Juhannuskokko - Midsummer bonfire
Part 1
The celebration draws near! The official summer solstice found its way onto a Monday this year, which I spent chasing the sunset coming home from work at 10 pm. The last feeble rays painted blues and purples across the pine speckled horizon line. A little part of me was sad to see the sun go down on the longest day of the year. The Moomins are creatures who celebrate the long summer days on the gulf of Finland. Their community is the heart of this chaotic and joyful time. Moomintroll along with his friends and family (often an indistinguishable line between the two) embark on adventures and expeditions of all kinds across many books written by Finnish author Tove Jansson. Although she died months before I was even born, her wonderful creative spirit lives on through Moomin. Although I am no longer a child, I love Moomin and his world still, I love his friends, his Moominmamma and Moominpappa, as if they were my own. The creativity that is the basis of all Moomin represents, is just as disheveled and haphazard as my own, but it is filled with wonder and mystery. This is what Juhannus represents to me, a celebration of all things summer: warm, bright, welcoming, and most of all creative. Now as the work week comes to a close, look to Finn Family Moomintroll to be a child, to bask in the long days and celebrate the youth within all of us. Be a part of nature, alongside trees and wildflowers and water which is ripe for swimming in. Crawl on your hands and knees to find insects and remind yourself what the world looks like from this vantage. Appreciate the dogs in your life who smell to experience the world. All in all, celebrate Juhannus this fine weekend. Kippis (Cheers)! Now I will be departing for the Superior Hiking Trail to do the same.
-- Meade Redwine
@meade_lumi
Part 2
Juhannus is a celebration that comes but once a year. It adds balance to the Finnish calendar about halfway from other big celebrations in December -- itsenäisyyspäivä (Independence Day, Dec 6th) and joulu (Christmas, Dec 24th-25th). The shortest day of the year is acknowledged, but not as celebrated. Who would want to really celebrate the darkest day of the year? Instead Finns use the month of December from beginning to end to light candles and bring in light. Unlike the light that comes easily at this time of year, the light in December is fleeting at best, with some areas of Finland nary seeing a single ray. The light at this time of year, however, causes a certain restless stir. It allows us to be a bit "solar powered" and maybe accomplish a tad more with greater ease and more energy than we tend to in the darker winter months. This is indeed a productive and restorative time.
Last light (about 11p) in Thief River Falls, Minnesota USA
This weekend, I will head NW with my mother, sister, and boyfriend to join my grandparents at their summer cabin in Wisconsin. Several Finnish and Finnish-American friends and my neighbor are joining us. We plan to spend our evening tonight -- Juhannusaatto (midsummer’s eve) -- cooking sausages, enjoying the kokko (bonfire), taking sauna (and jumping in the lake), singing in the great outdoors, and enjoying the extra long natural light. Saturday and Sunday morning will be relaxing with a bit of optional baking and hiking. Sunday afternoon we will head to Duluth to join with Cedar and Stone Nordic Sauna to participate in a Juhannus gathering in Canal Park with our larger community -- and we are bringing korvapuustit (cardamom-cinnamon rolls) and ruisleipäsämpylät (sourdough rye bread rolls). By Monday afternoon, we will wrap up our long weekend and mosey our way home. All in all, it will be the most Finnish Juhannus I will have ever participated in, as many Finns keep a similar schedule during this most special weekend, by going to their summer cabin with friends. However you choose to celebrate, I hope you have a wonderfully magical and restorative weekend. Check out our recipes for ideas of what Finnish foods to make! : )
-- Elizabeth “Helvi” Brauer
@luumuabc
@luumu_suomen_kieli
