Tag: dailyprompt-2072

What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

Hyvää iltaa/Buorre eahket!

(Good evening/God kveld)

Note: maybe kind of longer text

In addition to being Scandinavian I’m also very Finnish origins, especially Kven group and Sámi indigenous as well. I’m interested and proud about this part of my cultural heritage because it was taken away from my recent ancestors as part of forced assimilation policies like the type Fornorskning/Norwegianization that include the Reisende and Romani Traveller groups further South even if they are not mentioned anywhere near the times the Sámi are mentioned. It’s not fair because the Reisende suffered at least as much, sometimes more in fact.

But to be on this topic I love Finnish cultural features like the Finnish type sauna experience and the language. Finnish sounds awesome compared to English and Norwegian, it’s in a completely different language family called Uralic language family of Finno-Ugric linguistic heritage including Sámi languages like North Sámi that my Finnmark ancestors spoke in everyday life hundreds years ago. I know some Finnish, Kven and Sámi from education and cultural activities including school lessons language courses and just listening to Sámi media like Ođđasat with some Norwegian language subtitles to understand better.

So it’s also the Finnish sisu and the forests of Northern Finland, when I was visiting/travelling along Torne River Valley in 2016 with our group trip it was a big part of the experience to see the forests when we were driving in the tourist bus to truly explore this region our roots are deeply tied to.

I like to speak about this in social gathering with other passionate people around these subjects, it’s a great way to get to know new interesting people without boring small talk. I’m autistic btw. The languages are important to preserve, and especially the Kven language that is endangered category. There is discussions of creating a Kven Parliament (Kventinget) like the Sámi Parliament (Sametinget/Sámediggi) in Norway.

I support this personally especially if it means Kven people are given equal rights to the Sámi and the cultural heritage is important. I’m not anti-Sámi at all, we all matter to the Spirit in the Sky.

Giitu/Kiitos!

What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

Yes, one of my names is Ingvild and this is significant to the answer to this prompt. My name is Norse origin and means similar to ‘ancestors struggle’ from ‘Ing’ a Norse mythology fertility god called ‘Freyr’ or ‘Yngvi’ and ‘hildr’ meaning battle or struggle. I’m proud of our cultural features in my family, we are a mix of different ethnicities and regions. Some include Sámi and Kven origins and also ethnic Northern Norwegian, Southern Swedish, Southern Norwegian, Finnish and also Reisende and Romani Traveller roots. I especially like the many different languages and features like sauna, boat culture and modern variant of traditional food and clothing.

I also have these two pair of boots:

These are called Sami and they are from Topaz. They are inspired from Sámi shoes and Arctic.

These are called Amundsen and they are also from Topaz brand. They are Arctic indigenous inspired.

I want to learn Finnish and North Sámi language as well, I’m Norwegian speaking and didn’t learn the languages of my ancestors from home partly because my ancestors were target of the policy of Norwegianization/Fornorskning and the WWII destructive effects on far-Northern heritage like cultural buildings and traditional clothing within the buildings. I know some Finnish, Kven and also North Sámi language from own experience hearing on news and media plus great language courses I joined and enjoy learning.

Other features I like and respect are the spiritual roots and the culture around the unique natural phenomenon of Midnight sun and polar nights. The Light changes from different seasons, from the all-day twilight and Darkness of December to the all-day light of June. We also have the eight seasons system in Sámi roots related to reindeer and natural environments.

On my Southern Scandinavian side there is a strong boat culture and very conservative Lutheran Christian faith, both Norwegian and Reisende share this feature. My Swedish roots are strong political left ideology and we are most of us still at least left-leaning or like me quite libertarian socialist/anarchist by political themes.

Here are two different versions of me, they are AI generated and loosely based on my real traits.

And I want people to know I appreciate the many different immigrant influences to our culture. Most of my childhood friends were either European immigrants or non-European origins refugees from Asian and African countries. My favourite part is the food and diversity in these new generation Norwegians. I like food like for example reindeer kebab and I love Asian food of different types.

I’m really quite interested in different cultural roots and my ancestors struggle as is the true meaning of my given name Ingvild. I hope it was good to read about the features of my roots and my love for other cultures.

Giitu go lohket ❤ hyviä aikoja toivottaen!

answer to dailyprompt-2072

What am I most proud of or interested in about my cultural heritage?

note: I’m from Norway, from Northern regions including Nordland, Troms and Finnmark counties. I currently live in Finnmark county, but spent my childhood and early to mid teenage years in Nordland and Troms. Btw it’s somewhat long text because I had a lot on my mind writing.

I’m proud of our diversity in cultures in the Northern regions and also the far-Southern roots of my grandfather side. Our different languages and ethnicities traditionally and the modern influence from immigrants, including both European and non-European groups. I’m proud of our traditional clothing, the Sámi cuisine in general and our unique sense of humor. I have Finnish roots as well as Sámi, Kven and general Scandinavian plus Traveller/Reisende ancestry.

I love Finnish language and I want to learn how to speak Finnish so Finnish natives understand me when I say something in their language. I want to learn North Sámi language also, maybe learning two Uralic origin languages will help a lot more to understand both Finnish/Kven and Sámi languages and way of thought; a big part of culture and identity is tied to language.

(This is not my own gákti, but I really want one)

I like sauna experience and the culture of great strenght and brave determination in my heritage, our polar nights or twilight of winter seasons and summer Midnight Sun phenomenon are part of our cultural features that give us special point of view as an Arctic regions population.

The Light changes is a large influence on our everyday life, and sometimes visiting Southern Scandinavian persons are surprised by the bright Midnight sun and cannot sleep at all. In our case it’s strange the sun (in their location) actually sets in June! And Christmas Eve sunlight? That’s actually even more strange!

Some more about the sauna tradition; in Norway it’s often called ‘badstue’ or ‘sauna’ and they are always present in swimming halls. It’s very good sometimes to be in strong heat with other people, we talk about different topics while relaxing in the warm environment. It’s kind of fun when we pour water on the stones and it makes the sound.

These are a pair of my own Arctic indigenous inspired (modern) boots from Topaz called Sami:

Our languages are important part of my passion for family research and the big community of the local Kven group as well as the many different Sámi identities, including city Sámi culture like I’m identified with being from small-medium size Northern towns currently and growing up. I’m pro diversity in all forms, European or any other background is welcome here, if you ask me at least so it is. I’m also interested in identity themes in general like trans/non-binary identity and I’m myself a bisexual/lesbian woman. I’m autistic/Asperger syndrome person and have severe mental illness including schizoaffective disorder and childhood adversity history. My political opinions go far left, and it’s also in my deep family roots being left-leaning culture.

I also have done DNA-tests myself and many family members and relatives have also take the tests. The results match well what our research has shown with records and I also importantly have many true photos/pictures of my ancestors in my genealogy collection of many aspects of our heritage. I keep some in frames on my living room wall, they watch me with care and it can be very insightful into both general history and the family dynamics of our roots.

So that’s something about my cultural features and family heritage, there is so much more than I can write down in words.

It’s Friday fun today ❤

(Giitu go lohket ❤ Kiitos kun luit ❤ )

(and thanks for reading!)