Jan 2014 Sports, Far So Good... by Harry Siitonen

Jan 2014 Sports, So Far So Good

 by Harry Siitonen

With the January FAR editorial deadline approaching, and the world winter sports season getting well underway, it looked like formerly prominent Finnish skiing athletes were getting nowhere on the international scene. Until the weekend of Jan.7­8  when former world great ski jumper Janne Ahonen, returning from retirement, earned his first top ten placement of the season, a ninth place at Lillehammer, Norway. Both he and his supporters were disappointed as he looked in shape to get a medal on his second try. His go signal was green, but the jump official, incidentally a Finn, made Ahonen stay in the ready position for the longest time before releasing him to start. Shoban Freund of Germany was the winner.

Sonja Mörsky, 22, took  a bronze in the middle distance ski orienteering event at Yläs, Finland on Jan 7 with Russia's Tatiana Rvatshiva the winner. Next day, in the ski orienteering sprint, Mörsky 
was sixth, with Finland's Marjut Turunen seventh, Rvayshiva again the champ. Then back to Lillehammer on Dec.,8, the Finnish women's relay team was second in the World Cup  4x5K cross­country race. Norway was the winner during the prevailing snowfall  which made for soft ground conditions. The Finnish team consisted of Aino­Kaisa Saarinen, Anne Kyllönen , Kerttu Niskanen, and Krista Lahteenmäki. Kyllönen testified to the toughness of Therese Johaug in leading Noway to victory. USA women bronzed.

Boxing also highlighted that weekend at Espoo where promising Finnish  lightweight hopefuls Edis Tatli, 26, and Eva Wahlström both won their bouts by unanimous decision over tough
opponents. Tatli, a Kosovan by birth, but now living and fighting in Finland, outpointed former two­time super­featherweight world champion Mizonke Fana, 40, of South Africa, in a 12­round
bout. The judges ruled for Tatli by votes of 117­111, 118­110, 118­110. Some critics thought Fan was too far over the hill in facing his much younger, quicker opponent. There's interest in promoting the undefeated Tatli's career in North America against stronger competition.

Wahlström, the European super­featherwight champion, came back from a grave illness that had sidelioned her since, March, 2012. She also had to recover from serious hand injuries. But her
hands were just fine as she defeated world kickboxing champion Anna Sikora of Poland in a six rounder by a 3­0 unanimous decision. It was a tough bout after a long layoff, with Wahlström
confessing that Sikora "was not an easy opponent." She is now planning to defend her European
title sometime this coming spring.

In early season skiing, Anne Kyllönen had cross­country wins on successive days at the Suomi Cup tornament at Rovaniemi, Nov.23­24. She was the classic xc sprint championon the first day, and next day in the classic 5k, 4.9 seconds ahead of second place Aino­Kaisa Saarinen. Kerttu
Niskanen was third, 26.7 seconds behind. In the men's 10K, Sami Jauhojärvi won by 30 seconds over Tero Similä.

2006 European steeplechase champion Jukka Keskisalo, 32, says he plans to stay competitive for another season or more. In a jovial mood, Jukka works at a job where he says he "enjoys his  achievements for all of ten minutes, but in athletics the good feeling lasts until evening. This (athletics) isn't the world's unhealthiest addiction," he adds. Jukka's main concern is to stay injury­ free.

Tuula Tenhonen was voted Finnish sailor of the year on the strengthof her World Championship silver medal placing in the radial class in October. Henri Manninen of Jyväskylä ran ninth in the Firenze (Italy) Marathon on Nov.24 with a personal best of 2:19:09, also the fastest Finnish men's time for 2013. Ukraine's Oleksandr Sitkovski was the winner in 2:09:14.  Elina Nurmenpää, 30, golfed  a personal best eighth place on the European Women's  Circuit Tour  stop at New Delhi, India with a one ­under par 215 . In the final round she hit  our birdies, marred  by one double bogey. Winner was Thailand's Thidapa Shivonna, with seven strokes fewer than  Tenhonen.

Movie FREE: "Road North (" Tie pohjoiseen")"

Come out and watch a free movie on the UC Berkeley Campus. The film will be shown Thursday 10/17 at 6.30 pm, in Dwinelle Hall (Dwinelle B-4,), free of charge. 

FILM: Tie pohjoiseen - Road North

A prodigal father returns to Helsinki to reconnect with the son he abandoned 35 years earlier and con him into a journey towards the Arctic Circle in this jaunty comedy. Overweight and shambling but still charismatic, Leo (Finnish national treasure Vesa-Matti Loiri) has lived to pursue pleasure, always fleeing when he encountered problems. Now, as he nears the end of his metaphoric road, he wants to patch up all the potholes, although in his own unconventional, not necessarily legal way. His son Timo is a concert pianist, and seems to be Leo's polar opposite: uptight, bound by rules, appointments and a constantly buzzing cell-phone. But out on the highway in the red Catalina convertible that Leo steals for the ride, Timo soon proves a chip off the old block.Director Mika Kaurismaki's best films have dealt with music or road trips. Road North combines both elements along with plenty of heart and was one of Finland’s biggest box office hits of the past year. 

"Mieletön Elokuu" FILM showing at Mill Valley Film Festival this Year Oct 11 & 13

Fri, Oct 11 @ 6:15 PM & Sun, Oct 13 @ 11:15 AM

at the Mill Valley Film Festival in San Rafael

Mieletön Elokuu (or August Fools) is the name of the Finn movie to be shown at the Mill Valley Film Festival this year on at Rafael 2 and  Rafael 3 in San Rafael. Starring is old Kaurismäki film heroine Kati Outinen who won Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival the same year that Aki Kaurismäki's Man Without a Past won the top feature film award at Cannes. Other Finnish film notables in this picture are Elena Leeve, Esko Salminen and Laura Birn. Director is Taru Mäkelä,. The setting is the "Festival of Friendship" in Helsinki in the 1962 Cold War era which brought tens of .thousands of young people from both sides of the Iron Curtain to celebrate. The place was crawling with both CIA and KGB agents. It's not as grim as it sounds as the film is essentially a romantic comedy. A Czech saxophonist ((Miroslav Etzler) arrives to pursue an old Finnish flame Elsa  (Outinen) who owns a millinery shop and is a part-time clairvoyant . The languages spoken are Finnish, Czech and English and the film has English subtitles. 

Read more about the film at http://prod3.agileticketing.net/websales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=64016~dc929e81-dd77-4c40-bcf3-47ec6a85c146&epguid=c612d5b0-2882-4166-821c-fe5114bf8af4&  

The Rafael screens are at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center at 1118 4th street in downtown San Rafael (between A and B Streets.) 

General Admission $14. Seniors 65+ and Students: $12.50. Advisedly, tickets should be reserved in advance on line at mvff.com and picked up at the Will Call window at the Rafael at show time. Or toll-free phone at 877.874.6833 voice mail. The main disadvantage to the phone order is an extra $10 convenience fee.  

Hope to see a lot of you there. 

-- Harry Siitonen

FILM CANCELED TONIGHT - NO POWER

You may have heard of the UCB explosion and power outage. Luckily, only one student was injured and already released from the hospital as far I know. No Finnish classes today in Dwinelle Hall & the Finnish Movie Night in Dwinelle is canceled tonight. Dwinelle Hall has NO power so far.

We will reschedule! 

Sirpa

MOVIE: "Tie Pohjoiseen" / "The Road North" FREE @ UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley FREE Movie Nite!!!

Tie Pohjoiseen / The Road North

Tuesday, October 1, 6:30 PM 

at UC Berkeley Dwinelle Hall B-4

A prodigal father returns to Helsinki to reconnect with the son he abandoned 35 years earlier and con him into a journey towards the Arctic Circle in this jaunty comedy.

Overweight and shambling but still charismatic, Leo (Finnish national treasure Vesa-Matti Loiri) has lived to pursue pleasure, always fleeing when he encountered problems. Now, as he nears the end of his metaphoric road, he wants to patch up all the potholes, although in his own unconventional, not necessarily legal way.

His son Timo is a concert pianist, and seems to be Leo's polar opposite: uptight, bound by rules, appointments and a constantly buzzing cell-phone. But out on the highway in the red Catalina convertible that Leo steals for the ride, Timo soon proves a chip off the old block.
Director Mika Kaurismaki's best films have dealt with music or road trips. Road Northcombines both elements along with plenty of heart and was one of Finland’s biggest box office hits of the past year. (http://www.psfilmfest.org/.)

DETAILS:

Finland

2012

110 Min

Color

Finnish

DIR Mika Kaurismäki

PROD Mika Kaurismäki

SCR Mika Kaurismäki, Sami Keski-Vähälä

DP Jari Mutikainen

CAST Vesa-Matti Loiri, Samuli Edelmann, Peter Franzén, Mari Perankoski, Eila Roine, Irina Björklund, Elina Knihtilä, Ada Kukkonen, Rea Mauranen, Aake Kalliala, Amira Khalifa, Krista Kosonen, Marja-Leena Kouki, Minni Laakso, Aiden Lind, Eeva Litmanen, Irina Pulkka, Kristo Salminen, Emilia Sinisalo, Pertti Sveholm, Leena Uotila, Eija Vilpas, Jukka Virtanen

ED Jukka Nykänen

MUSIC Ilari Edelman, Kaihon Karavaani, Mauri Sumén

SOUND Joonas Jyrälä

Book Review: Pylväinen, Hanne, WE SINNERS, Picador, 2012, 189 Pages

Book Review: Pylväinen, Hanne, WE SINNERS, Picador, 2012, 189 Pages.

By Harry Siitonen

Not many Americans, including American Finns, know about a smallish fundamentalist branch of Nordic Lutheranism, called the Laestadians. A first novel by Hanna Pylväinen, who at one time belonged to that church, has written a fine work of fiction about a large Finnisl Laestadian family in current -day Michigan with a family name of Rovaniemi. It gives us a good picture of this religious denomination through the trials of this family as their children grow up.

The Laestadian religion, founded by Lars Levi Laestadius, a Swedish Sami reindeer herder in the mid-Nineteenth Century, consider the following as sins of worldliness: remarital sex, alcohol (except in a religious context), dancing, TV, movies, rythmic music, cosmetics, caed playing,earrings, school sports, tattoos and cursing. Neither do they approve of birth control, so many true believer Laestadian families have numerous children,who they celebrate as gifts from God.

The Rovaniemis are one such family, with nine children,seven girls and two boys.The novel traces their lives from children into adulthood, The father, Warren Rovaniemi, in the course of the story is elected minister of their church in the small community in which they live and the mother of the brood is the caring and loving Pirjo. They all know Finnish at least to some extent. As teenagers in a crowded household the kids squabble like those of any large family. often torn betwen their faith and the world looming around them. Eventually some of them reject the church and live secular lives and become college students which influene raises their sense of skepticism about their creedal upbringing. The oldest Brita stays in the church marries a carpenter whith whom she hasb sux sons through cearian section, and almost loses her own life and that of her seventh infant, again a boy.

One of the prime tenets of the religion is forgiveness. Anyone can confess theirsins to anyother person, most often other familymembers as well as the minister. THis is ofetn done daily as it's hard to resist worldly temptation. "Believe all our sins are forgiven in Jesus's name and precious blood" is the formulaic response that will give one grace. `      

Tiina, the second daughter, is the most irreverent of the family. She's a "party animal" with her all-nighters, and is the first to break with the family tradition and become an unbeliever. Pirjo discovers that one of her sons Simon is gay and finds it impossible in her heart to fully forgive him, and they become estranged. One of the younger sisters Julia also declares her unbelief. Nels.the devout son strays from the rightous path.and starts to drink heavily and is attracted to a sexy party girl Bernie who eggs him on so he temporarily loses his beloved Tricia who he wants to marry. Eventually Nels sees the error of his ways, gets forgiveness from equally devout Tricia and they marry and raise a family.

Yet as the younger Rovaniemis grow older and their differences grow larger due to the disparate differences in their lives, the significance of the earlier forgiveness factor in their religious training, helps hold the siblings together. That love is never lost. A dramatic moment ensues when Simon's lover and partner Christopher dies in a car accident in Boston where they live.. Julia and her aloof wise guy boy friend Will come to Boston to console Simon.  Nels flies in from Minneapolis but leaves Tricia and the kids at home, The irrepressible Tiina comes from New York for the funeral. After the service the family members gather at Simon's apartment to spend time wih him. All drink except for Nels and get sloppy. Tiina says she hated her parents for not coming. "I can't f*cking believe it. I always expected more of them," she blurted. Then Julia picked up the phone called home in Michigan. Her mother was on the other end of the line. "Why aren't you guys  here?" she posed. "--- Julia shouted. Why do you have to be such sanctimonious a**holes?"

Pirjo responds: We love Simon  Of course, we're so sorry to hear about his loss."

"Your loss," Julia retorts.

"It is never my job to make you comfortable about your lifestyle choices, " Pirjo answered. ""We're here to remind you of what is right. We know you know in your hearts what the right thing is. Of course, you know that...."

"A**holes," Julia shouts as she slams down the phone.

This is one bridge these two Rovaniemi generations will never cross. 

The author Hanna Päiväinen hails from suburban Detroit. Her BA is from Mount Holyoke College, her MFA from the University  of Michigan. She has earned a number of fellowship honors. She won the Whiting award for "We Sinners."  She is working on another novel about early Laestadian history to be entitled "The End of Drum Time."  She now lives in Brooklyn.

 

Siitonen's Sports Report, October 2013

FARSPORTS--OCT/2013

"It ain't over 'till it's over."  At least for Teemu Selänne, 43, the greatest Finnish NHL hockey player of all time, who has announced he'll play one more season--his last--for the Anaheim Ducks. His 15-year career in the North American biggies has included playing for Winnepeg, San Jose, and Colorado besides starring for the Ducks.  No Finn in NHL has matched his 675 goals and 765 assists in that span. But there's a promising second generation Selänne who is likely to go places in pro pucksterdom, too. One of Selänne's three sons, Eetu, 15, will be playing this coming season for the Calgary Hitmen's junior division in the Western Hockey League. Eetu had gotten a written bid from the Hitman a year earlier, but the letter had gotten lost in a pile of his Dad's fan mail.  

Finland's Marika Hara snapped up two individual golds in the World Bicycle Orienteering Championships at Rekvere, Estonia. The first was in the middle distance of 8.7 kilometres, and then in the long distance of 35.6 k. Susanna Laurila got a bronze in the middle, and a silver in the longer race.Eeva-Liisa Hakala

silvered in the sprint distance of 5.70K, won by Cecilia Thompson of Sweden. Finland also achieved the gold standard in the women's relay team event with stalwarts Ingrid Stengård, Laurila and Hara. Among the men's bike orienteers former world champ Samuli Saarela was third in the men's middle distance of 11.4K and second in the long. The Finnish men's relay team of Saarela, Pekka Niemi and Jussi Laurila brought home a silver with the gold going to the Czech Republic

Anne Rikola, 36,  had a world kayaking title bronze in the 5000m race at Duisburg and was fourth in her favorite distance of 1000 meters the day before. Six years ago Rikola had silvers in the world kayaking 200 and 500m.  Her last previous world title medal was a bronze again in the 5000m in 2010.

Last issue we promised some results from the World Bowling Championships in Las Vegas. Finland defeated USA in the team championships, 1,183-1,126, with Pertti Jussila, Tony Ranta, Petteri Walonen, Pasi Uotila and Osku Palerma.  Then USA turned the tables in the men's pairs,with John Sczcerbinski and Chris Barnes trimming Palerma and Uotila in the final, 569-473.  Joonas Lehkinen and Petteri Salomaa bronzed. USA's Bill O'Neill was the men's singles champ.

Tero Pitkämäki regained the season's world lead in the javelin with a mighty 89.03 meters while trying for a 90+m at Bad Kostritz, Germany. His PR was of 90.33 was set in his winning world championship throw at Osaka in 2007. The same day Antti Ruuskanen won the Elite Games jav at Tampere with 85.04, and was awarded 10,000 euros for the best athlete in the 2013 Finnish Elite Games series. Also at Tampere, Kenya's Agnes Chesong oudid Sandra Eriksson in the women's 3000m steeplechase, 9:36.33 to 9:40.86. 0ona Kettunen, 19, was third in 9:48.73. Ukraine's Hanna Platinsena outsprinted Finland's pride NooraLotta Neziri in the 100m hurdles, 13.08-13.13. Powerhouse Merja Korpela hurled the hammer for a 68.95m victory. 

At a September Zagreb, Croatia  IAAF track meet, Pitkämäki continued his domination with a winning 86.36, Ruuskanen second with 85.64, and Kenya's up-and-coming Julius Yego third with 84.92. In the Diamond League's final event at Brussels it was Pitkämäki up front again with 87.32, World Champ Vitezslav Vesely of the Czech Republic second with 86.69 and Ruuskanen third with 82.82. 

Next stop was the exciting ancient Finland-Sweden annual dual meet, this year at Stockholm. Again it was one-two Pitkämäki-Ruuskanen in the keihäs, 86.39-85.07, with Swede Kim Amb third with 82,82.  But otherwise, this intense but amicable rivalry did not bring good news to Finland this year as the Swedish men's track and fielders prevailed over the Finns, 235-173. The Svenska flickas beat the Suomen tytöt , 215-195. For most of the past recent years Finnish men have dominated the Swedes, while Swedish women had trounced their neighbors to the east--until last year, at the Olympic Stadium at Helsinki where Finnish dudes lost and Finnish maids won by a close margin.

Just to keep up our spirits, let's look at some of the other Finnish winners this year besides Pitkämäki/Ruuskanen, Pitkämäki/Ruuskanen: Anne Halkivaha, women's 5000m racewalk, 22:49.36/PB; Elina Torro, women's triple jump, 13.64m; Niklas Sandells, men's 1500m run, 3:45.78; Sandra Erikssen, 3000m women's steeple, 9:38.38/NR (old record: Johanna Lehtinen, 9:40.28, 2006); Jukka Keskisalo, men's steeple, 9:05.54; NooraLotta Neziri, women's 100m hurdles, 13.14; Venla Paunonen, 400m women's hurdles, 57.88; Merja Korpela, hammer, 66.31m.

But the most satisfying win of all was the Finnish women's triumph in the women's 4x100m relays in 44.31

seconds, the fastest Finnish time in six years. For this we can thank Maria Räsänen, Hanna-Maarit Latvala, Jonna Bergbom and Tiina Leppäkoski.

With the Winter Olympics coming up, Finland's top women's figure skater Kiira Korpi made some major

moves in her training. After an injury-plagued career she was again in top shape. Korpi switched her training locale to California from Finland and engaged a new coach, Russia's Rafael Arutyunyan, who had trained stars like Michelle Kwan, Mao Asada, and Jeffrey Brittle. The first phase of training was at Lake Arrowhead, to be moved at the end of September to the Olympic-sized rink at tha Artesia Ice Pavilion near LosAngeles.  But, alas, in checking out Finnish sports news on the Web this morning as I was writing this, I read that Kiira had sustained a partial tear in her left achilles tendon. She flew back to Finland to be examined as to the extent of the damage, to see if surgery was warranted.. Participation in a forthcoming meet was cancelled. Her Olympics appearance looks in doubt. Tough luck! We wishe Kiira a quick recovery.

Juhannus - Midsummer celebrations at FAHA this weekend!!!

Time to celebrate Summer - the sun and good times!

JUNE 21st-22nd-23rd FRI-SAT-SUN Juhannus - Midsummer celebrations at FAHA, 197 W Verano Ave, Sonoma tel (707) 935-0200  Finntastic Solstice is the theme this year and the days are filled with fun activities for all - best part of being is to visit with friends and enjoy good food and sauna. 

Friday starts with registrations at 3.00pm, dinner at 5.00pm and Karaoke at 7.00pm. Midnight quiet time.

Saturday all day programs include horseshoe and washer toss tournament, bar and makkara kioski opens at 11.00am with special Big Kahuna lettus, egg toss contest, East vs West Finland swim races at 12.30pm, Town Hall meeting at 2.00pm get your questions answered by FAHA and Manor Presidents!  Dinner is served at 5.30pm, Finnish Fashion show at 6.45pm, live and silent auctions with grand prize trip to Finland - drawing at 7.30pm.  Dancing with Kaleva All Stars, 9.00pm Kokko - Bonfire with sing-a-long, more dancing, Snakkari opens at 10.30pm and quiet time at midnight.

Sunday Lettu breakfast at 8.30am, Worship services at 10.30am, 11.30am bar and makkara kioski opens, music by the pool with Tomi Huttula and Steve Jadlos, winner of 50/50 accouncedat 2.00pm, party winds down around 3.00pm and sauna closes at 5.00pm

 

If you haven't already, you can register online at www.fahausa.org and even pay by credit card with no extra fees.

Don't forget to come on out for Vappu tomorrow (5/4) from 6:30 - 11:00 PM in Berkeley

Don't forget to come on out to Vappu tomorrow night at the Berkeley Finnish Hall; 1970 Chestnut Street. Enjoy a little chamber music, jazz, light rock while sampling some fine Finnish foods! This is one of our biggest events of the year! 

Saturday, May 4
6:30-11:00 p.m.
FEATURING: chamber, jazz, and Finnish tunes by the The Kaleva All Stars Band and The Horsmas
Finnish food, drinks, dancing, music, memories and more!!!
$20-25 Sliding Scale for Adults; $5 for children under 12
1970 Chestnut Street in Berkeley, CA
Come one; come ALL!

FINNISH FILM NIGHT: The Storage (Varasto) TUES, 4/30 at 6pm at UC Berkeley FREE

Join us for our last Finnish Film Night of the Academic Year!

The Storage (Varasto)

 

Tuesday, April 30, 2013
6:00PM, Dwinelle B-4

 

The Storage (2011) is a comedy about the life of people working in a paint store. Rousku, who mixes and delivers paint, enjoys his uncomplicated job and free life as a single man. He is having an affair with the store assistant, Karita, but doesn’t want to commit to a serious relationship. Rousku's friend and colleague Raninen is obsessed by the dream of getting all the numbers correct in the lottery in the order where they emerge from the lottery machine.  Karita is determined to make Rousku settle down, and is one step closer to her goal when she learns that she is pregnant.

The length of the film is 97 minutes. As always, the film is 
FREE,  open to everyone, and subtitled in English. 

Tervetuloa! 

-Amanda, UC Berkeley Finnish Studies

 

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKb868Qpwzs to view the trailer.

CONCERT: Studio Finland Trio SATURDAY House Concert in Oakland at 8 pm, $6-$10 suggested donation

Saturday, April 27, at a house concert in Berkeley with my Studio Finland Trio.   It’s a great intimate performance space called “Crane House”.  There will be two bands, the first at 8 pm and our trio at 9 pm.  We will be exploring my originals & Finnish tunes – mixing jazzy interpretations with lost of free improvisation.  

Studio Finland Trio is: Heikki Koskinen: digital trumpet, tenor recorder & piano / Steve Heckman: saxophones, clarinets & flutes / Noah Schenker: double bass

 The Crane House address is 784 65th St., Oakland. It is right on the Oakland/Berkeley border, two blocks from Ashby BART. If you are approaching from the Berkeley side the street name is Harmon.  

Come through the gate on the left and walk back to the studio entrance. In order to preserve the dance floor, please leave your shoes at the door.  Suggested donation for musicians is $6-10

 -- Heikki Koskinen

New Summer Session Course @UC Berkeley 7/7-8/18 "Music 74 / 139: Indigenous Music & Politics"

Music 74 / 139: Indigenous Music & Politics

Summer Session D 

(July 7 - August 16, 2013)

Robbie Beahrs (PhD Candidate, Ethnomusicology)

In recent decades, indigenous music has become a critical site for examining questions of contemporary identities, traditional knowledge, cultural ownership, and political activism in our globalizing and hyper-mediated world. This seminar-style course examines indigenous modernities through musical and cultural practices of indigenous peoples from four different cultural groups: the Inuit of Arctic Canada, the Sámi of Lapland, the Ainu of Hoikkaido (Japan), and Aboriginal peoples of Australia. Drawing on scholarly readings, recordings, music videos, films, and the Internet, we will approach questions large and small: Who or what does “indigenous” refer to in various political, national, and transnational contexts? How is “indigeneity” performed musically? What kinds of tensions, possibilities, and alliances do indigenous identities offer for contemporary world citizens? How have the academic disciplines of ethnomusicology, folklore, and ethnic and cultural studies approached contemporary indigenous issues? Central to our discussions will be tracing and problematizing binaries such as traditional/modern, local/global, and authentic/appropriated.

Please email me if you have any questions about the course: robeahrs@berkeley.edu

Thursday 4/25 Performance: "Words in Action" - Scena, Songs & Poems in many languages

W O R D S     I N    A C T I O N

A MULTILINGUAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE 

Come and celebrate an afternoon of linguistic diversity as 

UC Berkeley students perform scenes, songs, and poems in:

Arabic, Armenian, Bitonga, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Chinese, Danish, Farsi, Finnish, French,

German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Ronga, Russian,

Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Tagalog, Telugu, Xangama, Xitswa

Thursday, April 25, 2013 at 3:00-6:30PM

Chevron Auditorium, International House

(2299 Piedmont Avenue, at Bancroft Way)

With the generous participation of the following instructors:

Elsa Elmahdy (Arabic), Santoukht Mikaelian (Armenian),

Milutin Janjic (Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian/Slovenian), Chen-huTsai (Chinese),

Karen Møller (Danish), Jaleh Pirnazar (Farsi), Sirpa Tuomainen (Finnish),

Seda Chavdarian and Vesna Rodic (French), Nikolaus Euba (German), Annamaria Bellezza (Italian),

Chika Shibahara (Japanese), Catarina Gama (Portuguese),

Jeremias Zunguze (Portuguese, Ronga, Bitonga, Xangana, Xitswa),

Upkar Ubhi (Punjabi), Suzan Negip-Schatt (Romanian), Lisa Little (Russian),

Alexandra Saum-Pascual and Marilola Perez (Spanish), Edwin O. Okong’o (Swahili),

Joi Barrios and Chat Aban (Tagalog), and Hepsi Sunkari (Telugu)

Organized and directed by

Annamaria Bellezza

Italian Studies

Free for UC Berkeley Students, Faculty, and Staff

(A donation from the general public would be appreciated)

SPONSORED BY THE BERKELEY LANGUAGE CENTER:HTTP://BLC.BERKELEY.EDU/

For more information about the event, please emailambellezza@berkeley.edu

Poster attached

Finlandia Prize-Winning Author, Rosa Liksom, to speak at SF Scandinavian Conference on 5/4/13.

Rosa Liksom, the Finlandia Prize -winning Finnish author, will be part of our Scandinavian Conference in San Francisco. There will be free to the public event with her on Saturday, May 4, from 10:30-12 at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel in the Financial District. Please spread the word!

http://www.rosaliksom.com/home

Weds, 3/20 CONCERT: Katie Pienimäki Schenker & Noah Schenker Classical Song & Jazz

Kati Pienimäki Schenker & Noah Schenker Double Bill!!

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

8:00pm until 10:30pm

$10-$20 sliding scale

at the Berkeley Arts Festival 2133 University Ave.; Berkeley, CA

 We have an interesting concert coming up at Berkeley Arts, courtesy of Phillip Greenlief: ~ An Evening of Classical Song and Jazz ~ Kati will be joined by pianist, and fellow Finn, Marja Mutru and violinist Philip Santos, performing works by Berg, Sallinen, Whitacre, and more. Noah will team up with pianist Keith Saunders and drummer Smith Dobson Jr. for a set of swinging jazz.

Berkeley Arts is housed near the top of University by the old Berkeley Ace Hardware, and is a nice spot with a fine old Baldwin Grand Piano and pleasant acoustics. There will be refreshments as well!

Welcome, and bring friends!
More info here: http://www.berkeleyartsfestival.com

Kati Pienimäki Schenker and Noah Schenker Double Bill!! We have an interesting concert coming up at Berkeley Arts, courtesy of Phillip Greenlief: ~ An Evening of Classical Song and Jazz ~ Kati will be joined by pianist, and fellow Finn, Marja Mutru and violinist Philip Santos, performing works by Berg, Sallinen, Whitacre, and more. Noah will team up with pianist Keith Saunders and drummer Smith Dobson Jr. for a set of swinging jazz. Berkeley Arts is housed near the top of University by the old Berkeley Ace Hardware, and is a nice spot with a fine old Baldwin grand and pleasant acoustics. There will be refreshments as well! Welcome, and bring friends! $10-$20 sliding scale. More info here: www.berkeleyartsfestival.com

Finnish History Talk by Joseph Kellner moved from 3/14 to 3/19 at UC Berkeley

The talk on Finnish history by Joseph Kellner will NOT be given on Thursday, March 14,

NEW DATE: TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1 PM - in 206 WHEELER, on the UC Berkeley Campus.

 - per Professor Sirpa Tuomainen

JOSEPH KELLNER is a graduate student in Soviet and Finnish history at the University of California, Berkeley, and studied Russian language and culture in undergrad. According to him, “the whole thing is just a scheme to visit cool places; don’t tell the history department.” On entries on his blog, Joseph looks in depth at the Finnish language, the city of Turku and its surroundings, the sauna, Finland’s rambunctious youth, any other destination he reaches, and anything else the world needs to know.

New Lodge 21 Membership Meeting Time & Date

The UFKB&S Berkeley Lodge 21 voted unanimously, tonight, to move the exiting meeting time from Second Tuesdays of each month to the second Wednesday of each month, beginning at 7:00 pm. Members are also encouraged to attend the preceding Trustees Meeting at 5:00 pm, if they so choose.

Kiipis!

- Berkeley Lodge

Finnish Film Nite at UC Berkeley this week (3/13), Weds FREE SHOWING OF "The Border" (Raja, 1918)

FINNISH FILM NIGHT

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2013

6PM ::: DWINELLE B4

The Border (Raja 1918)

The Border (2007) is set in the spring of 1918, after the bloody Finnish Civil War. Finland had become sovereign from Russia in 1917, and the war was fought over the leadership of the newly formed nation between the social democratic “Reds”, supported by the Russian Soviet Republic, and the “Whites”, the forces of the anti-socialist Senate, who in turn were supported by the German Empire. The film begins when the Whites have won the war, and a young Finnish soldier, captain von Munck is sent to a village 40 kilometers from St. Petersburg to establish a border between Finland and Russia. Russia is in turmoil after the Bolshevik revolution, and many refugees, spies and revolutionaries attempt to cross the border to Finland. Munck has received a clear but humanely dubious order to only let in Finns and to execute all Reds and spies. In his inner battles he seeks refuge in the company of Major Gentsch and a local teacher, Miss Lintu. Length 110 min.

The film will be shown on UCB campus, in Dwinelle Hall room B4 at 6pm on Wednesday 3/13. It is free, open to everyone, and subtitled in English.

Tervetuloa!

Please contact issa@berkeley.edu with questions.

CONCERT: 3/16 Helsing Trio / Heikki Koskinen @ Berkeley Finnish Hall

Helsing Trio sponsored by Heikki Koskinen

March 16 Concert
at Berkeley Finnish Hall
1970 Chestnut Street; Berkeley, CA

Tentative time is 6 p.m.

Fee $15.00.  This event is sponsored jointly by Lodge 21 and FAHA.  The performers are:  Pia-Karin Helsing (soprano, cello, violin), Gorel Sars (piano, accordion, guitar) and Cay Nystedt (percussion and flute).  Refreshments after the concert. Coffee and light refreshments available for purchase.

3/1 from 6 PM Scandinavian School Spring Gala Fundraiser, "A Hint of Spring"

Join us to celebrate A Hint of Spring, a fantastic Scandinavian party and our largest fundraiser of the year. The party will have great entertainment, great cuisine and an excellent shopping experience through our Live and Silent auctions.

Your support will help us continue to provide a Scandinavian immersion experience for the San Francisco Bay Area. This year, our goal is to raise $35,000 to support our language, school, and cultural programs.

We are excited to bring the Bay Area Scandinavian community together in support of our preschool and cultural programs.

Click here to register today!

We have an exciting raffle! Contact Johanna Nordwall at jnordwall@scandinavianschool.org or stop by the school to purchase your tickets. Prizes include: Meadowood-1 night w/bkft ($850 value); $500 cash prize; SF Giants Club Level Pckg ($200 value)

JOB AVAILABLE at Netflix for Finnish Speaker in Santa Clara, CA

Netflix is loking for Finnish speaking person for full-time position with benefits in Santa Clara. 

Please check http://jobs.netflix.com/jobsListin.html?id=NFX00386

Thurs, 2/21 Finnish Lecture Studies : Akseli Gallen-Kallela in Finnish Visual Arts Scene

Finnish Studies Lectures
Finnish Visual Arts Scene: Akseli Gallen-Kallela
Guest Speaker Anu Vaalas

At UC Berkeley at 206 Wheeler Hall

12:40 pm - 2:00 pm

UC Berkeley Movie Night, Tues 2/19: "Almost 18 - Kohta 18"

Finnish movie night presenting "Almost 18 - Kohta 18" six stories about five teenage boys.  The film will be shown on UCB campus, in Dwinelle Hall room B4 at 6.00pm.  It is free, open to everyone and subtitled in English.  If any questions, please contact issa@berkeley.edu

Siitonen's Sports Report for January

FARSPORTSJAN

Finland’s men’s Salibandy (Floor Ball) team moved smoothly through several challengers in the
Salibandy World Championships in Zurich until it ran into powerful Sweden in the finals on Dec. 9
when the blue and gold team from next door totally scalped the blue and white boys by a score of 11-
5. Sweden led 3-0 at the end of the first period, and 9-1 in the second. So Finland finally picked up its
5 goals too little and too late. Before this disastrous climax, Finland had swamped Canada, 29-3; beat
Czech Republic, 4-1; and host Switzerland in the semis, 4-3, in overtime. Zurich provided Sweden with its seventh floor ball gold, and Finland with its fifth silver. Finland has been tops three times. Switzerland easily subdued Germany for the bronze, 8-0. Salibandy is a kind of indoor floor hockey developed in Sweden in the 1970s.

Tampere’s Kiira Korpi, 25, became the first Finnish woman to qualify in the World Cup’s season’s figure skating final held at Sochi, Russia, Dec. 7-8, which is limited to the top six women in the season’s WC series. Korpi had gained the honor by winning the Moscow World Cup on Nov. 10, with a personal best 177.49 points. However, she injured her back at Moscow and was later plagued by stomach flu which forced her a week’s layoff from training before the Sochi final. So she didn’t expect to perform miracles. As it was, Korpi skated a PR of 63.42 points in her short program for fourth place. She was fifth in her free skate but had enough points to maintain her fourth place at the end, with 174.94 points. Mao Asada of Japan won with an excellent 196.80, USA’s Ashley Wagner was second with 181.93, and Japan’s Akiko Suzuki bronzed with 180.77.

Edis Tatli, 25, of Helsinki TKOed Italy’s Paolo Gassan in the first round to gain the European Union
lightweight (61K) boxing title at Espoo’s Leppävaara on Dec. 8. A native of Prizaen, Kosovo, Tatli now boxing for Finland, is considered a quick and skillful boxer with no lethal punch but he proved
differently against Gassan, when a sharp left hook in Round 1 preceded a heavy bombardment which
only ended with the referee’s decision to end the fight. Tatli has 19 pro wins without a loss, including 2 TKOs and 17 decisions.

In the European shot course swimming championships in Chartres, France on Nov. 22, Finnish women set a national record of 1:38.43 in the 4x50 free style relays to finish second to Denmark only by 0.39 seconds. The team included: Emilia Pikkarainen, Lotta Nevalainen, Laura Kurki and Hanna-Maria Seppälä. They also won a bronze in ther mixed gender 4x50 relays on Nov. 24 with Seppälä, Kurki, Andrei Tuomala and Ari-Pekka Liukkonen. France won with Russia second. Jenna Laukkanen set a Finnish record of 2:22.76 in the 200m breastroke in which she placed fifth.

Pekka Koskela skated to World cup speedskating win in his season’s opener in Heerenves,
Holland on Nov. 18 in a time of 34.46 in 500 meters, and scored second in the 1000m to Canadian
Denny Morrison’s 1:09.43. The next day Koskela injured his thigh at the start of the 500 and pulled
out, saying “it doesn’t look good. “ But Koskela’s fears were short lived as, he came back on Dec. 8 at Nagano, Japan to win both the 500 in 34.64 and the 1000 in 1.09.52. He now leads the World Cup in both events.

In World Cup cross country skiing, Mona Liisa Malvilehto was second and Anne Kyllönen third to Polish ace Justyna Kowalczyk s win in the sprint at Muonio, Finland on Nov. 16. Kowalczyk also won the 10K freestyle the next day at Muonio, with Riitta Liisa Roponen fifth. Matti Heikkinen trumped the mens 15K freestyle in 34.50.5.

Kaisa Mäkäräinen, 2008 Olympic champion, did her seasons best effort in the World Cup biathlon
pursuit at Hochfilzen on Dec. 8 with third place. Synnöve Solemdol was the winner. Peetu Piirainen was second in Beijings big air TTR circuit invitational snowboarding. He was edged by Yuki Kadono of Japan.

Finnish Film Night TOMORROW 2/7 at 6 pm at UC Berkeley

Finnish Film Night

this Thursday, February 7, 2013
Upswing (Nousukausi)

Upswing is a comedy about a wealthy yuppie couple who - envious of their peers exotic holidays - make arrangements for an unusual vacation that would be more extreme than anything their friends have experienced. An inspiring travel agent offers them an ultimate holiday package: four weeks in a shabby apartment in one of the shadiest suburbs of Helsinki. The deal includes false identities as an unemployed couple, and a small weekly allowance. The film was well received in Finland by both critics and the audience when it was released in 2003. Length: 98 mins.

The film will be shown on UCB campus, 

in Dwinelle Hall room B4 at 6 pm.

 
It is FREE, open to everyone, and subtitled in English.

 
Tervetuloa!


Please contact issa@berkeley.edu with questions.