Moi everyone!
The Czech group of students involving in the project Wirkko magazine have tried to find some information about this typical Finnish festival.
On Tuesday (21.2.2012) is Shrove Tuesday - Laskiaistiistai as the Finns call it.
While the Brazilians prepare themselves to the long Lent by doing their samba carnival, the Finns go sliding down snow-covered hills. Even if this catholic tradition has lost it's religious significance after the Reformation, this old custom still survives. Laskiainen is a real winter festival – the Finns get to play in the snow and see various winter sports....as long as there is any snow. This year there are piles of snow everywhere. If the Finns want to see kids celebrating Laskiainen, they go for example to Pyynikki. If the Finns want to see students´ Laskiainen, they go to 'Kaupinojan sauna' at Näsijärvi where the International and Sports section of Tamy is organizing a Winter Fun happening. There's downhill sliding, snow soccer, snow frisbee etc. and of course the possibility to go to the sauna and try the chilly water by swimming in the icehole! According to an old belief the Finns should be silent in the Shrove sauna if they want to escape the mosquitos in the coming summer.
The food played (and still plays) a big role at the Shrove time. The table had to be full of fatty and rich food. Today Finns are still eating pea soup and Shrove buns or pancake with whipped cream, just like their medieval ancestors. Traditional Finnish Shrove buns are baked every Shrove Sunday (it is on 19 February this year). Others enjoy them with raspberry jam and whipped cream, others prefer almond paste and whipped cream.
The Czech group of students involving in the project Wirkko magazine have tried to find some information about this typical Finnish festival.
On Tuesday (21.2.2012) is Shrove Tuesday - Laskiaistiistai as the Finns call it.
While the Brazilians prepare themselves to the long Lent by doing their samba carnival, the Finns go sliding down snow-covered hills. Even if this catholic tradition has lost it's religious significance after the Reformation, this old custom still survives. Laskiainen is a real winter festival – the Finns get to play in the snow and see various winter sports....as long as there is any snow. This year there are piles of snow everywhere. If the Finns want to see kids celebrating Laskiainen, they go for example to Pyynikki. If the Finns want to see students´ Laskiainen, they go to 'Kaupinojan sauna' at Näsijärvi where the International and Sports section of Tamy is organizing a Winter Fun happening. There's downhill sliding, snow soccer, snow frisbee etc. and of course the possibility to go to the sauna and try the chilly water by swimming in the icehole! According to an old belief the Finns should be silent in the Shrove sauna if they want to escape the mosquitos in the coming summer.
The food played (and still plays) a big role at the Shrove time. The table had to be full of fatty and rich food. Today Finns are still eating pea soup and Shrove buns or pancake with whipped cream, just like their medieval ancestors. Traditional Finnish Shrove buns are baked every Shrove Sunday (it is on 19 February this year). Others enjoy them with raspberry jam and whipped cream, others prefer almond paste and whipped cream.
According to www.finlandforum.org
In the Czech Republic people celebrate Shrovetide during the whole February especially in the southern Moravia and in the Highlands in „ Veselý kopec“ (Merry Hill) by special costume parades. People enjoy the days before the long fast for the Lent period. They go to parties, balls and do sports, too. There are food parties called „zabijačka“ to have a lot of pork feasts.
There is no special event in the Church of St. Jan Nepomucký on the Green Hill.
There are special services on Ash Wednesday in churches.
Our question is : „ Do you really celebrate Shrove Sunday in Jyväskylä, too ?
Jitka Stráská and students of the project COM-BP-2011-002
