Howdy everybody..

I just read some comments from Finns landing here in S.A. - either working or living in Adelaide. Looks like there's now at least some Finns coming here either permanently or on a working holiday visa.

The Finnish Community here is quite small and there's not a lot of stuff going.

Most members, once very active,  have sadly passed away.  New members are desperately needed to keep the Finnish culture alive. Anyone interested please contact the Finnish Society here. I'm sure they'd love to see some new faces.

Hi Johnnie!

I've been trying to find other finns here in Adelaide, and I found couple very nice ones. I was told that most finns here are quite old (I'm uni student)..? Anyway, if finnish community is going to have some happenings, I'm interested. How can I get information about those?

-Laura  

Laura, on the main page, click on the tab suomiseurat and have a chat to Eija, the Finnish puuhanainen about the coming functions of the Finnish Community. There are some regular ones such as the Finnish Midsummer Party, Independence Day gettogether and some pre-christmas stuff...

There is a Finnish Hall at Windsor Gardens where these functions are held. You can also hire the entire Hall for your own private bbq or party if you wish.

I'm sure the Finnish Club Committee would welcome you as a member should you wish to become more involved. Go for it... And through this network I'm pretty sure you could find people your own age.. just ask around.

The Finnish Community was once thriving but a lot of Finns have now moved into other States like QLD in search for "better" climate and many have since moved on into various other locations. I reckon there are about 300 Finns in Adelaide now. Most 2nd or 3rd generation Finns can't speak Finnish and are not really interested in keeping up with the Finnish stuff... Maybe because of too busy lifestyles...:??:??

There are some Finns in regional areas in the State, a couple of Finns in Port Victoria and I know a Finnish couple running a caravan park on the main highway just out of Whyalla and a few in the Riverland. But you don't really see them unless you know them personally..

Overall, welcome to Adelaide and just use the network... I'm sure you'll bump into some really nice Finns at the next function...

whoopss.. hehe:hahhaa:hahhaa:hahhaa

Gotta have me prepositions right.. I meant to say ... running a caravan park just off the main highway... You wouldn't be too succesful running it on the road...

anyway, the next function in probably the midsummer one, I'll list the dates here on the web later to ensure maximum attendance, cheerio, johnnie:peukkuy:peukkuy

LainaaAlkuperäinen postittaja Papu
I was told that most finns here are quite old (I'm uni student)..?

I cannot understand why many - if not most - "younger adult Finns" have this allergy against the older Finns. If one wishes to socialise with other Finns while here in Australia, then IMHO seeing older Finns is surely better than seeing no Finns at all. Each and every Finnish Society will absolutely welcome newcomers. And remember that someone needs to be the first: when there is one younger member, then others can follow the lead. I can, however, understand that those functions that the older folks organise may not cater for the younger taste but I'm sure that there is room in each society for new forms of activities too. But noone should expect that the old folks know how to organise such events. The new "pioneers" must volunteer and start organising these new activities, or soon there will be no Finnish activieties of any kind in Australia.


Cheers and good luck to you guys in Adelaide

Hi again!

I'm not sure about this allergy thing...

When I tried to find out about Finns here, I was told like "yes there are BUT quite old...", like a some kind of "warning". :??
So that kind of made me to give up about finding out Finnish society here.

But anyway, I'm definately going to join if something interesting comes up and contact to this society here  I didn't mean that I should only meet people of my age

Thanks for your support, jounij. We really need all the encouragement we can get to breathe new life into this finn thing.. I try to read Finnish books myself but that's about it for me. My friends only know a few Finnish words, like sisu, anna rahaa, sauna etc...

The existing members do the best they can, but with declining numbers, it's kinda hard...miracles only happen on Sundays, hehe...



Age doesn't matter that much I reckon. You'll be right, Papu

I understand the difficulties and unfortunately don't have any miracle cure to offer. Ultimately, I believe that the only way for the Australian Finnish societies to survive is that the activities must be conducted in English. And even then I am not sure whether or not it's too late. Hopefully not!


Cheers

Just a bit curious Jouni... why did you said that " if not too late " is there not enought people to keep up the Finnish society "club" ( sorry didn`t know how to call it...) Is this facing the same situation that members that are there now are getting too old and new comers are not coming in with same speed than old members are getting older??? I find it very interesting... the whole idea..to be part of the group arranging something for the younger finnish people... Hmmm... this made my brains start running again.... do you think there would be help needed here in Sydney area??

Reija

Always ready to carry kortensa kekoon

Thanks for your interest, Reija. Yes, the fact is that most members of most Australian Finnish Societies are near or past their retirement age. The activities have been conducted just about always in Finnish, which is not understood or not understood well enough by the second or subsequent generations of Finns who were born here or were very young when they came here with their parents. Of course this is a generalisation, and each individual has their own reasons to take or not take to part in the activities.

My saying "if it is not too late" was targeted more towards the smaller Finnish societies (yes, sometimes these are called clubs), such as Adelaide Finnish Society. If there are about 20 - 40 members and just about all of them are 60 or over, then the future of such a group doesn't look very rosy, does it?

The situation of Finnish Society of Sydney (FSS) is not that bad, although it could be better. If you are interested in finding out yourself, please get in touch with one of the local activists, my good friend (by all means say "hi" from me), Mr Tero Blinnikka, ph. 98744194.

Tero is one of those exceptions: he's not even near his retirement, he grew up in Australia (in Canberra) but speaks Finnish very fluently and is interested in the Finnish activities, especially folk dancing and staging FABULOUS shows for various Finnish celebrations.


Cheers

Thanks Jouni I might call him and sure will take your greetings to him... the whole idea started to get very interesting and it would be nice idea to offer younger once some kind of activities they might be also interested in, but I understand its full time positions to run or even think to run any kind of activities or trying to keep in contact with people to arrange something to do together, but it would be good to start somewhere....never know what it brings along  Thanks again for the idea

Comments one how seem to put her head into everything that could include somekind of social gathering