Finland
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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People
Traditionally, Finns have attributed themselves as typically straightforward and stubborn. The idea of achieving by unyielding is still commonly expressed with the term sisu, sometimes with an emphasis to the nationality as in suomalaisella sisulla ("with Finnish guts"). The qualities endurance, hardyness and toughness are implied also by the classic characterization katajainen kansa ("juniperous people") coined in by the writer Juhani Aho in 1899 - 1900. Amidst today's material prosperity and the typical social and financial challenges that a welfare state of the Nordic model and a typical European post-industrial society faces, the average Finn might, however, find these attributes equally corny as the much repeated slogan "it's a lottery win to be born in Finland" formulated a hundred years later.
Today, the Finnish society encourages equality and liberalism, with a popular commitment to the ideals of the welfare state, discouraging disparity of wealth and division into social classes. The Protestant work ethic remains a significant cultural staple, and free education is a highly prized institution.
The traditional occupation of Finns, like most Europeans, is agriculture. This is contrasted e.g.to the traditionally hunter-gatherer Sami people further north. Until the second half of the 20th century, Finland was an agrarian society, but in modern times Finns have increasingly embraced an urban lifestyle. Nonetheless many Finns maintain a fondness for a rural lifestyle close to nature, and it is a very typical practice to visit a summer cottage in the countryside during vacations. There is approximately one summer cottage to every five house holds in Finland<ref>474300 summer cottages (2005) [1] to 2405000 households (2003) [2]</ref>. Of Finland's maritime and boating traditions tells the statistic that there is approximately one boat to every three households in Finland<ref>over 737000 boats (2004) [3]</ref>, not surprising in a country with thousands of lakes and a long coast line. [4] [May 2007]
