Flag Of Finland
"MY HERITAGE"
* POSKI *
"THE MEANING OF SISU"
"To the Finnish people, "SISU" has a mystical,
almost magical meaning,
which verges on the Spiritual."
"What Must Be Done Will Be Done,
Regardless Of Cost."
"SISU" (pronounced - see'-soo)
is a unique Finnish concept.
It is a word that cannot be fully translated.
It defines the Finnish people and their character.
"SISU" stands for the philosophy that
what must be done will be done,
regardless of cost....
One definition is:
"Special strength and stubborn
determination to continue
and overcome in the moment
of adversity.
It is a combination of stamina,
courage, and obstinacy
held in reserve for hard times."
It is not surprising that SISU
is a word that can't be translated.
No other language has a word which
quite conveys the meaning.
Possibly because no other country
has ever had a need of this quality.
"SISU"
refers NOT to the courage of optimism,
but to a concept of life that says,
"I may not win,
but I will give up my
life gladly for what I believe."
A Finnish proverb is:
"Strong willpower will take
a woman even through stone."
"SISU"
Is the ability to hold onto
the end of the rope,
while dangling over a precipice,
for 5 seconds longer than
you thought you could.
Then going 5 MORE HOURS."
SISU IS:
"The ultimate determination,
fortitude, and persistance --
carried to an unfathomable level."
To have "SISU" meant that
when someone added
the Straw that
was meant to Break
The Camel's Back,
You Asked For MORE Weight!
This feeling has sustained the Finns
in fighting forty-two wars
with Russia and losing every one.
It's the quality that lets them
laugh at themselves in the face of disaster.
It's the hard-jawed integrity
that makes them pay their war debts
when wealthier nations
repudiate their obligations.
In short, it's the indomitable will
that sets Finns apart and explains
many of the incredible things they do.
It means physical strength and courage.
"SISU"
is an inherent characteristic
of the Finnish people...
You might call it:
backbone, spunk, stamina.
guts, drive and perseverance.
SISU is ... having the guts
to stand up for what you believe in,
or are striving for,
regardless of the personal cost.
It is a measure of integrity
that surpasses the hardship and
sees through to the end.
"SISU"
Internal Fortitude,
A polite way of saying "guts"
Also persistence despite the
odds against whatever occurs.
The Definition of "SISU"
is at the same level with Zen Koans,
(those tricky Japanese unanswerable questions)
"kanssa; se taytyy kokea."
Which means,
"One Must Experience It."
"SISU"
Almost merges in meaning
with the Yiddish word chutzpah,
because a Finn could take anything.
"SISU" vs."Guts".
One definition offered is the word "Guts."
It's close, but not exact.
Whereas one can ask if someone
has "the guts" to do something
you CAN'T do the same with SISU.
The assumption is that everyone
has SISU and it is a word used
to define your source of strength
"AFTER"
you've done something.
It's a quality that makes a Finn
do something, and also
to complete a task because
failure is NOT acceptable -
Not because someone else says so,
But, because YOU yourself say so.
I am very proud of my Heritage.
Both my Mother and Father were
born in Finland.
As far back as the 1700's and further
their roots have never been mixed
with another Nationality.
For many generations,
my heritage has been 100%
pure Finnish blood.
"SISU" runs very strongly in the
veins of myself and family.
And as it has been quoted,
"One must experience it."
Poski aka Day
NOTE: The dividers used on this page are the Finnish National Coat Of Arms which dates back to the mid-1500's. Read about its history as well as the history of the many Provincial Coat Of Arms in Finland. Very interesting!
Midi "Blade Runner" was Sequenced in Finland.
By ~ Matti Sairanen. He is a Master in sequencing Midis.
If you listen to the beginning of this midi,
you will hear the sound of "thunder."
A great musician!
Here is a wonderful testimony about Sisu, which was sent to me through e-mail. It is very thought provoking and deeply moving.
This young lady used her special gift (Sisu) and saved a very precious life.
Thank you Mirja for giving me permission to add your letter to my site.
Mirja-Anneli's Letter - October 19, 2005
The Maiden of Finland symbolizes the SISU which gave Finland their Independence.
Maiden Of Finland
Note: *SISU* has become a very popular name in Finland for so many retail products and is used by many different Companies.
**Finland's Economy**
A Modern Day Cinderella Story
Do You Need A Safe, Healthy
And Natural Sweetener?
Dr. Makinen ~ From Finland, On Xylitol
PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) ranked Finland the Best in Education Worldwide.
Finland Number One
World's Largest Technology Prize From Finland will be picking the Winner in October 2005!
Millenium Techology Prize
Jarkko Oikarinen has won Special Recognition by the Millenium Technology Prize in 2005 for inventing Internet Relay Chat or IRC.
IRC was created by Jarkko Oikarinen from Oulu, Finland, (nickname "WiZ") in late August 1988 to replace a program called MUT (MultiUser Talk) on a BBS called OuluBox in Finland. Oikarinen found inspiration in Bitnet Relay Chat which operated on the Bitnet network.
Jarkko Oikarinen's IRC History Documents
History of Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
Read about this fascinating phenomenon! You can see pictures of entire cities, ships and landscapes which are actually mirages.
Mirages From Finland
Here is some information by the Finnish Ministry of the Interior regarding the Arms of Finland.
Ministry Of The Interior - Arms Of Finland Info
Finland is highly advanced in Technology in many fields - health & wellness, energy, environment, communications, security, defense and more.
High Tech Finland
Very few countries can make this claim.
Nearly Corruption Free Finland!
The Kalevala, Finland's Epic Poem, is credited with inspiring the nationalism that ultimately led to Finnish independence from Russia in 1917.
Lönnrot was a physician by profession but his passion for the traditional oral stories of his native Finland led him to travel extensively to acquire new material of Folklore about Finland. This "new" Kalevala contained fifty poems, and is the standard text of the Kalevala read today.
On an interesting side note, ** Lord Of The Rings ** by JRR Tolkien was based on and inspired by "The Kalevala."
** Kalevala ** - Famous Finnish Folklore
Finland, Canada and New Zealand ranked on top.
Who Has the Cleanest Water Supply In The World?
Photos Of Armi Kuusela - Miss Finland - The First Miss Universe.
First Miss Universe Pageant 1952
***FINLAND***
"Land Of A Thousand Lakes"
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since the counter was created on July 15, 2004.
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Updated August 2, 2005