St. Urho's Day Poem: Ooksi Kooksi Coolama Vee

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In summary, St. Urho's Day is celebrated on March 16th in recognition of the Finnish saint who is known for his strong sense of independence. Urho was raised by a pig and never learned to speak. He is said to have cured a man of heart disease with his bare feet. Urho is also the patron saint of medicine and scientists.
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Janus
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And to mark this auspicious occasion, the traditional poem:


Ooksi kooksi coolama vee
Santia Urho is ta poy for me!
He sase out ta hoppers as pig as pirds.
Neffer peefor haff I hurd tose words!

He reely tolt tose pugs of kreen
Braffest Finn I effer seen
Some celebrate for St. Pat unt hiss nakes
Putt Urho poyka kot what it takes.

He kot tall and trong from feelia sour
Unt ate kala moyakka effery hour.
Tat's why tat kuy could sase toes peetles
What krew as thick as chack bine neetles.

So let's give a cheer in hower pest vay
On Sixteenth of March, St. Urho's Tay.
 
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  • #2
Is it ok to dress up my yule goat for today's celebration?
 
  • #3
Janus-resident Urhologist. :smile:
 
  • #4
Garrison Keillor on St. Urho:

Dear Garrison Keillor,
My dear mother was raised in Minnesota and came to Chicago for employment during the Great Depression. She always talked of her Finnish community, which sounded to me like another country. Indeed, whenever a Republican was elected to the White House, she would threaten to leave the United States and go back to Minnesota! My dear late mother also told me about the great St. Urho and I have researched the archives of your radio program for past celebrations of St. Urho's Day on March 16th. Alas! I have found none! Don't you admire St. Urho? My mom hinted that Minnesota Swedes, Norweigians, and Finns did not always see eye to eye. Is there some anti-Finn feeling in Lake Wobegon?


Ruth Kardaras
Chicago

Ruth, I am not anti-Finn — in fact, I attended a big Finn Fest a year or so ago and recited "The Finn Who Would Not Take A Sauna" to about 5000 of them and enjoyed that. It gave me a chance to study Finns a little, though of course many of them had intermarried with other faiths and lost some of their genetic edge. Finns are not like us in some basic way that we keep trying to figure out. We are a German-Scandinavian culture here, which prizes order and selfless service and modesty, and the Finns are Slavic people and have a wild independent streak in them. They are not quite tamed. We admire this and we also fear it. At the moment, the Twin Cities is all enraptured with the Minnesota Orchestra's Finnish music director, Osmo Vanska, who is a self-effacing man (for a conductor) and also a very passionate musician. We can accept a Finnish conductor. When it comes to heart surgery, however, we might prefer a Swede or a Norwegian.

As for St. Urho's Day, I don't observe it for the same reason I don't observe St. Patrick's Day or Bastille Day — I don't belong to those clubs. Those days belong to other people, not me.

http://www.publicradio.org/columns/prairiehome/posthost/2005/03/index.shtml

I was trying to find a copy of The Finn Who Would Not Take A Sauna but it doesn't seem to be online. It's pretty funny. At least to anyone who enjoyed the OP poem.
 
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  • #5
Evo said:
Is it ok to dress up my yule goat for today's celebration?

As long as it's in Purple!
 
  • #6
zoobyshoe said:
Ruth Kardaras
Chicago
the Finns... have a wild independent streak in them.

And darn proud of it!
 
  • #7
Janus said:
And darn proud of it!

Speaking as a Finn, I'd say it's somewhat definitive.

The Finns in South Dakota - my relatives - were/are all completely nuts! As a kid, I LOVED going to SD. It was a complete free-for-all.
 
  • #8
And Garrison Keillor is wrong; the Finns are not Slavic, they're Finno-Ugric (no lie!)
 
  • #9
Well, ever since I found out about the yule goat, I've been a Finn Fan. :approve:
 
  • #10
Evo said:
Well, ever since I found out about the yule goat, I've been a Finn Fan. :approve:

Well that's just Finn-tastic!

You just have to love a people that can turn sweating into a social event.
 
  • #11
... the 'logic' is pretty straightforward --> sweating == increase the need to consume liquids... :tongue2: ...

If these are the liquids I think you mean, they tend to dehydrate a person.
 
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  • #12
I was proud to wear purple on St. Urho's Day yesterday! Didn't drink though, I'm not a drinkah.
 
  • #13
PerennialII said:
... the 'logic' is pretty straightforward --> sweating == increase the need to consume liquids... :tongue2: ...

If these are the liquids I think you mean, they tend to dehydrate a person.

... yes, making it a win-win situation.
 

1. What is the origin of St. Urho's Day Poem?

The St. Urho's Day Poem, "Ooksi Kooksi Coolama Vee", is a Finnish-American legend that was created in the 1950s by Richard Mattson. He wanted to create a holiday that celebrated Finnish heritage and culture, and thus, St. Urho's Day was born.

2. What is the significance of "Ooksi Kooksi Coolama Vee" in the poem?

"Ooksi Kooksi Coolama Vee" is the chant used by St. Urho to scare away the grasshoppers from destroying the Finnish vineyards. It is believed that this phrase has magical powers and can protect crops from harm.

3. Who is St. Urho and why is he celebrated?

St. Urho is a fictional saint who is said to have saved the Finnish grape crops from grasshoppers. He is celebrated on March 16th every year as a way to honor Finnish culture and traditions.

4. Is there a specific way to celebrate St. Urho's Day?

While there is no set way to celebrate St. Urho's Day, many people honor the holiday by wearing the colors of the Finnish flag (blue and green), attending parades and festivals, and reciting the "Ooksi Kooksi Coolama Vee" poem.

5. Is St. Urho's Day only celebrated by Finnish-Americans?

No, St. Urho's Day has become a popular holiday in many areas of the United States, especially in regions with a large Finnish population. However, anyone can celebrate and honor the holiday and its traditions.

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