Celebrating St. Urho’s Day

Armed with rakes and sporting green and purple attire, the traditionally shy Finnish community showed they could celebrate just as loud as anyone else could on Saturday.

Thunder Bay’s Finnish community celebrated the 28th anniversary of St. Urho, who allegedly chased away grasshoppers from the grape crops back in Finland about 400 years ago. The anniversary traditionally begins the day before St. Patrick’s day. The Otava Male Choir held the anniversary at the Finlandia Club that was decorated to suit the occasion.

A number of people came out to walk in the short parade that traveled down Banning Street and back around onto Algoma Street and returned to the Finlandia Club.

Mailis Kontuvista walked in the parade with her husband Tapio. The Finnish couple lived in Thunder Bay for 40 years and said she was glad to have something Finnish related to celebrate in March.

"It’s not an old traditional but it is something fun to do," Kontuvista said. "Today is more or less a spoof of St. Patrick’s Day."

Kontuvista and her husband searched their house to find something green to wear. She said they didn’t own any purple and so they settled with just one colour. The green represents the grasshoppers and the purple represents the grapes, she said.

Inside the club, more than 250 people sampled traditional Finnish food accompanied by live entertainment. Pentti Junni, 82, a long time member of the male choir, came to Thunder Bay with his wife and first daughter from Finland in 1958. Since then he worked as a mechanic and had two more daughters. He wanted his daughters and grandchildren to come and celebrate with him but they had to play in a hockey tournament.

"I really wanted them to come," Junni said. "The most important thing is for people to have fun. I’m happy that St. Urho is getting some attention."

Back in Finland, only a few cities celebrate the anniversary, he said.

Reino Erkkila, 70, one of the speakers at the event, said the origins of St. Urho came from a Finnish-American in Virginia, Minn. in the 1950’s.

"They have a really rambunctious crew over there," Erkkila said. "It is a fun thing to do. We just do our thing and it draws people in."

Erkkila said the biggest festival takes place on Dec. 6 to celebrate Finland’s independence day. Compared to Italians and other cultures, Erkkila said the Finnish community had pride but it’s not as loud.

"We’re much more quiet than our neighbours the Italians, there are many more of them," he said. "And the Irish. When let it be known, it is known. We’re a little bit quieter and shall I say shy."

The Finlandia Club celebrated its hundredth anniversary in March and money raised goes towards renovations. Erkkila said they would use some of the money to cover costs but the rest goes towards the club.