Tornedalians
Encyclopedia
The Tornedalians are descendants of Finns who in some point in history settled to the areas of today's Northern Sweden near the Torne Valley
district and west from there.
, mainly from Häme
and Karelia
. Settlement began around the northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia
and along the river valleys nearby (River Kalix
, Torne River
, and Kemijoki
River). Migration started at the latest in the beginning of the 14th century CE on areas loosely controlled by Russians and Karelians.
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The taxation of the Sami people
, fur trade and large hunting grounds were among the most important factors contributing to the migration of the Tornedealians up north. Tornedalians also helped the Swedish expansion to the areas that today are part of northern Sweden
.
Despite the Finnish and Russian demands of including much of today's Swedish Torne River Valley territory into the autonomous Russian Grand Duchy of Finland
, the area remained part of the Kingdom of Sweden
as a result of the peace treaty signed between Russia and Sweden in 1809. The Swedish-Finnish border was drawn at the River Tornio, and that border has stood official up to date.
Cultural imperialism
, in combination with a fear of Russia
, led to Swedish attempts to assimilate and Swedify the Finnish-speaking population between 1850 and 1950. Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to reverse some of the effects of the Swedification, notably in education. The minority status of the Tornedalians was officially recognized by the Swedish government in 1999 by the recognition of the local Finnish dialect Meänkieli
as one of the acknowledged minority languages in Sweden. A written standard
of Meänkieli has been established and taught, which has given rise to critical remarks from Finland, suggesting that standard Finnish would be of more use to the pupils.
, but the number of people who identify themselves as Tornedalians is usually estimated to be between 30,000 and 150,000. Estimates are complicated by the fact that the remote and sparsely-populated Tornedalen area has been particularly struck by the twentieth century urbanization
and unemployment
. In 2006, a large radio survey about Finnish/Meänkieli speakers was conducted in Sweden. The result was that 469,000 individuals in Sweden claim to understand/speak Finnish or/and Meänkieli. Those who can speak/understand Meänkieli is estimated to be 150,000-175,000.
is a Tornedalian author who has written the first novel in Meänkieli, the language of the Torne Valley. He has written dramas, screenplays, songs and opera. He is trilingual in his writing.
The novel Populärmusik från Vittula (Popular Music from Vittula) (2000) by Tornedalian author Mikael Niemi
became very popular both in Sweden and in Finland. The novel is composed of colourful stories of everyday life in the Tornedalian town of Pajala
. The novel has been adapted for several stage productions, and as a film in 2004. Mikael Niemi does not speak Meänkieli.
Torne Valley
The Torne Valley or Torne River Valley lies at the border of Sweden and Finland. In 2009 it became one of the Sub-regions of Finland. It is named after the Torne River flowing through the valley and into the Gulf of Bothnia...
district and west from there.
History
Tornedalians migrated from today's Southwestern FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, mainly from Häme
Häme
Häme is the name of a geographical region in Finland. It is an ancient Finnish word, etymologically related to sápmi, the endonym of the Sami people...
and Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
. Settlement began around the northern end of the Gulf of Bothnia
Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.-Name:...
and along the river valleys nearby (River Kalix
Kalix
Kalix is a locality and the seat of the Kalix Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. The name Kalix is believed to have come from nomadic tribes, possibly of Sapmí origin, and is derived from the word "Kalasätno", meaning "The cold river"...
, Torne River
Torne River
The Torne River , is a river in northern Sweden and Finland. Approximately half of the river's length is a part of the border between these two countries. It rises at Lake Torne near the border with Norway and flows generally southeast for a distance of into the Gulf of Bothnia...
, and Kemijoki
Kemijoki
Kemijoki , with its length, is the longest river in Finland. It runs through Kemijärvi and Rovaniemi before reaching the Gulf of Bothnia at Kemi.At Rovaniemi the Ounasjoki river merges with Kemijoki....
River). Migration started at the latest in the beginning of the 14th century CE on areas loosely controlled by Russians and Karelians.
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
, fur trade and large hunting grounds were among the most important factors contributing to the migration of the Tornedealians up north. Tornedalians also helped the Swedish expansion to the areas that today are part of northern Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
Despite the Finnish and Russian demands of including much of today's Swedish Torne River Valley territory into the autonomous Russian Grand Duchy of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland
The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
, the area remained part of the Kingdom of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
as a result of the peace treaty signed between Russia and Sweden in 1809. The Swedish-Finnish border was drawn at the River Tornio, and that border has stood official up to date.
Cultural imperialism
Cultural imperialism
Cultural imperialism is the domination of one culture over another. Cultural imperialism can take the form of a general attitude or an active, formal and deliberate policy, including military action. Economic or technological factors may also play a role...
, in combination with a fear of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, led to Swedish attempts to assimilate and Swedify the Finnish-speaking population between 1850 and 1950. Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to reverse some of the effects of the Swedification, notably in education. The minority status of the Tornedalians was officially recognized by the Swedish government in 1999 by the recognition of the local Finnish dialect Meänkieli
Meänkieli
Meänkieli is the name used in Sweden for Finnish dialects spoken in the northernmost parts of the country, around the valley of the Torne River....
as one of the acknowledged minority languages in Sweden. A written standard
Standard language
A standard language is a language variety used by a group of people in their public discourse. Alternatively, varieties become standard by undergoing a process of standardization, during which it is organized for description in grammars and dictionaries and encoded in such reference works...
of Meänkieli has been established and taught, which has given rise to critical remarks from Finland, suggesting that standard Finnish would be of more use to the pupils.
Population
Sweden does not distinguish minority groups in population censusesCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, but the number of people who identify themselves as Tornedalians is usually estimated to be between 30,000 and 150,000. Estimates are complicated by the fact that the remote and sparsely-populated Tornedalen area has been particularly struck by the twentieth century urbanization
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
and unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
. In 2006, a large radio survey about Finnish/Meänkieli speakers was conducted in Sweden. The result was that 469,000 individuals in Sweden claim to understand/speak Finnish or/and Meänkieli. Those who can speak/understand Meänkieli is estimated to be 150,000-175,000.
Literature
Bengt PohjanenBengt Pohjanen
Bengt Erik Benedictus Pohjanen, born 26 June 1944 in Kassa in Pajala, Norrbotten, Sweden, is a Swedish author, translator and priest living in Haparanda....
is a Tornedalian author who has written the first novel in Meänkieli, the language of the Torne Valley. He has written dramas, screenplays, songs and opera. He is trilingual in his writing.
The novel Populärmusik från Vittula (Popular Music from Vittula) (2000) by Tornedalian author Mikael Niemi
Mikael Niemi
Mikael Niemi is a Swedish author. He wrote the novel Populärmusik från Vittula . It is the story of a young boy, Matti, growing up in Pajala in the 1960s and is recounted in a humorous way...
became very popular both in Sweden and in Finland. The novel is composed of colourful stories of everyday life in the Tornedalian town of Pajala
Pajala
Pajala is a locality and the seat of Pajala Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden with 1,985 inhabitants in 2005.-History:Lars Levi Læstadius lived and worked in Pajala Municipality in the middle of the 19th century...
. The novel has been adapted for several stage productions, and as a film in 2004. Mikael Niemi does not speak Meänkieli.