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PROUD CULTURAL RECORD

Finnish Canadians fo celebrate
AOthanniversary of organization

THIS FALL the progressive
Finnish community of Canada
will be celebrating the 40th an-
niversary of its organization, the
Finnish Organization of Canada.
The actual founding date is Sep-
tember 3, 1911, but most of the
branches will be starting off their
fall activities in commemoration

‘ of the occasion in October and

November.

Nobody seems to know when
the first Finns came to Canada,
but their migration in greater
numbers started in the 1880’s
reaching its peak during the first
decade of this century. The mass
migration of the Finnish people
was motivated by the promise of
better living conditions and a life
free of political persecution.

Particularly during this period
in Finland the peasants and work-
ers were subjected to the whims
of the reactionary land and fac-
tory owners. Even the meekest
demands for justice were ruth-
lessly oppressed by the reaction-
ary upper class who were compet-
ing for favors from, the Russian
tsars.

It is little wonder that the
promise of a “rree land” was a
great attraction to a people who
had not even experienced nation-
al independence but for centuries
past had been ruthlessly exploit-
ed by the Swedish monarchy.

7 * *

MANY OF THE first immi-
grants were employed by the
CPR in construction of the trans-
continental railway and in the
ensuing years widespread railway
construction continued to attract
Finns in great numbers. Few of
the early Finnish immigrants, al-,
though the bulk of them” were
of peasant stock, came with the
idea of settling on the land but
after spending years laboring in
construction camps, mines_and
factories many felt it would be
easier to make a living tilling
the soil. 5

The first farm community is
believed to have been set up as
early as 1886 in the area of Sask-
atchewan known at New Finland.
As the development of Canada
advanced Finnish communities
grew up in Toronto, Port Arthur,

Sudbury,’ the mining area. of -

Northern Ontario, across the
prairies, on the Pacific coast and
in the coal mining area of Van-
couver Island.

Life for the first immigrants
was difficult and lonely in the
strange and sometimes hostile
surroundings in which they found
themselves in their adopted home-
land. To satisfy the desire for
social life, clubs and_ societies
were formed and although in
many instances halls and meet-
ing places were primitive, much
was made up for by enthusiastic
participation in activities.

Many of these early clubs were
in the form of temperance socie-
ties which during that period in
Finland were closely associated
with the working class movement.
The first temperance society was
founded in the coal-mining town
of North. Wellington on Vancou-
ver Island in 1890. :

As the newcomers became more
settled in their new environment,
clubs were formed in most com-
munities with activities embrac-
ing the amateur theatre, music,
education and sports. Such a
wide range of activities gave the
clubs permanence and it is not
surprising that many of them
have ,weathered the years and
are still active today.

* "ae Belay

FOR MANY YEARS, the clubs
in the various parts of the coun-
try continued to function inde-

pendently and not until 1911 was
the Finnish Organization of Can-
ada set up to coordinate activi-
ties of the locals. Since then the
Finnish Organization of Canada
has remained the only function-
ing organization of Finnish-Can-
adians although there. are groups
in the various centres who, for
one reason or another have
chosen not to affiliate to it.
In its early years the Finnish
Organization functioned closely

with the various working class -

parties that succeeded each other.
Howeyer, since 1925 it has func-
tioned as a completely independ-
ent cultural and educational or-
ganization of progressive Fin-
nish-Canadians under a charter
granted by the federal govern-
ment in 1923. ,

Theatre work has remained as
the main form of .cultural acti-
vity throughout the years, but in
addition the bigger centres have
maintained choirs and _ bands
which every second year hold na-
tional song and music festivals.

Although the Finnish Organiza-
tion is not a political organiza-
tion nor has it been for years
affiliated to any political party
it has never evaded taking a
position on important issues. It
has always openly supported pro-
gressive policies that are in the
people’s interest. It has always
advocated policies of justice, de-
mocracy and peace. Its members
have been active in working class
activities, in founding and sup-
porting trade unions, workers co-
operatives, etc.

be * *

SPORTS have also been an im-
portant part of the activities of
Finnish-Canadians, but since 1925.
the sports clubs have functioned
under their own national leader-

ship although at all times they
have maintained a close fraternal
relationship with the Finnish Or-
ganization and in most cases use
facilities such as halls and parks
provided by the Finnish Organ-
ization.

One of the greatest undertak-
ings of the Finnish Organization
has been in publishing and main-
taining a Finnish language news-
paper which has served to coor-
dinate the activities of the organ-
ization and has satisfied the de-
mand of those of the older gen-
eration who have not effectively
mastered the English language
to follow domestic and world af-
fairs in their own language.

The paper, known to many Can-
adians as Vapaus (Liberty) and
its predecessor established in 1907
have consistently worked in the
general interests of Canada’s
working class by advancing the

ideas of unity, democracy and»

peace. For over a decade from
1928, Vapaus appeared as a daily
and even today is published as a
tri-weekly. In addition a weekly
literary paper is published to en-
courage and provide an outlet for
the literary abilities of Finnish-
Canadians.

In its 40 years of activities the
Finnish Organization of Canada
has proven itself as an important
part of Canada’s Finnish com-
munity and the general working
class movement of this country.
With the advent of more and

-more second and third generation

Finnish-Canadians it will continue
to function and flourish, uniting
the progressive Finnish people of
Canada. It will continue to instill
in its members the spirit of pro-
gressive ideals and a democratic

concept of Canadian citizenship.
‘

Equality for women in New China

Top picture shows the first group of train service-women in

China’s history, headed by Tien Kuei-ying (right), engineer of the’

March 8 locomotive in Darien. Bottom picture shows a women tractor
driver group at the Shuang-chiao Machine Farming School.

WE MADE IT

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GREATER VANCOUVER

Target
ANdvantey ssa e ie Fe 20
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Building Trades .. ; 20
Civic Workersa scones 25
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Hleciricals 22) cai. cen ay 30
Edinview sn 6 Se ee 20
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Albertina: scitpees in 8 40
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Provincial Miscellaneous ....” —

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PACIFIC TRIBUNE — OCTOBER 19, 1951 — PAGE 10