This past weekend, I visited the Finnish American Heritage Society and Museum in Canterbury, Connecticut. The museum and archive collections focus on the history, culture and traditions of the Finnish Americans who settled in the Northeastern region of the United States. During my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting Anita Smiley, who provided an insightful tour of the museum and its collections. Anita shared details about her Finnish heritage, the museum’s history, and her annual trips to Finland. Each summer, Anita leads a group of travelers from across the U.S. on a 15-day exploration of Finland, marking her 30th year of organizing these tours in 2024. She is also the Past President of the Finlandia Foundation National, where she guided all 52 chapters nationwide from 2009 to 2013.
The museum’s collection is rich with Finnish artifacts donated by local families. It includes wood carvings, weavings, vintage housewares, paintings, traditional clothing, photos, and a diverse selection of books in both English and Finnish. The FAHS Museum recently underwent a major renovation, thanks to a Museum Makeover grant received in late spring of the previous year. This grant funded the creation of new interactive exhibits, including a wall panel titled “What We Bring With Us” and an interactive door panel named “What Would You Bring?” The wall panel explores the Memories, Traditions, and Hopes that immigrants brought to Eastern Connecticut, while the interactive door panel invites visitors to share what they would bring if relocating.
My favorite part of the museum was the “Deep Connection to Nature” exhibit. It featured fascinating items related to the Sami people, the indigenous inhabitants of Lapland in northern Finland. Highlights included Sami shoes made from reindeer hide, a moose wood carving, a miniature Finnish “Shaving” Tree, and more. There is still so much to explore and learn in this small but rich museum, and I plan to return soon. I highly recommend visiting the Finnish American Heritage Society if you are interested in Finnish culture.
In addition to its exhibits, the museum hosts numerous events throughout the year to celebrate Finnish culture, such as the Finnish Pancake Breakfast, Finnish Cocktail Delights, and a Christmas party (Pikkujoulu). The FAHS also offers traditional Finnish craft programs, including weaving and wood carving.
If you are interested in visiting the museum, joining the FAHS or curious about upcoming events, click the link below.
Midsummer, a celebration of the summer solstice, intertwines a mixture of cultural, Christian, and pagan traditions that has evolved throughout thousands of years. It’s celebrated over a span of several days (normally around June 20 – 25) in Sweden and Finland and often occurs in tandem with St. John’s Eve festivities.
Midsummer History and Traditions
Dating back to the late Middle Ages, the centerpiece of Midsummer is the raising and dancing around a majestic Midsummer pole. Adorned with an array of flowers and greenery, this tradition, known as ‘maja’ or maypole, symbolizes the vibrancy of the season.
In agrarian society, the Midsummer night was considered a time of magic and mystery when plants acquired healing powers and prophetic insights into the future. Flowers are an important part of Midsummer traditions. Flower crowns or wreaths are worn by women and children. Long ago it was believed that everything that grew contained special magic powers. Young women would gather seven different kinds of flowers and put them under their pillow to dream of their future spouses. The flowers must be picked in silence, or the magic would be broken.
The tradition of bonfires linked with midsummer celebrations were popular around Europe dating back to the 6th century. It is still a strong tradition in some areas of Sweden. It is believed the fire chases away witches and evil spirits but also warms, or “awakes,” the ground for encouraging a good growing season.
The Celebration
Like all major holidays, Midsummer revolves around eating and drinking. The Midsummer fare boils down to a few musts: fresh potatoes, pickled herring, Aquavit or ‘snaps’ and strawberries. A vital part of enjoying Aquavit is the toasting and singing. For each toast, a new song is sung. The most popular drinking song is ‘Helan går’. The name meaning ‘the whole goes down’ refers to the drink being the first in a series of ‘snaps’.
At Midsummer parties, people of all ages participate in fun games. The different games played at Midsummer are called ‘femkamp’, often with a playful twist. A popular outdoor summer game for Swedes of all ages is ‘kubb’ where the goal is to knock down ten small wooden blocks (‘kubb’) and one large wooden block (‘the king’) by throwing wooden sticks.
Today, Midsummer is about celebrating that the best time of the year lies ahead of us.
If you would like to learn more about midsummer check out the links below:
As an added bonus for the month of October if you become a new member, or renew your membership for 2017, you will receive a FREE BOOK!
As an SCC shareholder, you are entitled to many benefits, including the knowledge that you are supporting:
the sharing of Nordic culture;
engaging programming which enriches the lives of those who participate; and,
a unique model which promotes sustainability and a shared celebration of culture by showcasing events and programs inside a residential community
Aside from being a leading investor in the growth of the SCC, benefits include:
Free admission or discounts to all events
Sign up as a “Shareholder” for $75.
or ““Shareholder Plus” for $125 (all of the above benefits plus the ability to bring a guest to every event!).
or as a “Family Shareholder” for $150 (all of the above benefits plus minor children in your household to every event!).
Enroll online here, or by mail with this form. Please note which book you would like in your membership notes.
A few photos from artist Anna Kristina Goransson as she finishes her work on Sommar Solace, a collection of pieces inspired by summer in Sweden, to be displayed in the Nordic Hall at the SCC in May and June with interactive musical accompaniment provided by percussionist Maria Finkelmeier!
A few words from Kristina: “I made most of this work when the landscape here was a solid white and thinking of the Swedish summer became a surreal, otherworldly experience. The works are abstract snapshots of my memories of the warm, lush summers.
Join us for the opening reception for Sommar Solace – Thursday, May 7th – 5:30-7:30 with an artist talk and performance at 6:30pm. It’s free! And part of ArtWeek Boston and the Newton Festival of the Arts!
We asked Rachel Panitch, who will play in the SCC’s “Fika” Sound Series next weekend, to give us a “teaser” about her upcoming fiddle performance with David Kaynor. Learn a bit about Rachel and David here, and join us next Saturday to hear their duo… nothing goes better with coffee and Swedish pastry than the sounds of the fiddle!
When I met David Kaynor in 2002, I was a Classically-trained violinist just starting college. The summer before college, I played a weekly “gig” at the corner ice cream store with a guitar-strumming friend. We had started pulling in fiddle tunes because we needed more repertoire, but I was definitely playing these fiddle tunes in the style of a Classical violinist.
Some traditional fiddle players are annoyed when Classical players try to play ‘their music.’ They reject the idea that someone could learn to play with a fiddling sound, if they’ve learned with Classical technique first. But not David. He has a history of encouraging and mentoring young Classical players who have an interest in fiddling. And that’s what he did with me.
After the first workshop I attended of his, he gave me a CD of his Greenfield Dance Band. I soaked in the whole thing when I got home — learning every melody and transition, until I had the beginnings of my own fiddling repertoire to build on. I imitated the sounds as closely as I could — and even in doing this, the very beginnings my own fiddling style began to emerge.
Soon, my college boyfriend and I were making spring break trips to Montague, Massachusetts, to dance to, jam with, and learn from David Kaynor’s fiddling. My favorite anecdote that I tell my own students has to do with the joy that David passes along from really “getting into” a tune. After many times through a tune he’s taught, when the group has finally learned it, he’s been known to yell “12 more times!” in a way that makes it feel like we’re not just practicing an exercise — we’re really making music together.
I look forward to making music at the SCC’s Fika Sound Series with a focus on David’s Swedish fiddling heritage and knowledge that he has shared with me, and will be sharing with our audience. It is always magical to perform with someone when there is mutual musical admiration of each other. We’re both looking forward to November 22nd!
The Fika Sound Series is presented with support from the Barbro Oscher Pro Suecia Foundation.
Coming Sunday? Here are a few things you should knowWhat You Need to Know for a Successful Warehouse Haul!-- Sizes newborn to 12 Years-- All Seasons Represented-- Tons of Outerwear - PO.P & Various Other Scandi Brands-- Selected Adult Items too!-- Cash or Credit-- Bring Your Own Bag-- All Items Final Sale – no returns or exchangesPolarn O. Pyret (PO.P) is a Swedish children's clothing brand that specializes in high-quality, organic, and sustainable clothing for babies and kids. The PO.P clothing brand will have a warehouse sale at the SCC&L, up to 75% off! They have a large range of Scandi and Euro Kids’ outerwear brands.They have babywear to sizes all the way up to 12 years! All seasons represented and they have outerwear.Sunday, October 13th | 10am – 4pm ... See MoreSee Less
