A big thanks to everyone who made day one of Festival Ruska an amazing experience, but now it’s time to focus on day two which will introduce a couple unforgettable Finnish elements to the people of the Copper Country – mölkky, voisilmapulla and korvapuusi.
SAY FINNISH WHAT?
We thought you’d say that, let’s dive into what these things are.
The color season is nearing its peak in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, and with that we’ve arrived at Festival Ruska 2017! This is meant to be a guide to your day one, which is the busiest day of the third annual festival that’s hosted by Finlandia University.
Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center is host to two of the three events during Festival Ruska’s opening day.
This week Finlandia Fridays is joined by guest David Maki, who works at the Finnish American Heritage Center (FAHC). Also, based in the Heritage Center is the Finnish American Reporter, where Maki is an editor. The FAHC and the Reporter actively incorporate Finnish culture on campus, in the local area, and to Finnish Americans nationwide. One of the ways Finnish culture is honored in the fall is with Festival Ruska.
“Although our region maintains a strong ethnic pride in its Finnish roots, the loss of language and traditional arts and crafts has left many among our residents very little onto which they can attach their ethnic identity.”
So says Finnish American Heritage Center Director Jim Kurtti, and he’s doing something about it. He and his staff at Finlandia University’s Finnish American Heritage Center are spearheading an effort to establish a Finnish American Folk School in [...]
As it has each year since the country became independent 99 years ago, Finlandia University will celebrate Finland’s Independence Day with a program of music and theatre on Tuesday, December 6, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Finnish American Heritage Center.
The program will feature a short play, written and performed by local actress Kris Kyro, along with some musical pieces by the Ilon Kaiku kantele ensemble and other local talent. The evening will also include the announcement of [...]
As the Copper Country becomes ablaze with colorful leaves, Finlandia University will celebrate its roots with Festival Ruska 2016.
The second annual Festival Ruska gets under way on Tuesday, September 20 with lecture by a Finnish professor on the psychic lives of plants, and concludes on Thursday, October 13 with the season premiere showing of the Nordic Film Series, with several ethnic events on the days between sure to appeal to all audiences.
Finlandia University’s roots are in Finland, and the school will celebrate those roots with a late celebration each fall, appropriately named Festival Ruska. The festival started in 2015, filling a void left after the university stopped hosting Sibelius Academy Music Festival.
Check out a full schedule and more information on the event by visiting finlandia.edu/ruska.
