Sisu: The Word That Explains Finland

"Kullervo and the Stolen Cattle" (1917) by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.

The Finnish word "sisu" express Finns' national character. "Sisu" does not have a literal translation into English. However, it loosely means stoic determination, grit, bravery, resilience and hardiness. Sisu is about taking action against all odds and displaying courage and resoluteness in the face of adversity. Sisu has been described as so essential to the Finnish national character that "to be a real Finn" you must have it: "willpower, tenacity, persistency".

"Joukahainen's Revenge" (1897) by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.

During the Winter War 1939-1940, the Finnish perseverance in the face of the Soviet invasion popularized the word "sisu" in English. On 8 January 1940, after the Finnish victory at Suomussalmi, Time magazine reported:

"The Finns have something they call Sisu. It is a compound of bravado and bravery, of ferocity and tenacity, of the ability to keep fighting after most people would have quit, and to fight with the will to win. The Finns translate Sisu as "the Finnish spirit" but it is a much more gutful word than that. Last week the Finns gave the world a good example of Sisu by carrying the war into Russian territory on one front while on another they withstood merciless attacks by a reinforced Russian army. In the wilderness that forms most of the Russo-Finnish frontier between Lake Laatokka and the Arctic Ocean, the Finns definitely gained the upper hand."

On 14 January 1940, The New York Times described sisu as "the word that explains Finland", and the Finns' "favorite word"—"the most wonderful of all their words".

"Rustic Life" (1887) by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.

However, sisu dates back hundreds of years. Perhaps the finest description of sisu comes from Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804-1877), the national poet of Finland and the author of the lyrics of "Vårt Land" ("Our Land", "Maamme" in Finnish) that became the Finnish national anthem. Runeberg was born in Swedish-speaking family and he wrote in Swedish. Many of his poems deal with rural life in Finland. "Bonden Paavo" ("Farmer Paavo", "Saarijärven Paavo" in Finnish) tells about a smallholding peasant farmer in the poor parish of Saarijärvi and his determination, his sisu, and his unwavering faith in providence in the face of harsh climate and years of bad harvests.


FARMER PAAVO

High ´mid Saarijärvi´moors resided
Farmer Paavo on a frost-bound homestead,
And the soil with earnest arm was tilling;
But awaited from the Lord the increase.
And he dwelt there with his wife and children,
By his sweat his scant bread with them eating,
Digging ditches, ploughing up, and sowing.

Spring came on, the drift from cornfields melted,
And with it away flowed half the young blades;
Summer came, burst forth with hail the shower,
And with the ears were half down beaten;
Autumn came, and frost took the remainder.
Paavo´s wife then tore her hair, and spake thus:
"Paavo, old man, born to evil fortune,
Let us beg, for God hath us forsaken;
Hard is begging, but far worse is starving."

Paavo took the good-wife´s hand and spake thus:
"Nay, the Lord but trieth, not forsaketh,
Mix thou in the bread a half of bark now,
I shall dig out twice as many ditches,
And await then from the Lord the increase."

Half bark in the bread the good-wife mixed then,
Twice as many ditches dug the old man,
Sold the sheep, and bought some rye, and sowed it.
Spring came on, the drift from cornfields melted,
And with it away flowed half the young blades;
Summer came, burst forth with hail the shower,
And with the ears were half down beaten;
Autumn came, and frost took the remainder.
Paavo´s wife then smote her breast, and spake thus:
"Paavo, old man, born to evil fortune,
Let us perish, God has us forsaken,
Hard is dying, but much worse is living."

Paavo took the good-wife´s hand and spake thus:
"Nay, the Lord but trieth, not forsaketh,
Mix thou in the bread of bark the double,
I will dig of double size the ditches,
But await then from the Lord the increase."

She mixed in the bread of bark the double,
He dug then of double size the ditches,
Sold the cows, and bought some rye and sowed it.
Spring came on, the drift from cornfields melted,
But with it away there flowed no young blades.
Summer came, burst forth with hail the shower,
But with tears were not down beaten,
Autumn came, and frost, the cornfields shunning,
Let them stand in gold to bide the reaper.

Then fell Paavo on his knees and spake thus:
"Aye, the Lord but trieth, not forsaketh."
And his mate fell on her knees, and spake thus:
"Aye, the Lord but trieth, not forsaketh."
But with gladness spoke she to the old man:
"Paavo, joyful to the scythe betake thee!
Now ´tis time for happy days and merry.
Now ´tis time to cast the bark away, and
Bake our bread henceforth of the rye entirely."

Paavo took the good-wife´s hand and spake thus:
"Woman, he endureth trials only,
Who a needy neighbour ne´er forsaketh;
Mix thou in the bread a half of bark still,
For all frost-nipped stands our neighbour´s cornfield."

"Under the Yoke" (1893) by Eero Järnefelt.

A frosty night destroys Paavo's crops several times. Every time Paavo mixes double the amount of bark into his bark bread to stave off starvation and works ever harder to dry off marsh into dryer land that would not be as exposed to the night frost. Finally Paavo gets a rich crop. His wife thanks God and tells Paavo to enjoy full bread made entirely out of grain. However, Paavo instructs his wife to mix bark into grain, because their neigbour has lost his crop in a frost. Paavo gives half of his crop to the needy neighbour. Runeberg's "Farmer Paavo" summarizes everything the Finns hold dear and sacred.