The new Skogfinnish flag is waving in the wind today. The green, yellow, red and black flag as a symbol of the Finnish community. Last year was the first time this day was marked. Today, the day is celebrated, among other things, at the Glomdalsmuseet in Elverum. Here there is an opportunity to experience forest Finnish food, music, culture and learn a little about one of Norway’s five minorities. Skogfinnen’s own flag is flying in the wind in Elverum today. Photo: Bjørnar Morønning / news For the first time, the youth organization Unge Skogfinner in Norway is also celebrating. Marikken Bruvold is the first leader of the youth organization and believes it is in its place. – It is about time that we do something that can bring people together and create life and joy around society, says the youth leader. Bruvold is very much looking forward to the celebration, which starts on Friday morning. – I think it’s great that you can celebrate a day. We hope that a lot of people will come and that we will have good weather, because it will be outdoors at Finnetunet, says Bruvold. Unge Skogfinner talks about their newly started organisation. Skinnsøm has received good support to pass on Finnish Finnish culture. The organizers were surprised by the large turnout right from the start of the event. Perfect conditions to celebrate Finnish history and culture. The Forest Finns carved magical patterns in everything from clothes for their loved ones to the house wall of their enemies. Young involvement for the forest finders The organization Unge Skogfinner in Norway was founded in January 2024. It is the older group of forest finders who have requested a separate youth team. Youth in this case means everyone aged 15–35. Bruvold says that in the long term they hope to organize courses, gatherings and build networks between young forest finders, but that not many people know about this yet. She looks to Kvenungdommen for inspiration, which has given Unge Skogfinner a lot of support. – They are very good. We look up to and hope that we can achieve this as well as they do. But it will take a very long time to build an organization. There will be a lot of work at the start, explains the leader of Unge Skogfinner. Forest Finnish culture will be highlighted during the celebration at Glomdalsmuseet in Elverum today. Photo: Bjørnar Morønning / news However, there are many indications that curiosity about Finnish forest history and culture is present among young people. – The engagement so far has been good compared to what I thought. We are in a good time period, because there is a lot of focus on minorities and forest finners in particular. People may not know that their ancestors were forest finders and that may be why things stop a bit, says Bruvold. Reconciliation after Norwegianization The celebration of the forest Finns’ own day is becoming a tradition, says Rune Hernes Bjerke. He is the leader of the Skogfinneforeningen, which was founded in 2021. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission submitted its report to the Storting in June 2023, where they looked, among other things, at the consequences of the Norwegianization policy on the forest finches. They found that the Norwegianization policy led to the Forest Finns losing much of their culture and their entire language during this period. The Storting is working on this report and must come up with measures for reconciliation. Published 21.06.2024, at 12.23 Updated 21.06.2024, at 12.53
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Skogfinnens day is celebrated for the second time ever in Elverum – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
