There are Finnish words I recognize that sound like home. The hard roll of the R’s and distinct cadence of the language is easily recognizable to me. Without realizing it, I was learning a little Finnish (very little) here and there from a very young age. As a little girl, I remember a time visiting in Ely when I had an opportunity to have precious alone time with Grandma Esther. For some reason, I was at the farm and Grandma needed to make a trip into town. I don’t remember how we got there or who was with us but I remember her saying, “tule tänne” as she took hold of my hand to cross the street. I skipped down the side walk a bit to keep pace with her. My hand in hers; just the two of us. I wished I could spend more time with her; just the two of us.
At home, in Stacy, Minnesota, I didn’t hear Finnish as much as when we were up north; except when Mom was listening to music. We had a coffee table that had a record player inside. Mom would play records. Among her favorites was the old time Finnish and Polka music of the Chmielewski Brothers. The Chmielewski Fun Time Band. She played the songs over and over — often enough for me to learn one of her favorites — The Sauna Song. I learned the song quickly and would sing loudly and dance enthusiastically throughout the house; Mom would laugh with delight especially when I would end the song mimicking the final notes of the accordian singing “doodlie doodilie doot, bum, bum!” It was a fun song; I would later learn that the song was about mama and papa warming the sauna. Little did I know how significant it would become that I learned to sing that song in Finnish at such a young age.
On a visit up north with Mom, I waited sitting in a chair under the watchful eye of a nurse sitting behind a desk. I sat quietly; little kids weren’t allowed in the hospital rooms. Mom disappeared down the hall. I waited and felt sadness in the air. A little while later, Aunt Blanche came to get me. She took my hand and walked down the hall and said it would be okay for me to see Grandpa. In the room, Mom stood by the bed where Grandpa looked like he was tired. Mom told me I could step up on the stool so I could get closer to say “hi” to him. I stood on my tip toes with my hands on the railing to see him. “Why don’t you sing the sauna song?” Mom nudged. Quietly, I sang to him, the whole song all the way to end with “doodlie, doodilie, doot, bum, bum.” Mom’s typical laughter was replaced with gentle tears this time. She smiled at me and said she is sure Grandpa is proud that I could sing to him in Finnish. We left the room. It was the last time I would see my Grandpa.
When I was a bit older, listening to Mom talking on the phone with her Finnish relatives was a regular occurrence. She spoke so fast; it was international long distance after all! Finnish was the language she spoke as a little girl growing up in Winton. She didn’t know English when she started in Kindergarten. As the oldest of the four girls, she would be the most fluent in Finnish. While listening to her, I began to learn some of the names of the people – our relatives – who lived so far away. She wrote letters to them and sent photos from time to time. She would read letters to me that were sent back to her.
Her Finnish family relationships became more solidified after Mom and Aunt Katie made a trip to Finland together. It was so exciting to see Mom and Katie going on such a great adventure together. They both talked about how Grandpa wished to go back there one day but he never did; they were excited to be making the trip with him in their hearts. By then, Mom was divorced for several years. Her six kids were older — I was the youngest and just going into high school. I would stay with Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jerry for the summer while Mom and Katie explored Finland. It was a big send off from the Duluth, International Airport. Her first trip across the pond on Finnair of course!
With a few names and addresses of relatives in hand and information gathered by Sharon and Jerry from a trip they had made years earlier, Mom and Katie set out to find and meet relatives of their parents and hoped to see the place where Grandpa lived as a little boy. Our family ties would only become stronger and stronger from that day forward and Mom planted a seed with me, dreaming of a day when she and I could make the trip together.
Turku Abo Finland 3:00am USA Time MN
7-14-83 11:00AM Suomi Time
Greetings from inside the Turku Castle! Ask Sharon & Jerry about it – It is really quite an experience here! Darci you will have to save money to go to Finland with me next time! Beautiful country. Lots of strawberries & Kurkkus (cakes!) We got back from Stockholm this AM. Sleeping on ship is nice! Talked to a young boy from NM & one from Denmark traveling together. Denmark boy had been a foreign exchange student in NM. Love to you Miss you, Hi to Eric & Sharon & Jerry & Lora (Save this card – this has Turku castle postmark!!!!)
Love, Mama