Itkunaiga - Poem song about the Karelian lamenting tradition
This short film is a part of my Karelian culture and language studies in the open University of Eastern Finland. Karelian is nearly extinct as a language and learning is currently very difficult due to the scarcity of teaching available, lack of learning materials and poor availability of media content made in Karelian. As a private person you are free to use this video for promoting the appreciation, awareness and wellbeing of Karelian culture and Karelian lamenting. For commercial use, including using the video as a part of lecture or presentation, please contact me first. Please do not use pieces my lament for your own variation of lamenting that is not Karelian lamenting - that is riähkä. I hope you enjoyed this film – whether you are Karelian, lamenter of your own culture or just looking to understand Karelian culture, language and traditions better. You can contact me in English, Karelian or Finnish at [email protected] or find me in IG: @muuttujalindu
There are very few people left who lament in the Karelian laments in Karelian language and tradition. I hope that sharing what I have learned about Karelian laments and sharing my own developing voice and language, I am able to inspire other Karelians who like me have lost their lamenting voice and are looking their way back. The story of laments in the beginning of this film is sung as Karelian poem singing and the latter half is a Karelian lament of mine.
Among the Karelian Peoples, there was still a strong and distinct lament tradition before the II World War, especially in Viena, Seesjärvi, Border Karelia, Aunus and Tver. The Karelian diaspora was scattered and in their new homes many had to hide Karelian language and traditions behind closed doors to blend in. Neither Karelian language nor the lament traditions passed down to the majority of the next generations. Even today it is difficult to get accurate information in the internet about Karelian culture and language.
I am Karelian and laments run in my blood. But I was never taught the language of my foremothers or the heritage of laments. After I begun learning Karelian and laments, many things started to make sense. The way I use my words, the way I use language in general and the rhythm of my expression. All of it suddenly fell into place in a way that is hard to describe. Without Karelian and the language of laments a part of me was lost. I was voiceless in a way I didn’t know until I reconnected to it.
Key sources used for this video:
Lauri Honko, 1963, Itkuvirsirunous, Eripainos Suomen kirjallisuus 1:stä
Unelma Konkka, 1985, Ikuinen ikävä – Karjalaiset riitti-itkut, Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura
Silvonen Viliina, 2022, Väitöskirja: Apeus arkistoäänitteellä – Äänellä itkeminen performanssina ja affektiivisena käytäntöjä Aunuksen karjalassa
Eila Stepanova, 2014, Seesjärveläisten itkijöiden rekisterit – Tutkimus äänellä itkemisen käytänteistä, teemoista ja käsitteistä, Suomen kansantietouden tutkijain seura
Aleksandra Stepanova, 2012, Karjalaisen itkuvirsikielen sanakirja, Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura
Anna-Liisa Tenhunen, 2006, Itkuvirren kolme elämää, Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura
Helmi ja Pertti Virtaranta, 1999, Ahavatuulien armoilla – Itkuvirsiä Aunuksesta, Suomalais-Ugrilainen seura