The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #31414   Message #418902
Posted By: AKS
16-Mar-01 - 04:33 AM
Thread Name: Happy Kalevala Day
Subject: RE: Happy Kalevala Day
Deckman, I guess you mean 'ruisleipä' (rye bread). The Finns have been eating it for centuries and still do for the most, 'white bread' is rather recent invention here.

Yes you are right, the Russians gained most of (Finnish) Karelia by the Moscow peace treaty of 1940 after the Winter War (Talvisota). The Finnish 'took' it back in 1941, but lost it again by the Moscow truce of 1944 (we call that period Jatkosota, 'continued war') that was confirmed by the Paris peace treaty of 1947.

But to music: Hiski Salomaa (born Hiskias Möttö 1891 - 1957, if memory serves) is propably the most wellknown Finnish emigrant singer-songwriter of the first half of 20th century. He made several recordings (some trad. stuff, mostly his own) in the US during the 20-30's, a selection of them was published (Love Records LRLP 017) in the 70's and later reissued as a CD.
I bet the majority of Finns know his song 'Lännen lokari' (the logger of the west) where he sings - in his very special voice - about the places (in Finglish) he has seen:
"Täss' on lokarinen lännen risukoista
olen kulkenut vaikka missä
olen käynynnä Piuttissa, Lousissa,
Ratulaatissa, Miiamissa
...
(~here's a logger from the thickets of the west, I have travelled all over, I have been to: (St) Louis and Miami are obvious, no conclusive evidence on where, or what, is Ratulaati, but Piutti is quite largely agreed to be Butte, Montana)

I have the sheet & complete lyrics of it and a couple of others by him, I could scan and send them as PM if needed.

AKS (who's off for a week's skiing holiday now)