UUTENA TORONTOSSA?
Mitä kaupungin perinteinen suomalaiskenttä voi tarjota tulokkaalle?

Is a joint Finnish-Canadian identity possible?

One of the themes of discussion on the Finnish Canadian scene over the years has been the question whether the different Finnish traditions here in Canada could converge in an effort to maintain the Finnish legacy here.

Should we all try to find the lowest common denominator in order to maintain joint Finnish events and projects? But is that possible?
One of the opinion leaders on the Finnish scene, professor Vappu Tyyskä (Ryerson University, Toronto) says the “old differences” cannot be wiped out, but instead history will hit back sooner or later. Professor Tyyskä discussed the problems of “being Finnish in North America” in an article in the periodical Kaiku-Echo this past spring, her comments were covered in Finnish in Vapaa Sana 24 (14.6).
Professor Tyyskä says that each person has to take a personal decision as to what is important to him or her in the Finnish traditions. A key factor is the personal family history as immigrants to Canada. The first generation tied its Finnish identity to the particular political or religious grouping that they had adopted when moving to Canada. The second generation will then be partially loyal to the traditions of their parents, but will be affected by their different experiences of life one and a general notion of the key symbols of being Finnish. Those symbols are part of the attraction of joint festivals, she wrote. Having a nice time together in congenial atmosphere.. breaking away from a more serious perspective.
Professor Tyyskä says however that such utopia is not possible, as sooner or later history will hit back in the form of acceptance or rejection. Who can be accepted to be part of the project, and who is not. She refers to the experiences of the Finnish Organization of Canada in that sector.
- As individuals we all choose what is importance to our identity. Ultimately the question is, what kind of community are we aiming at. Each new project and community has its own political tones. Even the singing of folk tunes is a political expression as there is a lot to choose from.
- You cannot escape politics, however nicely it may have been packaged as “joint Finnish identity “. Will the event feature military history or not? Will some specific interpretation of history be promoted, and will something be left out? Choices must be made, and they have a political character.
-The decision of an individual is at the same time a choice between communities, and it has its repercussions on the way the Finnish-Canadian history is being formulated. All decisions are political, especially those that seem to be non-political. (Vapaa Sana 5.7.07)

Vapaa Sana welcomes views on the issue.

The view of the Vapaa Sana cartoonist Sami Suomalainen of the many facets of being of Finnish origin here in Canada.