Regional anthems of Finland

Regional anthems of Finland (Finnish: Suomen maakuntalaulut, Swedish: Finländska landskapssånger) are songs which were composed or later selected to be anthems of Finland's historical provinces and current regions. The best known regional anthems in Finland are Karjalaisten laulu (anthem of North Karelia and South Karelia) and Nälkämaan laulu (anthem of Kainuu).

The oldest regional anthem in Finland, Savolaisen laulu, was born out of patriotism when laws limiting publishing and Finnish student nations were passed in the Grand Duchy of Finland in the 1850s. This first regional anthem also worked as a model for the others with its structure, with depictions of the region's history, nature and people. Just like Savolaisen laulu, many other regional anthems were later created for student nations around the country, as well as other societies.

List of Regional anthems Regional Song Composer(s) Lyricist(s) Year of composition / first performance Central Finland "Keski-Suomen kotiseutulaulu"("Domicile Song of Central Finland") Ivar Widéen Martti Korpilahti 1920 Central Ostrobothnia "Keski-Pohjanmaan laulu"("Song of Central Ostrobothnia") Oskari Metsola Oskari Metsola 1929 Kainuu "Nälkämaan laulu"("Song of the Hunger Land") Oskar Merikanto Ilmari Kianto 1911 Kanta-Häme "Hämäläisten laulu"("Song of the Tavastians") German melody J. H. Erkko 1871 Kymenlaakso "Kymenlaakson laulu"("Song of Kymenlaakso") Uuno Klami Aukusti Simojoki 1934 Lapland* North Ostrobothnia "Kymmenen virran maa"("Land of Ten Streams") Oskar Merikanto A. V. Koskimies 1906 North Karelia South Karelia "Karjalaisten laulu"("Song of the Karelians") P. J. Hannikainen P. J. Hannikainen 1899 North Savo South Savo "Savolaisen laulu"("Song of a Savonian") Karl Collan A. Oksanen 1852 Ostrobothnia South Ostrobothnia "Vaasan marssi"("March of Vaasa") Karl Collan Zacharias Topelius 1864 Pirkanmaa "Kesäpäivä Kangasalla"("Summer Day at Kangasala") Gabriel Linsén Zacharias Topelius 1864 Päijät-Häme "Vihreiden harjujen maa"("Land of Green Ridges") Matti Porola Matti Porola and Terho Laitinen 1999 Satakunta "Satakunnan laulu"("Song of Satakunta") Aksel Törnudd Aino Voipio 1912 Southwest Finland "Varsinaissuomalaisten laulu"("Song of the Finns proper") Toivo Louko Väinö Kulo 1915 Uusimaa "Uusmaalaisten laulu"("Song of the Uusimaa people") Jean Sibelius Kaarlo Terhi 1912 Åland "Ålänningens sång"("Song of the Ålander") Johan Fridolf Hagfors John Grandell 1922 *While Kymmenen virran maa is considered to be Lapland's regional anthem in the official sense due to Southern Lapland's close historical ties to North Ostrbothnia, sometimes the song Lapinmaa ("Lapland") is treated as Lapland's anthem. Lapinmaa was written by Maija Konttinen and composed by Armas Maasalo sometime between 1914–1917.

See also List of regional anthems

References