Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> translating Easter poem
        
(Message started by: sandie99 on Apr 8^th, 2006, 3:03am)

Title: translating Easter poem
Post by sandie99 on Apr 8^th, 2006, 3:03am

I post here on short Finnish Easter poem:

Virvon, varvon
tuoreeks, terveeks
tulevaks vuodeks
vitsa sulle, palkka mulle

a while ago. Jonny asked if I could translate it.

Piece of cake, I thought. I've been studying English since I was 9 and it's my favourite language.

BUT there's one tiny problem with this poem: the first two words, verbs virvon and varvon. Dictionaries doesn't
actually know these two words and they are not used outside this Easter poem and its other versions.

I have asked one English teacher to help me out. And I did some reseach on Easter poems history. As far as I see it (my fellow Finns, please be free to correct me), this poem is a positive and optimistic one. It's all about wishing others good times, good health and wonderful new year.

So that poem could be translated:

Wishing, hoping
freshness, good health
to the new year
twig to you
reward for me

Naturally there's translator's freedom in this one, but that is as close I can get this moment. I know that it really doesn't make that much sense, but it doesn't make that much sense in Finnish, either! ;;D

Here's a link to a website with lots of more Easter poems:
http://www.finlit.fi/tietopalvelu/juhlat/paasiainen/virpomalukuja.htm

Happy Easter! :)

Sanna

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by Melissa on Apr 8^th, 2006, 1:05pm

How come we give a twig to someone and keep a reward?? I mean, what is with the twig, isn't that a lame gift?

;;D

BTW Sanna, Happy Easter to you too! :)

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by Jonny on Apr 8^th, 2006, 1:12pm

on 04/08/06 at 13:05:14, Melissa wrote:

How come we give a twig to someone and keep a reward?? I mean, what is with the twig, isn't that a lame gift?

Its kinda like trick or treat, Mel....instead of a trick we bash them in the head with a tree branch......LOL ;;D

Thank you for the translation, Sanna :-*

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by JenniferD on Apr 8^th, 2006, 1:13pm

If I remember my Ukrainian Easter egg decorating correctly, the twig design is a symbol of renewed life, so to put it on the egg as part of the design and then give the egg as a gift, it was to wish them a blessing.

corrected: the fir tree or branch is a symbol for health so meaning from Ukrainian standpoint: the twig would be to wish someone health. Not sure its the same in different cultures, but I'd be willing to bet its still to offer a blessing to that person.

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by sandie99 on Apr 8^th, 2006, 1:44pm

Mel you were wondering about the twigs...

Jonny is correct, when Finnish kids decorate twigs with feathers and stuff and go from door to door dressed up as witches/trolls, it is our version of trick or treat. Except that there won't be nasty tricks. The kids will just say that poem, give that twig (some of them are very pretty) and get candy, cookies, apples, money, chocolate, easter eggs etc. as their reward.

http://www.aero.hut.fi/tarja/tyttojen_kuvat/noidat.jpg

http://manseyhteisot.uta.fi/kissanmaa/images/80luku/luoto6_web.jpg

http://www.finlit.fi/tietopalvelu/juhlat/paasiainen/kuva/KRAK_2002_146_2.jpg

Best wishes,
Sanna

P.S. Jennifer, that was interesting! Thank you! :)

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by JenniferD on Apr 8^th, 2006, 1:59pm

How very cool to learn about your culture! I LOVE the pictures, thanks for sharing!! :)

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by Jonny on Apr 8^th, 2006, 2:02pm

Those pics are so cute, Sanna.....I have a trunk here of my Mums....it has a Finn costume in it that looks like one of those.

Mum will love these pictures.

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by Linda_Howell on Apr 8^th, 2006, 2:07pm

Not that I know anything about Finnish customs...but couldn't the twig represent the olive branch? Like in the bible's old Testament when Noah sent a dove out to find land and it came back with a twig in it's mouth.

Linda who's just asking.

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by sandie99 on Apr 8^th, 2006, 2:11pm

Linda, it is possible... I don't know for sure there the tradition comes originally. We don't have olive brances back here, though. I hope that as Easter approaches, one of the magazines would tell the history of virpominen (as we call it) and where it comes from originally.

Sanna

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by zwibbs/Scott on Apr 8^th, 2006, 4:25pm

I have Finnish friends and they celebrate Saint Urho day---In the Catholic faith Saint Urho ( don't know if I spelled it right ) is the patron Saint of Finland. The trick or treat type celebration usually happens on Palm Sunday ?!?! And usually my friends celebrate with Mojakka ---( Beef Stew) . -----The twig is a means of new life and health------When Jesus was being led to his Crucifixtion He made the statement to his Mother---Mary----" I will make things New." And He Did !!! I always like it when The Jewish Faith and the Christians celebrate Passover and Easter around the same time...Like this year. It is the whole basis of my faith--It is truly a wonderful time !!!

Title: Re: translating Easter poem
Post by sandie99 on Apr 9^th, 2006, 2:25am

on 04/08/06 at 16:25:37, zwibbs/Scott wrote:

The trick or treat type celebration usually happens on Palm Sunday ?!?!

That's correct, Scott. :) I forgot to mention that.

Here's what I found after online research about Saint Urho:

Saint Urho

It should be noted that no legend of a "St. Urho" exists in the Finnish mythology. He is supposed to be the holy man who drove away the grasshoppers from Finland using the incantation "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen!" ("Grasshopper, grasshopper, go from hence to Hell!"), thus saving the Finnish grape crops. (An alternate version of the legend uses frogs in place of grasshoppers.)

Credit for the creation of St. Urho has been given to Richard Mattson, who worked at Ketola's Department Store in Virginia, Minnesota. Mattson is credited with conjuring up the legend of St. Urho in the spring of 1956, but many others have contributed to the legend since then. The legend in the St. Urho was originated as a joke, copied from the Irish St. Patrick's Day tradition to give the Finns their very own equivalent of St. Patrick's Day. It is celebrated today among many Finns, primarily in America, as St. Urho's Day but is acknowledged as a joke. The selection of the name Urho is likely came from former Finnish President Urho Kekkonen.

St. Urho's Day is celebrated on March 16 (the day before St. Patrick's Day) every year. His feast is supposed to be celebrated by wearing the colors Royal Purple and Nile Green.

There are St. Urho fan clubs in Canada and Finland as well as the US. The original statue of St. Urho is located in Menahga, Minnesota. There is a beer restaurant called St. Urho's Pub in central Helsinki, Finland.

I don't know much about Catholic traditions here in Finland, though.

BTW, in case somebody wants to read more about our mythology, the very same Wikipedia site tells more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Urho

Sanna