Heikinpäivä

According to a Finnish proverb, midwinter is karhu kylkeänsä kääntää, meaning “when the bear rolls over onto his other side.”

This week, Yoopers are celebrating this milestone at Heikinpäivä, which culminates Jan. 28. Held annually since 1999, the mid-winter festival is coordinated by Finlandia University and features a parade, workshops on Finnish crafts and cooking, markets, polar plunge into the frigid waters of the Portage Canal, music and dancing, and other fun winter games.

The celebration’s themes are taken from the Finnish folk sayings associated with the name day for Heikki (St. Henrik’s day, traditionally January 19), including Heikki heinät jakaa (Heikki divides the hay) and Talven selkä poikki (winter’s back is broken). The bear – an ancient Finnish and Sami symbol — is always a familiar figure in the celebrations.

The most popular events at Heikinpäivä are kicksled races for kids and the always entertaining wife-carrying contest! Basic rules require one spouse to carry the other through an obstacle course featuring scenes of traditional Keweenaw domestic life. Agility, strength, speed and a sense of humor are required.

Happy Heikinpäivä!

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Photo credits: Finlandia University.

Related reading: Heikki Lunta – A Modern Copper Country Folk Hero. Learn about the legend of Heikki Lunta, a fictional snow god said to live in the backwoods of (you guessed it!) the Finnish community of Tapiola. Heikki was reported to have the ability to perform a dance, which would cause the snow to fall from the skies. The local legend says that so much snow fell that the B side of the popular recording had to be played to make the snow stop ❄️☃️