New Hampshire’s Finnish immigrants brought with them a critical element of their ethnic identity. The sauna. This was a part of their culture and a means of identifying themselves.
Historically, the sauna is a hot air bath and is remembered as an ancient tradition. In the early days of Finn occupation in this country, the savusauna, or smoke sauna, was a distinctive single room structure of hewn logs with a steeply pitched roof. Having no chimney, it did have a roof vent for smoke to escape. Benches inside allowed for more than one family member to sit and enjoy the heat and cleansing aspect of this social event. Friends and family were always welcome. They just had to look for the smoke curling out from the top vent. Second generation ancestors in this country will remember having the sauna close to the back door. Unclothed, they would race to the sauna and after enjoying its pore opening process roll in the snow after leaving the smoke laced building. Naked, of coarse. Food often followed the celebration of the sauna. This was a show of hospitality.
We may never know if the story of the magical Kalevala was true. It was a belief that the sauna was a cure for many evils. Cedar soaked and toasted on the stones was believed to kill germs. If you didn’t feel well, go sauna. If you wished to fight depression, go sauna. To generally feel better, take a sauna. Then repeat, many times if you wished. And also beat oneself for additional tingling, a learned pleasure.
This Finnish word and definition, sauna, were incorporated into the English language some time ago. Viewed with suspicion by outsiders in the early 20th century, the idea caught on with Americans of non- Finnish background for the healthful aspects it afforded. The so called “sauna belt” is located in the heavily populated Finnish area of Michigan. Our New Hampshire Finnish family and friends still enjoy it today.
Finnish proverb: If whiskey and a sauna won’t cure your ills, nothing will.