French literature is written in French, and mostly by people who are from France; however, writers from other French-speaking countries are considered Francophone literature. French literature dates back to the Medieval period; the most famous surviving pieces are epic poems and stories.

The 18^th century brought along one of my favorite authors: Voltaire. He is most famous for writing Candide, and Zadig, or the Book of Fate, both of which I’ve read. I actually bought a copy of Candide when I was in Brazil so that I could have a copy in Portuguese. And of course, don't forget Leonard Bernstein's operetta of the same name (I have the soundtrack, too). Another famous name from this period of the Marquis de Sade, better known for lending his namesake to the word “sadism” or “sadist.” His most well-known work is Justine.

The 19^th century would introduce many works that are now considered classics, many of which I read in college and afterwards. Some of my favorites include Honoré de Balzac (La Comédie humaine), Alexandre Dumas (The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers [I’m reading this now]), Victor Hugo (The Hunchback of Notre-Dame [read it], Les Misérables [read it]), Gustave Flaubert (Madame Bovary [read it]), and Jules Verne (Twenty-thousand Leagues Under the Sea [read it], Around the World in Eighty Days [read it], Journey to the Center of the Earth).  Albert Camus is a 20^th century writer that I enjoyed reading: I’ve read both The Stranger and The Plague. Gaston Leroux may not be a household name, but his work may be: The Phantom of the Opera. Collette’s novel Gigi was also made into a musical by the same name. One of my favorite 20^th century French books is The Little Prince (or Le Petit Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I love this book and want to get a tattoo from this book. I also have this book in French, Japanese, and English.

Molière is often considered one of the masters of comedy theatre, most famous for The Misanthrope (first performed in 1666). Pierre Beaumarchais is best known for his plays The Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville. Mozart’s opera based on The Marriage of Figaro and Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville remain to be the best-known versions of his plays. Edmond Rostand is probably best known for his play Cyrano de Bergerac, although his play Les Romanesques is best known by its musical version, The Fantasticks.

Of course, French writers also led their works toward the development of modern politics, philosophy, and science. Writers such as Blaise Pascal, René Descartes, Alexis de Tocqueville, and Jean-Paul Sartre were great influences on the current thinking of the time.

Up next: music and dance

FRANCE: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

New Year’s Day.  January 1. New Year’s Eve is also called Saint-Sylvestre, who was Pope in the early 300s AD. He doesn’t really have anything special to do with calendars or New Years, except for the fact that his feast day is on December 31. In France, many people kiss under mistletoe at the stroke of midnight (which is different from the American [and other country’s] tradition of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas). Large parties with a lot of special food and wine –especially champagne– gather in bars, restaurants, clubs, or people’s homes. Some people share their resolutions, and even exchange gifts or cards with their friends and family.

Good Friday/Easter/Easter Monday. Varies. Good Friday is only a public holiday in Alsace and Moselle. Everyone else has to work. Many people choose to fast on Good Friday. Easter is welcomed with bells ringing from every church. And of course with chocolate eggs hidden for children to find. Easter Monday, the day after Easter, is normally spent quietly with family. Some families go on an outing if the weather is nice. Other cities and towns may have their own traditions and parades on Easter Monday.

May Day/Labour Day.  May 1. Labour Day is a day to honor workers all over the country and the world and to discuss labor issues at hand. Unions or other labor organizations will often hold a parade or other event on this day. It also doubles as May Day. Many people get up early to pick flowers to give to friends and loved ones, especially lily-of-the-valley or dog rose flowers.

Victory in Europe Day.  May 8. This is the holiday that celebrates the end of WWII, and ergo France’s freedom. It’s a time when schools will focus on the history of Nazi Oppression and the events of WWII.  On this day in 1945, Charles de Gaulle, leader of the French Free Forces, announced the official end of the war to the French people. The French flag is displayed in homes and on public buildings in cities and town across the country. Parades, festivals, and church services are common events on this day.

Ascension Day.  Varies. Christians believe this is the day that Jesus ascended into heaven after being raised from the dead. It falls 40 days after Easter. Some attend special church services held in honor of the day, but many people use this day to spend time with their families and even take a short trip for the extended weekend.

Whit Monday.  Varies. Also called Pentecost Monday, it falls on the Monday after Pentecost, which is 50 days after Easter. Christians believe this is the day the Holy Spirit came to the disciples. This holiday was actually taken off the books as a public holiday in 2005. However, there were so many protests that it was included again in 2008.  (After 2005, it was replaced with a holiday called Day of Solidarity, which basically meant that on this day, you would work for free and the wages you normally received would go towards taking care of the elderly and those with disabilities. This action is what led to protests, I believe, and not necessarily that they were really attached to Whit Monday.)

Bastille Day.  July 14. Also known as French National Day, this holiday commemorates the Storming of the Bastille in 1789. The Bastille was a fortress turned prison in Paris. It had become the symbol of the oppressive rule of the monarchy.  When the troops stormed the prison, it became the starting point for the French Revolution. The French flag is flown all over the country, and historical stories are told about the events that took place. Military parades are one tradition that takes place, along with concerts, dances, traditional food and drink, ending in a grand fireworks display.

Assumption of Mary to Heaven.  August 15. This holiday is based on the Catholic Church’s belief that the Virgin Mary’s body and spirit was assumed into heaven. Special services are held, and some small towns may even have festivals or parades in honor of the day.

All Saints’ Day.  November 1. Another Catholic holiday, people honor their deceased loved ones. It’s also used as a general feast day for all of the saints, especially the ones who do not have their own feast day. People may attend special service held at their church as well as clean up or decorate the gravesites of their loved ones.

Armistice Day. November 11. Armistice Day is in honor of those who fought and died in WWI, officially marking the end of the war on “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” Similar to celebrations in the US, some of the traditions include special church services, military parades, special events at war memorials and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and speeches by politicians or members of the military.

Christmas Day.  December 25. This is one of the most important holidays of the year. Many French families put up a Christmas tree and Nativity scenes, and cities are outlined in Christmas lights. Children open up gifts on Christmas Eve, and sharing a special traditional Christmas meal with delectable desserts is a must. Exactly what is served may vary by family and region. In 1962, a law was enacted that every letter sent to Santa received a reply by postcard.

St. Stephen’s Day.  December 26. This is only a public holiday in Alsace and Moselle. Everyone else has to work. St. Stephen is often considered the first Christian martyr, so some people may attend special services on this day. Most people who are lucky enough to have this day off spend it relaxing after the Christmas holiday.

Up next: art and literature

FRANCE: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Ah, France. It’s the land of wine and lovers, the land for culinary experiences and artistic expressions. France has been in the forefront of art, politics, music, literature, military, and the sciences since the days of antiquity.  And now, I have finally arrived at France in my blog, something I’ve been waiting for for a long time. Several years ago, I had this fascination with France. I was trying to learn French (which would come in handy if I actually studied more) and planning vacations I would never take. (My bank account barely allows me to go to the international aisle at the grocery store these days.)

The name “France” is attributed to the Latin word francia, which means “land of the Franks.” Where the name Frank came from is somewhat more up for debate. Some historians believe it’s derived from a Proto-Germanic word for javelin or lance (their throwing axe was called a francisca). Others believe it possibly came from an ancient Germanic language word for free (meaning not a slave).

The country of France lies in Western Europe, surrounded by the countries of Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain, and Andorra. It also includes the island of Corsica, which is just north of the Italian island of Sardinia in the Mediterranean Sea. There are also several overseas regions that are also counted as part of France: French Guiana in South America, the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean, Réunion (east of the African island country of Madagascar), and Mayotte (part of the Comoros Islands chain, northwest of Madagascar). The French mainland runs the gamut on climate and land changes: from warm Mediterranean beaches to the snowy mountainous peaks of the French Alps.

Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in France.

The earliest peoples in France were hunter-gatherer types. Cave drawings, such as the ones in Lascaux, clearly depict this nomadic life and are famous for being one of the best preserved cave drawings. Later, Ionian Greeks founded a colony near present-day Marseilles around 660 BC making this is the oldest city in France. At this same time, Gallic Celts were landing on the opposite side of the country.  This area eventually became to be known as Gaul. Gaul became a prosperous country but fought many times with the Romans, eventually defeating them and remaining a threat for several centuries. By the third century, Gaul had divided into several smaller kingdoms: Germanic territories, Celtic territories, Roman territories. They renamed themselves Francia, and it would take a while for them to fully unite as a country with a unifying language. Charlemagne took much of the responsibility for uniting many of these kingdoms together and building a vast empire that spanned across much of Western and Central Europe. France became a Catholic country, and feudalism took hold around this time as well. From the 9^th Century through the end of the 18^th Century, France went through a period of many wars and many kings (I won’t bother you with this long laborious history of all the kings of France – the world would end before I was finished. In short, there were no less than 36,000 guys named King Louis, and they all had issues). And of course, there was the famous Napoleon Bonaparte – everyone’s favorite short guy, who apparently was actually 5’6”, which is still taller than me by six inches – one of France’s most notorious Emperors. France was invaded by Nazi Germany at the beginning of WWII, and the Allies landed in 1944. The latter part of the 20^th century brought on more conflict in French Indochina and in Algeria, as well as revolts in mainland France.

Eiffel tower at night.

Paris is one of Europe’s largest metropolitan areas with over 12 million people, and the capital of France. Paris is the center for art, music, literature, politics, aspiring chefs, and fashionistas alike. Dotted with some of the world’s most iconic buildings such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame de Paris, and the Arc de Triomphe, its cityscape makes for many great photo ops. Paris is known as the City of Lights: a moniker perhaps from the Age of Enlightenment, but perhaps more likely stemming from the early 1800s when Paris was one of the first European cities to install gas street lights.

The Louvre Museum, the world's most visited museum.

France is one of the leading economies in Europe, relying heavily upon insurance, banking, and investing as well as nuclear technologies. France also has large areas of highly fertile lands, allowing for their illusive wine industry.  They are quite famous for their champagne, Bordeaux wines, rosé wines, Burgundy wines, and cognac. France is home to several successful auto manufacturers: Renault, Peugeot, and Citroën.  Tourism is also important to the French economy. France is the number one tourist destination in the world. It has 37 World Heritage sites and 200 Remarkable Gardens, as well as other popular destinations such as the French Riviera, Disneyland Paris, and the Cannes Film Festival.

French Riviera

The official language is French, which has a status as being a global language.  Besides French, there are eight regional minority languages spoken in the French mainland, including Alsatian, Breton, and Occitan. If you count the overseas regions, there are 69 minority languages.

While originally a strong Catholic country, today France is far more secular, highly embracing the separation of church and state. Catholicism is still considered a majority religion, although statistics show only 5% attend Mass once a week or more (2006). A large number (between 27-31%) of Frenchmen and -women identify themselves as agnostic or atheist as well as a sizable number of Muslims.

France is a quirky country. And because it’s such a popular country, there is a plethora of information and facts about France. Here are some of my favorites I haven’t already mentioned: Paris has only one stop sign (it says “Arrêt”). You can receive a medal for raising good kids, and you can also marry a dead person. Twenty percent of French people have experienced depression, which is probably why there is a lot of wine. French toast is not French (named after a guy named French who forgot the apostrophe – this is the exact same reason why German chocolate isn’t German), and neither are French fries (French refers to the cut of the potato. By the way, the term Freedom Fries really gets my goat. I hate that term because it’s out of ignorance.) It’s home to the Tour de France, the French Open, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race. There’s a Victor Hugo Street in every town and city of France (Come on, who doesn’t love Les Misérables and Hunchback of Notre Dame?) A “French kiss” in France is called a tongue kiss or a soul kiss. There are over 400 different kinds of cheese produced in France. And that brings me to French cooking – I have had such a difficult time narrowing down what I’m going to make, but I think I may have it now, thanks to Julia Child. I just need to go on a wild goose chase for some French cheese.  So, here we go.

Up next: holidays and celebrations

FINLAND: THE FOOD

I’ve been waiting for this day since I found these recipes. And it comes after I finally filed for my LLC with the state to start my proofreading and editing business.  Now, I’m just waiting for my debit card in order to get started.  So, its somewhat of a celebratory meal. It’s just that these recipes are perfect for fall weather when it’s 40 degrees and not 82 degrees in July. Maybe it’ll bring on the cooler weather. (Actually, we’re supposed to drop 10-20 degrees by tomorrow, so I believe it’s working.)

Small but mighty.  

The first thing I started with is a rye bread called rieska.  The preparation was rather simple: mixing together rye flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, then adding in butter and buttermilk.  After I formed it into a ball, I laid it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  I put it in the oven for about 40 minutes. My bread seemed a little small. I suppose I could’ve flattened it out a bit. I wondered if I should’ve made three more since I’m not sure if the rest of my family will get any.  But really, it was surprisingly big enough.

I completely underestimated how good this was. It would go well with a strong cup of coffee. 

After this, I made a Finnish blueberry pie called mustikkapiirakka. First, I cut a ton of butter (like, a stick and a quarter) into caster sugar.  Caster sugar is something new to me, but it’s basically just superfine sugar preferring in baking and in drinks since it dissolves in liquid better. Then I beat in one egg and added in some vanilla extract.  I didn’t realize that I was pretty much out of vanilla, so I threw in what I had and added a little almond extract.  I sifted in some rice flour and baking powder and mixed until it was consistent. And since I forgot to get a pie tin or tart tin, I used a round springform cake pan instead.  I spread the crust dough on the bottom and up the sides as well, smoothing it with my fingers. A pint of fresh blueberries filled the bottom.  In a separate bowl, I mixed sour cream, buttermilk, more caster sugar, an egg, and some more almond extract (or vanilla if I had any). Once I stirred it until it was smooth, I poured this on top of the blueberries and baked it for 30 minutes. At this point, I lowered the heat and kept it in for another 30 minutes. It wasn’t as sweet as I thought it was going to be, but it was more of a natural sweet.  I LOVED it.  I have a feeling there won’t be any left for my breakfast, though.  Maybe I should hide the rest. That’s what I have to do to keep my husband from eating all the chocolate, and I’m moderately successful at that.

Paradise topped with potatoes. 

The main meal for today is merimiespata, or Finnish beef and beer stew. I used a casserole dish for this, and put a layer of sliced and salted potatoes in the bottom. Then I added a layer of browned stew beef (sautéed with salt and pepper), topped with a layer of sautéed and sugared onions, followed by another layer of the potatoes. I poured in a bottle of beer (I couldn’t find any beer from any Nordic or Baltic country, so I used Leffe Blonde from Belgium.) and added enough beef stock to cover the potatoes. After adding a bay leaf, I put it in the oven for two hours.  This, by far, was one of the most awesome dishes I’ve made.  I picked a good beer to make this with; it wasn’t overpowering to the dish.  And it was definitely worth the wait. I’m certainly going to pull this recipe back out when it gets colder. 

All of my favorites together. 

I truly enjoyed writing about Finland. Besides the fact that I think the Finnish language looks kind of hard and their words seem as long as German words, I think I would really like to visit Finland one day.  Maybe in the summer, though.  The food we ate today was delicious, and yet, there weren’t many spices that went into it. Outside of the blueberry pie perhaps, it was generally simple to make but full of flavor.  I think these recipes are good to file as ones using only a few ingredients. For a country that I knew only a little about, Finland is now on my long list of countries I want to visit. 

Up next: France

FINLAND: MUSIC AND DANCE

In Finland, the older folk music form is based on the ancient poem collection called the Kalevala. The form consists of a type of chanting or “poem singing,” which is centered around a trochaic (one long stressed syllable followed by a short unstressed syllable) tetrameter (the first five notes of a scale). The lyrics are alliterative and sung about heroes. These songs were not written down; the singers performed these from memory, either as a solo or with a chorus.

Pelimanni is a type of tonal Nordic folk dance music that was also performed in Finland. Generally, pelimanni relied on the fiddle, clarinet, harmonium (a type of reed organ), and accordions. The polska, polka, mazurka, schottische, quadrille, waltz, and minuet all use the pelimanni style. There is also a type of rhyming sleigh song called rekilaulu that regained popularity in the 1920s, much to the chagrin to the church (although I’m not sure why).

Finnish dance was influenced by dances from France and Poland as well as others from Germany and surrounding countries. The oldest dances were the minuet and the polska. These could be danced by couples or modified as a circle or chain dance. Quadrilles (more or less a French-adopted English country dance) also made their way to Finland. Even though these dances originated from other areas of Europe, Finland adopted them and made them their own. Purpuri are long ceremonial dances, which are actually made up of several smaller dances, especially the ones listed above. Essentially, there are three different areas of Finland, all with their own variations and folk dances: the Swedish-speaking areas in the east (closest to Sweden), Karelia (the area in the southeast near the Russian border), and the rest of Finland. The 1970s saw a boom in the interest in folk dancing, which waned in the 1980s. But it’s common for people to go through these waves of attention to it.

The Sami (also called Laplanders) are an indigenous group that lives in the northern part of Finland. (Actress Renée Zellweger’s mother has Kven [Finnish peasants who relocated to Sweden] and Sami in her ancestry). One of the well-known styles of Sami music is their spiritual songs called joik. At times, it can be similar to Native American music. Hip-hop artist Amoc is known for rapping in the Inari Sami language, which is spoken around the town of Inari. I’ve listened to most of his album Kaccâm. I really like it. He makes good use of strings in the accompaniment. It’s pretty catchy.

Helsinki and Turku were the cultural hotspots of Finland during the 1800s. A German composer Fredrik Pacius wrote the national anthem (“Vårt land/Maamme”) as well as the first Finnish opera. Jean Sibelius – one of my favorite composers – wrote one of his most famous symphonic poems, Finlandia, which played an important role in the fight for independence. It was rewritten with added lyrics, making it an important national hymn. It actually had to go by different names to keep it from being censored by the Russian government during occupation. The classical music scene in Finland was quite substantial. Many notable composers, musicians, and singers came out of this tradition. Opera has especially been a forte in the 20^th century.

Rock arrived in Finland in the 1950s, and punk rock followed about 25 years later. One of the early rock bands that had the most influence is Hanoi Rocks. I listened to the album Up Around the Bend: The Definitive Collection.  Their sound shifts from 1980s hair band to 1980s punk rock. They influenced other glam rock bands such as Def Leppard, Poison, Mötley Crüe, and Guns N’ Roses. They were active from 1979-1985, and again from 2002-2009.

One rock band I found is The Rasmus.  Their music sounds a little like Linkin Park (minus the rap, just the rock). I kind of like them, too. And they sing in English. Another rock band I came across is Indica. This band’s lead singer is a female, and they sing in Finnish. Maybe it’s the tambourine that occasionally comes out, but it sounds like a little happier rock, I think. Anna Eriksson’s album Kaikista Kasvoista is pretty good. It has more of a pop-rock feel to it.

The band Apocalyptica is categorized as “cello metal.” This is a new term for me. (I’m wondering why there isn’t a French horn metal yet. I should make this happen.) But apparently, this is basically metal with a strong cello (and occasionally other string instruments) section. I kind of like it. I know I’ve talked smack about metal before, but it’s slowly growing on me. Of course, it’s growing on me at the speed of a glacial retreat, but still.  One heavy metal band I listened to is Amorphis.  Even though they span various styles of metal, they use sections of the Kalevala as inspiration for their lyrics. I’ve always had a problem with what’s called “growling vocals” or “death growl” in metal music, but apparently there are vocal techniques you can use to not totally blow out your vocal chords. (I once had a composition professor who did that.) And this technique goes back to the Viking days. Who knew?

My cousin introduced me to the band Korpiklaani, a folk-metal band. I wasn’t so impressed with one of the folk-metal bands I listened to when I was doing Estonia, but I like this band. They have a hard skateboard punk beat to some of their songs, although a lot of their songs makes me think of Gogol Bordello tripping on acid. I liked the album Manala that I listened to. (It's available through iTunes for $11.99.) They certainly changed my mind about folk-metal.

Finnish musicians aren’t just about rock and metal. There is a small hip-hop culture as well. One rapper I came across that I like is Amoc, who I mentioned earlier. He uses strings and mixes a jazz-blues-soul-funk with standard hip-hop behind his music. And as I mentioned, one of the things that make him different is that he doesn’t rap in Finnish, but in Inari Sami, the Sami variety that is spoken near the town of Inari. He’s pretty good. I listened to the album Kaccâm and was fairly impressed. It’s also available on iTunes for $9.90.

Finland also has their fair share of trance, techno, and electronica DJs. One of my favorites is Darude.  I loved the song “Sandstorm.” I’m also a huge trance and techno fan, so of course the album Before the Storm (where this song is from) piqued by interest. To me, this is the perfect album and perfect kind of music to work to. I also listened to JS16’s Stomping System album. I think I liked most of the songs on this album. A couple of the songs were used in the video game, Dance Dance Revolution. JS16 is also a produced; he produced Darude’s hits “Sandstorm” and “Feel the Beat.”

Up next: the food

FINLAND: ART AND LITERATURE

Finns have certainly made their mark of distinction in the field of architecture.  And certainly, Finnish architects have been influenced by both Sweden and Russia.  Spanning nearly 800 years, Finnish architecture excelled in several different styles, such as Art Nouveau, Nordic Classicism, and Functionalism.

Early form of buildings was called kota, a type of hut or tent covered in fabric, moss, or timber. Later, buildings were built primarily of timber, using a variety of construction techniques. Saunas were also an important structure as well. Church construction added a level of difficulty in comparison with home construction: large windows and larger scale; many churches were built using a “cross plan,” in other words, in the shape of a cross.  Stone was generally used for castles and a few churches. By the end of the Middle Ages, other buildings began using stone as well. The mid-18^th Century brought along the Neoclassical style.

Auditorium at the Univ. of Technology by Alvar Aalto (Helsinki, Finland)

Two of the most prolific modern architects are Alvar Aalto and Eliel Saarinen. Alvar Aalto was recognized as a prolific artist in many mediums: sculptures, paintings, furniture, textiles, and glassware. His architecture spanned from Nordic Neoclassicism in the beginning to functionalism and then monumentalism, with some experimentation mixed in the transitions.

First Christian Church by Eliel Saarinen (Columbus, Indiana)

I didn’t realize that there is a closer tie to architect Eliel Saarinen.  Not only did he design several well-known buildings in Finland, such as the rail stations in Helsinki (Central) and Vyborg and the National Museum of Finland, but he later moved to the United States and kept designing. The city of Columbus, Indiana (known for its architecture) is the city where my parents grew up, and I still have a lot of family there. Eliel designed the First Christian Church, while his son Eero Saarinen went on to design the Irwin Union Bank, the Miller House and Garden, and the North Christian Church. Eero would go on to be more famous than his father by giving us the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Dulles International Airport, and many other buildings.

North Christian Church by Eero Saarinen (Columbus, IN) -- I was fascinated by this building as a kid. 

Early Finnish literature was either written in Latin or in Swedish.  The majority of literature at this time was law and government records, and religious texts. The first work to be translated into Finnish was The New Testament, translated by Mikael Agricola.

The 19^th Century was a busy time for those collecting folklore stories. Folk stories and fairytale collections were quite popular in Finnish-language literature. Many of these stories came from Karelia, an area in eastern Finland that was at one time considered the essence of Finland but later was taken by Russia as the spoils of war.  The Finnish Literary Society is to thank for the collection of many of these folk stories and poems, published as Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot (Ancient Poems of the Finnish People). Altogether, it is 27,000 pages in 33 volumes. However, the most famous collection is Kalevala.  It’s an epic poem, often viewed as a representation of Finnish nationalism. Aleksis Kivi’s novel Seven Brothers was the first novel written in Finnish, published in 1870. 

After Finland gained independence, Frans Eemil Sillanpää became the first person from Finland to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, often writing about civil war. Väinö Linna followed the same theme in his novel The Unknown Soldier. The movie adaptation is broadcast on television every Independence Day, making it a tradition for many Finns. In the 1950s, poets began taking on the styles of American and British poetry, as well as translating Latin and Greek epic poetry into Finnish.  Notable poets of this time period include Paavo Haavikko, Eeva-Liisa Manner, Eino Leino, Otto Manninen, and Pentti Saarikoski. 

Because Swedish is still spoken by a sizable amount of Finns, there is also a section of Swedish-language literature here as well. The poem “Our Land,” written by Johan Ludvig Runeberg, was considered more or less of a national anthem, well before the official declaration of independence. Perhaps, one of the most well known Swedish-language works published in Finland are the Moomin books by Tove Jansson. What also makes this unique is that it’s in the form of a comic book (it was actually a series of nine books produced between 1945-1993.). Another Swedish-language children’s author from Finland is Irmelin Sandman Lilius. She’s also written books for adults (including several biographies), translated works, and has worked as a reviewer.

Up next: music and dance

FINLAND: HOLIDAYS AND CELEBRATIONS

New Year’s Day.  January 1. New Year’s celebrations are huge and celebrated in larger-than-life fashion. Cities and towns and organizations will hold their own fireworks displays. Some people choose to celebrate at home, but others attend huge New Year’s parties held in bars, clubs, or restaurants; or even gala New Year’s balls. Some of the informal parties may include smörgåsborg of simple hot and cold dishes and desserts accompanied by tea and coffee (yes, please. I’ve traditionally served Brazilian feijoada on New Year’s Eve, but I may try smörgåsborg this year.). Champagne toasts are common at the strike of midnight. Large crowds gather in Senate Square in Helsinki to bring in the New Year.  One tradition is the casting of the tin. People will get a small piece of tin and have it melted and cast in the shape of a horseshoe, a symbol of good luck.  And of course, there are a lot of “predict the future” superstitions that are said and adhered to as well.

Epiphany.  January 6. This is the day that Western Christians often attribute to as the day when the Three Wisemen (or Magi) visited the baby Jesus.  Other Christians celebrate this day as the day Jesus was baptized and the marking of Jesus’ first miracle during the wedding at Cana. Churches may hold special services or events for this day.

Good Friday/Easter/Easter Monday.  Varies. In Finland, Good Friday is extremely solemn. Traditionally, many activities were banned on Good Friday (although it’s somewhat relaxed a little these days): you didn’t visit friends or laugh too much or dance; lighting a fire to cook was forbidden too, so you would make a lot of food the day before to last for a few days. Holy Saturday used to be thought of as the day that witches would come down from the mountains, so bonfires would be lit to ward them off. Easter Sunday starts off with Easter egg hunts for the children. Instead of the Easter bunny leaving chocolate eggs, they believe a cockerel [a young rooster] leaves the eggs instead (which sort of makes more sense than a rabbit).

May Day. May 1.  May Day in Finland is related to the pagan celebration Walpurgis, also seen as a spring holiday. And for those who love calm and quiet, this holiday may not be for you. The night before, people head to pubs and restaurants, bringing the party aura with them to the streets. Wild hats and masks are donned, along with balloons, pom-poms, noisemakers, and horns. It’s almost like a Finnish Carnival. And of course, there’s always my old friend and enemy: alcohol. Pickled herrings and fritters are commonly eaten on May Day. This day is doubly celebrated as Labor Day, a day to celebrate the worker.

Ascension Day.  Varies. This is the day Christians believe that Jesus ascended into heaven after being resurrected.  The day falls 40 days after Easter. Some churches hold a special service to formally extinguish the Pascal Candle (or Easter Candle). Some churches even bless fruits and vegetables on this day.

Pentecost.  Varies. Also called Whitsunday, this day is 50 days after Easter, or 10 days after Ascension.  This day marks the end of the Easter season and is celebrated as the day that the Holy Spirit presented itself to the disciples. It’s also a common day for baptisms.  In some areas of Finland (as well as Estonia), eggs are also dyed at Pentecost, because hens often don’t lay their eggs until around this time.

Midsummer Eve/Midsummer Day.  Varies. This holiday is a celebration of the hopes for a good harvest and for light (the farther north you go, the sun doesn’t set in the summer at all). Since the old days, bonfires were lit the night before to ward off the evil spirits and to hope for good crops. People will set up their outdoor parties around these bonfires, including dancing and eating. The Midnight Sun myth is often retold: a young maiden picked seven flowers on the longest day of the year and put them under her pillow, and when she slept, her future husband showed up in her dreams. And everyone takes the traditional swim at night in the lake or sea. This holiday has now been moved to the Saturday that falls between June 20 and June 26. It’s not an official holiday, but it’s very important to the people of Finland.

All Saint’s Day.  Varies. Traditionally, this has been a feast day honoring all of the saints. It’s also treated as a day to visit the gravesites of loved ones and to take care of the grave.  Normally held on November 1, it has been moved to the Saturday that falls between October 31 and November 6.

Independence Day.  December 6. This day celebrates Finland’s declaration of independence from Russia in 1917.  The day starts with the official raising of the Finnish flag at Tähtitorninmäki in Helsinki as everyone else displays their own flags around their home.  A large presidential reception, held at the Presidential Palace with nearly two thousand guests, is broadcast on television. People will also visit war memorials if they can, or watch the TV broadcast of the movie The Unknown Soldier. Family and friends gather together to share traditional foods.

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.  December 24-25. Lapland in northern Finland is known for their reindeer, so it comes as no surprise that Finnish children know Santa Claus must be a Finn.  It’s said that he descends from the top of Mt. Korvatunturi near the town of Savukoski.  And of course, they know that Finnish children are the first to receive their gifts on Christmas Eve. For the few weeks before hand, families will decorate their homes, make all kinds of desserts and savory treats. One tradition takes place in the city of Turku; the Declaration of Peace is read just after the cathedral bell strikes noon. After lunch on Christmas Eve, many people head out to the sauna in the afternoon. Dinner is a selection of roast or pork, vegetables, sweets, rice pudding, and mulled wine. Gifts are handed out on Christmas Eve (a tradition we adopted in my family so that the grown-ups can sleep in Christmas morning), and Christmas Day is spent at home with family.

St. Stephen’s Day.  December 26. St. Stephen is the first Christian martyr. One tradition on this day is to take sleigh rides drawn by horses through the streets. An older tradition is having parades for the forthcoming brides, which is why it was also a popular day to be married. Now, there are dances held at restaurants and dance halls as a modern continuation of that tradition.

Every Sunday. All Sundays are considered official holidays but not so important as the others. When the government reduced the workweek to 40 hours per week, Saturdays were also considered a quasi-holiday as well. Shops can be open on Sunday, but usually on a shorter schedule (from noon to 6pm or so).  Finland also has a number of Flag Days, a sort of de facto holiday where you display the flag.

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