This week we finally reached midsummer and for people living this far north, that means there is no real darkness at night only a gloomy light as on a cloudy overcast day. It’s interesting because we are all feeling energized at the wrong times of the day. For example, with sunshine beaming in through the windows, it feels like lunchtime even though it’s actually 10 or even 11pm. And if you stay up past midnight, any thoughts of sleep are out the window and the new day has begun!
Midsummer in Europe was traditionally a very exciting pagan pre-Christian celebration. In England, it was known as Litha and in modern times is a focus for the balance of the elements water and fire. In pagan Finland, midsummer was referred to as Ukko’s Celebration named in honor of a powerful Finnish god. There are many interesting rituals and superstitions related to midsummer here. For example, many people would have a bonfire and celebrate with friends and family-the bonfire would hopefully ward off any evil spirits that came snooping around. Maidens could collect a bunch of nine different flower blooms and put them under their pillow when they finally went to bed to hopefully bring forth a dream of their future husband. Those girls who were more determined could even use the increase of earth magic to create potions to snare a mate at midsummer. Another Finnish folk tale states that if wandering out in the forest, a person should keep a good eye out for eerie glow of a will-o-the wisp which if spotted and followed would lead them to hidden treasure. Likewise, observing a fern in bloom was supposed to bring fortune and magic to the lucky finder.
For us, the town of Jyvaskyla emptied out for the weekend and sadly bonfires had been banned for fear of wildfires due to dry conditions (a serious threat when almost every square inch of dry land seems to be a dense forest-a modern battle to balance water and fire, I wonder?). We opted for a lake cruise on the Rhea followed by a midnight swim in our local lake. Many Finns leave town to head to their small cottages in order to enjoy the peace and tranquility that comes with communing with nature. As our boat left Jyvasjarvi and negotiated a small canal leading into the very large lake systems that lead a hundred plus miles south towards Helsinki, we noticed dozens of small cottages each prettier than the last peeking out of the forest and across the water. Some were even the sole inhabitants of tiny islands that frequently dotted the water. Many had small docks, but the majority were simply there without any fancy bells and whistles way off the beaten track; a simple place for the owners to relax.
After nearly four hours, our boat, now filled with tipsy and happy passengers (the bars did a good amount of business) disembarked. The sun was closer to the horizon now that it was 11pm and the air was chillier as we rode our bikes to our favorite swimming beach. There were several groups of people young and old sitting in groups picnicking, or playing guitars and chatting good naturedly. One group of young people had a small, defiant bonfire blazing and the fragrant smell of birch smoke drifted across the beach as we waded into the dark water. The evening was timeless and we could have slipped back hundreds of years. Our time here is almost at an end, and we all took a moment to think about where we’ve been and the things we’ve done the past six months, as well as to look ahead to the adjustment of returning home. This special night was a good one for our family even if we didn’t sacrifice a bull or two or even find some treasure. I guess the treasure is the experience we’ve all shared during our time here.
