Shoes and bags/ Kenkiä ja laukkuja

Just have to show this link.  Palmroth shoes and bags.

Mid summer fest in Finland

Mid-summer celebration originates from the time before Christianity,  in Finland. There are many stories why its celebrated. The summer solstice was important time and day for people who lived so near with nature. One story tells that to be fest for Ukko. God of weather, crop and thunder. In the Kalevala he is mentioned as the highest god. (Kalevala is our national epic.)

People in Finland had annual calendar already before christianity. It was rythm by season and crop circulation. Fests were related with season circulation and often sanctified to gods.

Nowadays the word Juhannus (=mid summer fest) refers to Johannes Kastaja (=John the Baptist). The chruch changed the name and meaning of that fest, when they were not able to remove the whole holiday. So they did to almost all our old holidays. That´s why many of our fests are weird combination of pagan habits and christianity. But who remember what Jonh the Baptist have to do with Juhannus? (before you google that). One original name for Juhannus was mittumaria/midmaria or something like that. People burned bonfires, made magic, ate, drinking, dansing and so on.

(Or why easter fest is collection of Jesus crucifixion, chocolate eggss, witches, bunnies and grass. Eggs, grass and so on comes from Europe. They were as pagans as we were.)

Today Juhannus is spent with friends and family, willingly in countryside. Home party, grilling, eating, drinking, dansing (=lavatanssit), some still burning bonfires (=juhannus kokko). Very country -side-like going. I bet no one remember the Ukko god or John the Babtist. I´m proud of those "pagan" habits, that are a little pieces of saved culture history. Saved hudreds or even thousads years from generation to generation.

Design effect by culture

                                                                            

Design in Finland is clearly effect by nature. It´s demanding. E.g. if we are talking about women´s clothing. Needed to think more than how it looks like.  But also how it feels, is it warm, versatile and variable? And  still feminine? Annoying practical? Hope not. Practical and beautiful, yes.  Natural colors and fabrics suits scandinavian people well. And sure we use so loved colors.

US and British style is a bit different (if compare european). Much more details, sometimes like cream cake, bigger, bling bling and so on. They have more traditions of that.

In European continet we can find older germanic style and later quite uniform style. Scandinavian style reminds the latter one, but it´s still own part. Younger designers got inspired by all the other cultures. Result of globalisation.  There´s no longer clear effect of culture anymore. It´s so shame if we try to look all the same.

Just to show some examples of Finnish produsers and design:  

• textiles Marimekko,
• home textiles and so on Vallila Interior.
• Have to also mention a young and talanted clothing designer Anne Mari. But  unfortunately I don´t have any pictures yet. We need to wait a bit. Her works are so interesting.

Smaller and local producers are e.g.

•  Rej Design,  clothes horses of metal and so on.
•  Loimuset Oy, design interiors and furniture. Their catalogue is in adobe-form.

Perhaps one of the biggest furniture produsers are

• Asko and
• Isku  

But more interesting you can find from these smaller e.g.

•  Kuusilinna  and just beautiful Interface.  Just love them.

And interestin jewellery producer is

• Aarikka 

Of course there are more like Lundia, Alvar Aalto, Nokia and so on. You can google them or ask,  I will help you to find.

Made in China has landed here strongly, swedish Ikea and universal main stream, but typical Finnish features are still in here and alive. Made in Finland.

If you have anything to ask of these or if you would like to find some more, please feel free to ask.  What you would like to know about Finland?

Hello

I´m (forestry) engineer and culture and art is just a dearest hobby. I know some artists and I was going to show some pictures when/ if I get some. But this blog was also ment to introduce some Finnish productions and life in here. If you have anything to ask, please do not hesitate to ask.

When I was young, I started with African history and that was and still is so impressive....Asia, Europe and so on. Last few years Scandinavian. Why this order? Perhaps Egypt and pyramids? Who knows. Asian religions and art? Scandinavia and vikings? Ancient sagas of Norway and Island?  You know, we had giants and a lot of the Gods in here...yep. So loooong time ago. And kings and queens. The map seemed whole different...people lived with,  near and about nature. They had to respect that and its Gods. If you took something you had to give something in return. Today they call it paganism. Christianity and hundreds of years conversion to Christianity made a lot of work to made us to forget and destroy all that old knowledge. But it hasn`t been forgotten...completely. A lot is gone,  but you can still see some features about it,  for example in our calender, art, songs, sayings, names, habits...in everything. In everyday life. How many knows that Ahti and Tapio were name of Gods?  Nowadays they use those like any kind of men´s names. Or how many remember the original genesis of the world (by Kalevala)? That story is as old as bible. Unless even older.

As interesting is the art, handicraft, real handmade items and so on, made today. I mean those unique everyday items. Made in /at home for all of us. Like xmas decorations, fabrics and so on.  Summer is so strong and full of colors in here.