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221 Finland-Swedes in North America Finland-Swedes in North America Mika Roinila The Finland-Swedish population has provided a relatively large proportion of immigrants, since every fifth Finn going to the United States was from the Swedish-speaking regions of Finland. The economic, social, political, organizational, and cultural differences between the Finnish Finns and Finland-Swedes have been a multifaceted issue, as relations between the two ethno-linguistic groups have waxed and waned over the years. Attitudinal differences between generations, questions of ethnic self-identity, and even the place of Finland-Swedes in today’s immigrant community are explored below. The roots of the Finland-Swedes date to the twelfth century, when Swedes began their rule over Finland after the Swedish crusades brought Christianity to Finland in 1157.1 Swedes gradually settled on the Åland Islands, as well as on the southwestern and southern coastal margins of present-day Finland.2 By 1250, Swedish settlement had extended north along the western coast and generally extended some 30 kilometers inland. This settlement pattern remained largely intact until the 1950s.3 Descendants of these early settlers are today known as Finland-Swedes. They are defined as citizens of Finland whose mother tongue is Swedish.4 They speak a dialect of Swedish, referred to as FinlandSwedish , which differs from rikssvenska, the “national Swedish” language spoken in Sweden. The self-identity of Finland-Swedes is a difficult concept to grasp. Among the immigrant population in North America who arrived in the late 1800s and early 1900s, many recognized themselves simply as being Swedish, while others identified themselves as being Swede-Finns.5 However, with the passing of language legislation and the establishment of official bilingualism in Finland in 1921, the term “FinlandSwedes ” has been in use in Finland. Immigrants who arrived after this period have often preferred to identify with this officially accepted term. Linguistically speaking, the term “Finland-Swedish” “signifies both the adjective denoting the ethnicity and language spoken, and Finland-Swede(s) refers to individuals belonging to this ethnic group.”6 While “Finland-Swede” is the officially accepted term today, there can still be some confusion in identifying members of this ethno-linguistic minority. According to Christer Lauren, numerous other terms are used that need clarification.7 “Sweden-Finn” is a term used to describe a Finn in Sweden, and their variety of Finnish is “Sweden Finnish.” The term “Swedish-speaking Finn” is a term that should Mika Roinila 222 never be used to describe members of this ethno-linguistic minority, since it can include a Finnish citizen whose mother tongue is Finnish but who has learned Swedish. “Swedish-Finn” or “Swede-Finn” is “hopelessly ambiguous,” as it might mean almost anything: a Finland-Swede; a Finn in Sweden; or an immigrant from Sweden living in Finland. Finally, “Finnish-Swedish” is a term that should only be used in jointly organized enterprises by citizens of the two countries. As a result, it should come as no surprise that different terms are encountered among scholars as well as the general public. Literature has focused on both Finland-Swedes8 and Swede-Finns.9 Notwithstanding these differences, it is most heartening to know that members of this ethno-linguistic minority can overlook these differences and continue to recognize their roots, along with the historical, linguistic, and cultural affinity to their region of origin in Finland—whether it is in the region of Österbotten, Nyland, or the Åland Islands. History of Migration Migration of Finland-Swedes to North America has a long history. Initial emigration from Finland to Sweden took place during the 1500s, 1600s, and 1700s. Many of them were seasonal migrants to the copper and iron mines in the winter months, returning to Finland during the summer.10 Between 1790 and 1867, many Finland-Swedes were involved as sailors, shipwrights, seamen, skippers, clergy, and company officials with the Russian Alaska Company. The first Finn in Russian Alaska, and perhaps in North America since the New Sweden colony of the 1600s, was Matvei Gakkorein, who worked in the Russian colonies as early as 1829, predating the main flow that began with the coming of FinlandSwedish governor Arvid Etholen in 1840.11 The early arrivals of Finland-Swedes occurred in coastal cities such as New York City or elsewhere along the East and/or West Coast. Still, the earliest confirmed records include Finland-Swedes found in Ludington, Michigan, in 1868;12 Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1869;13 and Chicago, Illinois in 1872.14 By the mid...

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