When a Savonian Speaks Go on and Give yourself into the Adventure

from Kuopio by Nature 2022

Numbers: Working life Business

Travel guides may not mention it at all, but the local way of speaking is one of the most striking things travellers can experience in the Kuopio region. The best way to prepare to meet a Savonian person, i.e. someone from the region of Savo, also known as Savonia, is to make sure you have plenty of time, know the right places to go and be there early.

TEXT ELINA KALLASAARI PHOTOS KUOPIO-TAHKO MARKKINOINTI, PACO NUCCI AND OLAVI RYTKÖNEN

A true master of Savonian small talk, Olavi Rytkönen.

TO BE EXPECTED IN THE KUOPIO REGION: SMALL TALK

Jokes have always portrayed Savonians as jovial and talkative – and folk that will rarely give you a straight answer. To an outsider, the dialect sounds funny and it has been used for humorous effect, especially in entertainment in the past. Host and media service entrepreneur Olavi Rytkönen knows the local dialect and mentality well. He believes that the impression of Savonians as sneaky is a misconception, but willingly admits that the locals do have a habit of starting conversations with strangers out of the blue.

“Savonian small talk is all about being spontaneous and seizing the opportunity. The search for the right detergent in a supermarket aisle can suddenly spark a long conversation,” says Rytkönen. “Even the classic situation where Finns are waiting for a bus at a bus stop can take an unusual turn in Savo and lead to a lengthy discussion about buses, their routes, the drivers, the weather and so on.”

“Savonian people do talk about climate change and world politics as well, but they will usually link these topics to their everyday life, sometimes meandering along some strange paths,” Rytkönen continues.

SO WHERE ARE YOU OFF TO AND WHAT WILL YOU DO THERE?

When you run into someone from Savo, you may end up answering questions straight away about yourself and your ancestry. Don’t worry – this just means that the person is trying to connect with you. This special interest is a sign of caring rather than hostility. According to Rytkönen, curiosity helped Savonians navigate new situations throughout history.

“For centuries, people in Savo have had to learn to get along with different kinds of people. The Savonian coping mechanism is to ask questions and listen carefully to the answers to find something in common with strangers.”

Rytkönen also encourages tourists and visitors to try to connect with Savonians and ask for their advice. You can always start a conversation by asking if the person is a local.

Paco Nucci, originally from Naples, won the Savo dialect championship in 2016.

Principles of Paco Nucci’s Neapolitan-Savonian customer service

1. WELCOME THE CUSTOMER AS IF INTO YOUR HOME.

“The idea for my restaurants originally came from locals visiting us on Restaurant Day. I still continue to treat customers with this thought in mind. I want to be close to people.”

2. BE YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF. “I tell my servers to dress however they want and act in whatever way feels most natural to them. That’s what I do too.”

3. SERVE CUSTOMERS EQUALLY.

“Ambassador or student, everyone gets the same treatment.”

4. STAY RELAXED.

“Sometimes I take my relaxed attitude to the extreme. I’m not trying to shock people, but deep down I’m still a Neapolitan street boy and the same punk rocker that came to Pielavesi 31 years ago.”

“Savonians are happy to provide guidance to others; both in their original dialect and in English plus with a bit of fairly fluent gesture language thrown in here and there,” says Rytkönen with a smile.

You should still make plenty of time for the conversation.

“Savonians have a colourful way with words and enjoy stories that get side-tracked and are more than just a little embellished. Giving one-word answers and being in a hurry may seem rude to locals.”

TRUE SAVONIANS ROAM IN THE MORNINGS

In Rytkönen's opinion, the Savo dialect is at its best when speakers born and bred in Savo bandy words with each other. If you want to enjoy a match or two of this verbal ping-pong, you need to wake up bright and early. That’s when the most leisurely individuals are out and about.

“Great places to find speakers of the dialect are the cafés in the Market Hall and the morning sauna at the public swimming pool. The sauna is the place where Finns start to chatter, if they are the chattering type,” says Rytkönen.

SAVONIANS ARE EASYGOING CUSTOMERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS

Can you learn the Savonian mindset? Paco Nucci, a restaurant owner in Kuopio, is strong proof of this. Originally from Naples, he moved to Finland and Savo already back in 1990. In 2016 he impressed locals by winning the Savo dialect championship.

“Despite not being Finnish or Savonian myself, I appreciate the local culture. I have truly wanted to learn the local habits and language,” says Nucci. “My job is to serve customers, so language is my only tool. It is easier to attract the interest of Savonians if you speak their dialect.”

Nucci’s experience of Finns does not match the stereotype of a shy, quiet sort of folk. The jovial nature of Savonians makes him feel at home, because similar characteristics are associated with Neapolitans in Italy. He entertains customers in his Sorrento restaurants by giving gesture language courses, for example.

“It is important to me that people feel good, and I find great pleasure in making them feel good by serving them in my own way,” says Nucci.

"Great places to find speakers of the dialect are the cafés in the Market Hall."

GET TO KNOW HISTORICAL SAVONIANS

Savo in the 19th century was home to many significant thinkers and cultural figures. One of the best-known Savonians is the author, newspaperwoman and businesswoman Minna Canth (1844–1897) who lived in Kuopio. She was a prominent social critic who tirelessly defended the freedom of speech, women’s and girls’ rights, social equality and improving the conditions of the poor.

“The works of Minna Canth provide an excellent cross-section of the Savonian society and its issues at the time,” says acting Museum Director Helka Väisänen from the Kuopio Cultural History Museum.

Väisänen warns against overinterpreting Canth’s writings from a contemporary point of view, but still believes that readers can find the familiar jovial nature of Savonians and their easygoing approach to life in the characters of Canth's plays and stories.

“Canth was curious, active and extremely sharp-sighted when she described the people and phenomena of her day.”

Minna Canth can also be seen in modern-day Kuopio in the form of a statue, buildings and place-names. For those interested in Canth, Väisänen recommends a visit to Minna’s salon at the Old Kuopio Museum where you can step inside social life in 19th century Savo for a moment.