Pidäy nagrua, konzu ei täs ni tabavuo kannata

There’s a really unpleasant part of plastic shamans hoisting up their (real or imaginary) Karelian roots: when it’s done in order to get away with cultural appropriation.

Not talking about appropriation of Karelian stuff today, folks, though that’s definitely being done too. This is about taking things from the indigenous people of Siberia, the Sami, Native Alaskans, indigenous people of the Arctic, Native Americans etc. and pretending these things are included in traditional Karelian culture.

This happens more than you’d think. Outside of Finland you probably don’t come across it very much, because they most typical way this happens is by selling Finnish people all kinds of experience vacations, courses, campfire larps, reiki healing, you know the deal. Just today I saw one guy offering lessons on “Karelian” throat singing and “Karelian” drumming, with Sami drums decorated with a very common Karelian pattern. A while ago I saw a plastic shaman put on red face paint claiming that to be a lost Karelian tradition, that was both commonly used by both genders [SIC] and also only survived in their own family.

It’s not rare at all to see various regalia from the other indigenous peoples mixed into advertising of all kinds, and have it all wrapped up as “Karelian”, just like its seller claims to be. Sometimes these items are even sold, yes, again under the helpful “Karelian” title. These things are NOT Karelian, if that wasn’t blatantly clear already. We’re our own group with our own traditions. We don’t even have shamans, our magic users go by a different term entirely. We don’t use Sami drums. We don’t cleanse with white sage (we do some smoke cleansing, but we use plants actually native to our area). List goes on.

Coming across these people is humiliating, because not only are they taking things that aren’t theirs to take - which is bad enough already - but they’re also screaming, loud and clear, that they’re doing this because they’re “Karelian”. We get thrown in front like a human shield, against our own wishes, and fully aware there’s nothing in our culture that would excuse the stealing.

So if you come across something like this, suspect.

It’s easy enough to prove ourselves, in the occasions where our traditions do resemble another group’s traditions. Let’s use beadworking as an example: a person can easily link to several museum items that show the exact beadwork technique and how it was used, what it was used to decorate, and so forth. 

I’ve noticed that there is a wave of foreigners becoming interested in so-called “Finnish folklore” - great! There are plenty of fascinating traditions and beliefs which I’m sure people are happy to talk about. But there are a few things to keep in mind when researching the subject. As most available information is written in Finnish, the main source for your research will most likely come from Finns - which is obviously okay, but ignorance and misinformation is more than present in these circles. I myself am not by any means an expert, but everything I’ve listed here is basic information. More under the cut.

ever since i started reconnecting ive noticed ppl treating worse bc of it, like my interactions w my support person assigned to me by a social worker especially turned hostile the second i started being open abt it w them. ppl forgive them, ignore their racism towards me and even PRAISE their work in front of me, most of these ppl are school counselors, social workers, nurses and doctors, you know, ppl who white ppl expect to not Do That Shit or ppl who take pride in being anti-racist. its gotten to the point where im showing symptoms of selective mutism as a direct result of their treatment.

before i started reconnecting it felt like i had no emotions, now i feel like anger is my default state bc of all the shit ive experienced n watched others experience.

i know ppl whove been harassed, abused n assaulted for being karelian. i know ppl whove been yelled at n hurled slurs at in public for speaking karelian. ive seen so many finns say absolutely fucking vile shit abt us n not a single finn will stand up for us or even publically disagree. even self-proclaimed “anti-racist leftist activists” wont give a shit, actually theyre often the ones saying that shit. finns love giving posts spreading blatant misinformation n nationalist propaganda thousands of notes, while posts criticizing em or talking abt racist suomitumblrs get fucking nothing. at best they’ll like the post, but theyre too chickenshit to reblog to their finnish followers.

its so fucking tiring to watch suomitumblr refusing to deplatform popular racists in the community. its so fucking tiring to listen to finns brag abt how ‘everyone in finland has the equal chances of success despite ethnicity or skin color’, when youve seen your rroma friends be denied basic rights, when youre personally crushed by the knowledge that youll never as successful as finnish adult babies who ignore any and all accusations or racism or even just being told to do the bare minimum towards being actually a good ally, all bc your existense threatens their worldview.

its so fucking tiring when the amount of actual anti-racist finns youve met can be counted on a single hand.

ppl need to realize that existing as a karelian can be straight up traumatizing. its far from whatever Wannabe Exotic Free Opression Points bullshit ppl like to make it out to be.