Culture of Finland
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The Culture of Finland is inherently hard to define. Nontheless, there are some general characteristics often associated with Finnish society and every day culture. Finns are generally a reserved people, like other Nordic peoples in Norway or Sweden. Finns like peace and nature, but there are also a lot of people who like to have fun in cities. They are generally compassionate, articulate, and clean.
There is a sense of melancholy and depression sometimes associated with the Finns. People in Finland are reserved when meeting strangers and it sometimes takes a long time to become familiar with others, but as a result relationships are deep and lasting. Also if you ply them with alcohol they will become friendlier. Still, Finns do not feel compelled to talk all the time or be overly gregarious like Americans.
Finns are proud that though the country was very poor in the beginning of 20th century, it is now one of the rich western countries. Equality is an important part of Finnish culture as in other Nordic countries, so much so that 'success' or what may be seen as a deliberate attempt to distinguish oneself from others may be viewed with hostility. It is commonly frowned upon in Nordic cultures to believe yourself to be better than others, whether by birth (popular in the UK) or achievement (the measure in America).
The Finnish national character is called sisu, for which an English equivalent does not exist. It is a kind of tough, persevering strength in the face of adversity. Rather than the Germanic wille zur macht (will to power), it is the will never to buckle under or collapse or be dominated. The Finns have had to be a tough people to survive with their own culture and language in the face of incessant Russian aggression alternated by Swedish rule.
Despite its difficult history, Finland has exported its culture far out of proportion to its small population. Finnish designers and musicians led the way, and today Finland is known for its technological productions like Nokia and Linux.
Cultural Policy
Government contributions to culture have increased steadily in recent years, but viewed against the present government's firm objective to limit public expenditures, contributions will stabilize in the future. Most support goes to libraries and archives, theater, museums, arts and crafts training, and films.
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Language Related Institutions
Art and Design Institutions
Music Institutions
- Music of Finland
- Ultra Bra
- List of Finns in music
Theatre and Dance Institutions
- Finnish National Opera
- List of Finns in theatre
Media
- Finnish Broadcasting Company
- Finnish Film Foundation
- Finnish Board of Film Classification
- List of Finnish newspapers
- List of Finnish television channels
Archiving Institutions
- Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities
- Finnish National Archive Service
- Finnish Film Archive