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Hauskaa joulua from the
Finnish American Heritage Center
Winter came late to the Copper Country of Michigan, home of the Finnish American Heritage Center, but when it did, it came in full force. For the past few days we have been experiencing lake-effect snow in a big way, coupled with sub-zero wind chills. Local Finns claim the mythical snow shaman Heikki Lunta is to blame.
Despite the white-out conditions outside, the interior of Finlandia University’s FAHC has been awash in color and activities. It’s pretty much been that way the entire year. Yes, many exciting things have been happening and we’d like to share a bit of it with you.
Over the past twelve months I’ve given numerous presentations on our Home & Hall project; a vision to expand the archive and museum spaces of the FAHC. Plans to add onto the Center are in response to the increased outreach to Finns and Finnish organizations across the country. The role the FAHC plays in Finnish America is evolving and increasing as Finnish America faces the realities of the 21st century.
No place has this been more noticeable than in our Finnish American Historical Archive and Museum collections – both in the number and volume of donations, by in large because we are the only Finnish-American archive with a national scope. From processing two storage units of New England materials to receiving 45 Toikka birds from Wisconsin, the FAHC is diligently working to collect and interpret our story; yours and mine.
Please take the time to scroll through our newsletter to get familiar with some of what the staff of the FAHC has been doing this year. And, remember – in particular now, during this season of giving – the Finnish American Heritage Center relies on the generous support of folks like you!
Hauskaa joulua ja rauhallista uutta vuotta toivottaan!
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HUOMIO! NOTICE!
For all you holiday shoppers who are stressing – give a subscription to The Finnish American Reporter this Christmas. It’s consumable, you don’t have to wrap it and it keeps on giving all year long. And, if you purchase your gift subscriptions no later than by midnight of December 15th, your name can be added to the drawing to win some great Finnish items.
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The entire Home and Hall idea was spurred by the significant support of John and Pauline Kiltinen of Marquette, Michigan. Folks in the Copper Country have for years benefitted from Pauline and John's generosity, and the Finnish government took notice. At Heikinpäivä 2016, the Kiltinens were honored by the Finnish government. John was awarded Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion, while Pauline received the Cross of Merit of the Order of the White Rose. Both medals were bestowed by Consul General Jukka Pietikäinen at a gala event during the midwinter festival, which appropriately took place in the Martha Wiljanen Community Hall, a public space that was recently upgraded because of funding spearheaded by John and Pauline.
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FAHC director Jim Kurtti visited Washington, D.C. as part of the annual gathering of Finland's North American Honorary Consuls. Along with full days of consular activity, he was able to meet with U.S. Ambasssador to Finland Charles Adams (left) and Finland's Ambassador to the United States Kirsti Kauppi. Both Ambassadors expressed a keen interest in supporting the Home and Hall project.
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Finnish scholars Matti Jutila and Juhana Aunesluoma (facing camera) might consider the FAHC their second home. The duo, both of whom also worked as visiting scholars at the University of Minnesota, came to the Heritage Center in March to explain how Finland is managing the refugee situation in Europe. Along with their well-attended presentation in the FAHC Hall, the pair visited Jeffers High School, where a show of hands revealed how Finnish the Copper Country is.
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Whenever possible, the FAHC staff likes to bring the Home and Hall message to other parts of Finnish America. Director Jim Kurtti has been making presentations at several sites over the past few months, including talks in Washington D.C. and at FinnFest USA 2015 in Buffalo, N.Y. After FinnFest, Kurtti shared the Home and Hall message with the fine Finns of Fairport Harbor, Ohio, who along with Jim hosted a bus group from Minnesota that was returning home from the FinnFest. If you'd like an FAHC staff member to come to your area to discuss Home and Hall, contact Jim at james.kurtti@finlandia.edu.
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Finlandia University's Finnish Council in America conducted its annual meeting in July. The group, which serves as advocates for the FAHC and its mission, welcomed five new members to the Council this year.
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An August trip to the Pacific Northwest included a visit to the Clatsop County Historical Society, where Liisa Penner, Merle Reinikka and Don Raistakka were eager to show the Society's collection.
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Four members of the Paloheimo Foundation visited the FAHC in early fall, and came away impressed with the Center's dedication to preserving and promoting Finnish-American culture on a national level.
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The members of Sovittaja Hall in Massachusetts were all smiles when Jim Kurtti visited the hall this fall; the group generously provided space in the Hall to house a collection of Finnish-American materials that was preserved from a storage unit.
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While in New England to attend the annual Finn Funn Weekend, Jim Kurtti found time to meet with donors and secure several donations, including the numerous boxes of Finnish-American materials mentioned above. Donor and volunteer extraordinaire Barry Heiniluoma was instrumental in this process, and kept his typical upbeat attitude throughout.
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Once the 42 boxes of donations arrived at the FAHC, archivist Joanna Chopp, intern Johannes Waris and FAR assistant editor David Maki had the pleasure of opening them and enjoying the contents. Christmas came early at the Center this year!
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In early November Director Jim Kurtti attended the Joint Chapter Meeting of Finlandia Foundation National; a special event at this gathering was the honoring of Anita Smiley of Preston, Connecticut with the Order of the White Rose. Seen here are (L-R) Amb. Kirsti Kauppi, Peter Mäkilä, Kaarina Langeland, Anita Smiley, Satu Mikkola, Maiju Wilson and Ossi Rahkonen – FF president and event host.
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A special thank you to the folks whose financial support helps us serve the entire Finnish American community.
COPPER COUNTRY COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL • DR JOHN AND PAULINE KILTINEN • DR PAUL AND LILLIAN LEHTO• DR SIGURDS AND CANDACE JANNERS • DRS CARL AND SHARON RAHKONEN • DR CLAUDIA KANGAS ADKINS • DR MARION WISTI BROWN • FINLANDIA FOUNDATION NATIONAL • FINN SPARK INC • FINNISH AMERICAN CLUB • FINNISH-AMERICAN SOCIETY OF THE MIDWEST • FRIENDS OF TYÖMIES • LAKE ERIE SUOMI CONFERENCE • MARGARET A CARGILL FOUNDATION • MARQUETTE BOARD OF LIGHT & POWER • CHARLES LADA • DONALD D LEETHEM • DUANE AND CHERYL ROGERS • FREEMAN L JOHNSON • JAMES AND ARLENE MORRISSEY • JERRY H HAAPANEN • JOHN C HARO • JOHN W LINDSEY • JON AND CHRISTINE SAARI • KEITH MEYERS • MASA RIIKONEN • MELVIN SUOKAS • PAAVO K PELKONEN • RALPH BERGSTAD • RAY AND LOIS LESCELIUS • ROBERT H LATVALA • WALLACE L AHO • WALTER B RASULA • ARNO RAFAEL MINKKINEN • ARTHUR I HENDRICKSON • DENNIS H WERLING • EUGENE R KOIVISTO • FREDERIC P JAAKKOLA • GERALD C DOSS • GREGG STEVENS KING • HAROLD A KOSOLA • HENRIK TYÖPPÖNEN • JOHN A NIKANDER • PAUL E WILLIAMS • PHILIP KOLEHMAINEN • RAYMOND W NIEMI • ROY T MATTSON • STEVEN E HOLLI
SWANTE J HILL • THEODORE J HURJA • THOMAS A LEISIO • DARLEY KEMPPAINEN • ELLEN TAMPPARI RAJALA • ESTHER K PEKKALA • HELEN M RIKER • HELEN T ESALA • JOAN M DWYER • JUDITH JUNTUNEN • KATHLEEN A PARTANEN • LINDA WARPULA DAVIS • MARIANNE MARIN BUBOLZ • OLGA MYKKANEN WILLIAMS • TANYA M STANAWAY • ANNE E TODIA • ANNI M MALMI • BETTY KANGAS PETROSKI • CAROL E JOUPPI • DEBRA NIEMI • DOROTHY ANDERSON GROW • EFFIE E JUSSILA • ELIZABETH HOWE • HELEN J HUHTALA CUMMINGS • JANE KOSKI MCCULLEY • JEAN M CHAPMAN • JO ANN HARDEN • JONENE M ELIASSON • JOY A DORVINEN • JULIE BADEL • KARLA R MENGE • MARCIA MIILU RIDER • MARIAN J I WALLS • NAIMI KOSKELO • P HANNELE HAAPALA • PALOHEIMO FOUNDATION • REV LESLIE AND MARCIA NIEMI • SUNCOAST FINN-AMER SOCIETY • JUNE E ANDERSON • RICHARD W HAAPANEN • WARNER F KILBEY • GENE MACKEY • PATRICIA J MAKI • FERN M MALILA • DUANE D WIITA
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The above list includes donations from the Finnish Council in America (an advocacy group for all things Finnish at Finlandia University) for a Digital Microform Reader, sorely needed at the FAHC Archive. Other support for purchasing a DMR machine comes from generous grants from Finlandia Foundation, Suomi Seura and Finn Spark. Anyone wishing to donate towards the balance of purchasing the Digital Microform Reader can send their contribution to Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center, 601 Quincy Street, Hancock, MI 49930; include "Microform Fund" in the memo line.
Also, Keweenaw National Historical Park Advisory Commission grant money enabled the Archive to update its museum software.
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The Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC) serves as the hub of Finnish-American life for Finlandia University, the region and the broader North American Finnish community. The FAHC houses the Finnish American Historical Archive, the world’s largest and oldest collections of Finnish-American archive materials and works of art, as well as hundreds of museum pieces. It’s also the site of the Martha Wiljanen Community Hall, a spacious room that accommodates a wide range of event  s. The FAHC is the home of the monthly international newspaper “ The Finnish American Reporter,” the office of the Honorary Consul of Finland for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and the Finlandia University Gallery. Indeed, the FAHC is the “home and hall” of Finnish-American culture and life. |
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Help spread the word about Home and Hall. Forward this newsletter to your family and friends.
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