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 Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:22 am
Introduction This will be the very first info-thread for the Foreign Haven Subforum. But as I have more dull free-time on my hands, I shall keep on starting more threads like this and writing down more information about Finnish traditions, language, and other oddities that make Finland Finland to share with you. Feel free to post questions! And even add more random bits of info in case I forget something! And all Finns visiting this subforum, feel free to start your own topics like this as well, since I'm bound to propably write only about stuff from my point of view.
Facts about Juhannus:
Most Finnish families have a summer cottage by a lake side. Although many people like to live at these rustic places for the whole summer, especially Juhannus weekend crowds up these 'holiday houses'. That is why all the cities are very desolate at Midsummer.
The Nightless Night above the polar circle is a natural phenomenom, where the sun doesn't set at all during night, but stays up on the sky. The norther you go, the longer the sun wuill stay up in days/weeks. (At North Pole you have 6 months of daytime and 6 months of night time)
The bonfires were originally burned to scare away evil spirits.
There are many Midsummer spells that have to do with fortune telling. Usually they are about finding a spouse to yourself. These vary a lot in details depending on where you are from in Fnland, but I'll share a few I've heard.
a) Climb over 7 fences and pick a new flower after each fence without saying a word. Then put the flowers under your pillow, and you will see your future spouse in your dream.
b) Walk backwards to a well naked and then gaze into the water and you will see a picture of your future spouse reflected on the water.
The Lutherian Church (being the state church) celebrates John the baptist at midsummer.
Sauna, frying sausages on a stick at campfire, swimming and also heavy drinking are also popular ways of celebrating Juhannus.
There are also many rock festivals going on in Finland during Juhannus.
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Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 5:11 am
Thank you for the information!
I want to say that this is an old pagan tradition. sweatdrop
In the old times russians used to have the same traadition. But then when they became orthodox the tradition was abandoned.
These days the only thing that is left of it in case of russians has something to do with water... I'm not sure what, because in cities almost nobody (including myself) remembers...
Also there was something linked with searching a "fern flower" (everybody knows ferns have no flowers blaugh )...
I wonder is it true for finnish juhannus?
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Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:41 am
a-complete-mess In the old times russians used to have the same traadition. But then when they became orthodox the tradition was abandoned. The same has happened to some pagan traditions here as well, but very often they were also mixed with the Christian ways of celebrating biblical events and people. Like Midsummer is also concidered a celebration of John the Baptist. (I wonder if I got his name right, but anyway, talking about the preaching man who baptised Jesus.) *runs to update the first post with this forgotten fact* Otherwise, the traditions you described above are not, at least to my nolige, found in Finland. Though there probably are similarities, if you look deeper to them.
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Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 9:50 pm
Wicked ... Midsummer is also concidered a celebration of John the Baptist... Same here. The only difference is that we selebrate it two weeks later according to our calendar... 3nodding Sorry, I talk too much about russian customs... It's a finnish guild, not russian... sweatdrop
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Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:56 am
a-complete-mess Wicked ... Midsummer is also concidered a celebration of John the Baptist... Same here. The only difference is that we selebrate it two weeks later according to our calendar... 3nodding Sorry, I talk too much about russian customs... It's a finnish guild, not russian... sweatdrop It's okay, since we do have a long history together. And many neighbouring countries share traditions. (Like the Finns and the Swedes) And we also have the Orthodox church here, where most traditions do come from Russia, if I have understood correctly.
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Posted: Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:13 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2007 8:56 pm
Aah, and now you are hiding the fact about Juhannus here.. Even if I said that not all finnish people are over drinking, but Juhannus aka Midsummer is very well known about that it's most favorite drinking fest whole year in Finland. So if you are planning to see beautiful Midsummer night with finnish comrades here. You should be also prepared for that. No reason to deny it or hide it imo, since it's how Juhannus is.
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