Maamme

Maamme
Vårt land

English: Our Land
The first stanza of "Maamme" from the Finnish translation of The Tales of Ensign Stål
De facto national anthem of Finland
Also known as	"Vårt land" (English: "Our Land")
Lyrics	Johan Ludvig Runeberg, 1848
Music	Fredrik Pacius, 1848
Adopted	1917
Audio sample
U.S. Navy Band instrumental version (one verse) file help

"Maamme" (Finnish: [ˈmɑːmːe]; Swedish: Vårt land, Finland Swedish: [ˈvoːrt ˈlɑnːd]; both meaning "Our Land") is the de facto national anthem of Finland. The music was composed by the German immigrant Fredrik Pacius, with original Swedish lyrics by Johan Ludvig Runeberg. It was first performed with the current melody and lyrics on 13 May 1848. Originally, it was written for the 500th anniversary of Porvoo, and for that occasion it was Runeberg himself who wrote the music.

The melody of "Maamme" is also used for the national anthem of Estonia with a similarly themed text, "Mu isamaa, mu õnn ja rõõm" ("My Fatherland, My Happiness and Joy", 1869). It is also considered to be the ethnic anthem for the Livonians as "Min izāmō" ("My Fatherland").

History

Frontpage of "Vårt land" by Johan Ludvig Runeberg

The Swedish words of the "Vårt Land" poem appear in Johan Ludvig Runeberg's monument in Helsinki. Sculptor Walter Runeberg.

The original poem, written in 1846 but not printed until 1848, had 11 stanzas and formed the prologue to the verse cycle The Tales of Ensign Stål ("Fänrik Ståhls sägner"), a classic example of Romantic nationalism. The current Finnish language text is usually attributed to the 1889 translation of Ensign Stål by Paavo Cajander, but in fact, originates from the 1867 translation by Julius Krohn.

In the 1880s and the 1920s, there were more attempts to replace it with a Finnish language version but these ceased by the 1930s. Some Finns have proposed that the Finnish national anthem be set as "Finlandia" by Jean Sibelius, with lyrics by V.A. Koskenniemi (Finnish) and Joel Rundt (Swedish).

It is said that Pacius composed the tune in four days. It was popular throughout the 19th century but established its current position only after Pacius' death.

Status and usage

There is no law regarding an official national anthem in Finland, in the way the coat of arms and flag of Finland are legally defined. Instead, its position has been established gradually by convention over the years. In 2018, "Maamme" was described by the Government of Finland as the "Finnish national anthem".

Even though "Maamme" has become established as the de facto anthem, its status has still been debated from time to time. It has been suggested that the status of "Maamme" as the national anthem should be legalised. For example, opposing legislative initiatives were made in 2003 by the Finnish Parliament to make "Maamme" and the Finlandia Hymn the official national anthem. In 2014, there was a citizens' initiative about choosing the Finlandia Hymn as the national anthem, and in 2016 members of the National Coalition Party began campaigning to stop using "Maamme" in favour of the Finlandia Hymn, however, opinions were not unanimous in the party, and the campaign fell short of its goal.

Despite the lack of official status, in usage, "Maamme" fills the function of a national anthem in the same way as in many other countries. For example, it is played during state visits, and used to represent Finland at international sporting fixtures.

In 2024, the Indonesian composer and pianist Ananda Sukarlan wrote "Findolandesia" for violin and piano. The piece was written to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Finland and Indonesia. "Findolandesia" intertwines melodies from "Maamme" and "Tanah Airku", a patriotic Indonesian song by songwriter Saridjah Niung and then made into a kind of fantasy / variations on the original motifs. It was premiered by the composer on the piano and young Indonesian violinist Aurell Marcella in Jakarta, in a concert hosted by Bimasena and the Finnish Embassy in Jakarta.

Lyrics

The original lyrics consist of eleven verses, but it is customary to only sing the first verse and the last verse unless the people gathered are mixed Finnish- and Swedish-speaking. In the latter case, three verses are sung: the first in Finnish, the first in Swedish and the last in Finnish.

Swedish original	Finnish version	English translation from Swedish
I Vårt land, vårt land, vårt fosterland, Ljud högt, o dyra ord! 𝄆 Ej lyfts en höjd mot himlens rand, Ej sänks en dal, ej sköljs en strand, Mer älskad än vår bygd i nord, Än våra fäders jord. 𝄇 II Vårt land är fattigt, skall så bli För den, som guld begär. 𝄆 En främling far oss stolt förbi: Men detta landet älska vi, För oss med moar, fjäll och skär Ett guldland dock det är. 𝄇 III Vi älska våra strömmars brus Och våra bäckars språng. 𝄆 Den mörka skogens dystra sus, Vår stjärnenatt, vårt sommarljus. Allt, allt, vad här som syn, som sång Vårt hjärta rört en gång. 𝄇 IV Här striddes våra fäders strid Med tanke, svärd och plog. 𝄆 Här, här, i klar som mulen tid. Med lycka hård, med lycka blid. Det finska folkets hjärta slog. Här bars vad det fördrog. 𝄇 V Vem täljde väl de striders tal. Som detta folk bestod. 𝄆 Då kriget röt från dal till dal. Då frosten kom med hungers kval. Vem mätte allt dess spillda blod Och allt dess tålamod? 𝄇 VI Och det var här det blodet flöt, Ja, här för oss det var, 𝄆 Och det var här sin fröjd det njöt, Och det var här sin suck det göt. Det folk som våra bördor bar Långt före våra dar. 𝄇 VII Här är oss ljuvt, här är oss gott, Här är oss allt beskärt; 𝄆 Hur ödet kastar än vår lott. Ett land, ett fosterland vi fått, Vad finns på jorden mera värt Att hållas dyrt och kärt? 𝄇 VIII Och här och här är detta land. Vårt öga ser det här, 𝄆 Vi kunna sträcka ut vår hand Och visa glatt på sjö och strand Och säga: se det landet där. Vårt fosterland det är. 𝄇 IX Och fördes vi att bo i glans Bland guldmoln i det blå, 𝄆 Och blev vårt liv en stjärnedans. Där tår ej göts, där suck ej fanns. Till detta arma land ändå Vår längtan skulle stå. 𝄇 X O land, du tusen sjöars land, Där sång och trohet byggt, 𝄆 Där livets hav oss gett en strand, Vår forntids land, vår framtids land. Var för din fattigdom ej skyggt. Var fritt, var glatt, var tryggt. 𝄇 XI Din blomning, sluten än i knopp, Skall mogna ur sitt tvång; 𝄆 Se, ur vår kärlek skall gå opp Ditt ljus, din glans, din fröjd, ditt hopp. Och högre klinga skall en gång Vår fosterländska sång. 𝄇	I Oi maamme, Suomi, synnyinmaa, soi, sana kultainen! 𝄆 Ei laaksoa, ei kukkulaa, ei vettä rantaa rakkaampaa, kuin kotimaa tää pohjoinen, maa kallis isien! 𝄇 II On maamme köyhä, siksi jää, jos kultaa kaivannet 𝄆 Sen vieras kyllä hylkäjää, mut meille kallein maa on tää, sen salot, saaret, manteret, ne meist on kultaiset. 𝄇 III Ovatpa meille rakkahat koskemme kuohuineen, 𝄆 ikuisten honkain huminat, täht'yömme, kesät kirkkahat, kaikk'kuvineen ja lauluineen mi painui sydämeen. 𝄇 IV Täss auroin, miekoin, miettehin isämme sotivat, 𝄆 kun päivä piili pilvihin tai loisti onnen paistehin, täss Suomen kansan vaikeimmat he vaivat kokivat. 𝄇 V Tään kansan taistelut ken voi ne kertoella, ken? 𝄆 Kun sota laaksoissamme soi, ja halla näläntuskan toi, ken mittasi sen hurmehen ja kärsimykset sen? 𝄇 VI Täss on sen veri virrannut hyväksi meidänkin, 𝄆 täss iloaan on nauttinut ja murheitansa huokaillut se kansa, jolle muinaisin kuormamme pantihin. 𝄇 VII Tääll' olo meill on verraton ja kaikki suotuisaa, 𝄆 vaikk onni mikä tulkohon, maa isänmaa se meillä on. Mi maailmass on armaampaa ja mikä kalliimpaa? 𝄇 VIII Ja tässä, täss' on tämä maa, sen näkee silmämme. 𝄆 me kättä voimme ojentaa ja vettä rantaa osoittaa ja sanoa: kas tuoss' on se, maa armas isäimme. 𝄇 IX Jos loistoon meitä saatettais vaikk' kultapilvihin, 𝄆 mis itkien ei huoattais, vaan tärkein riemun sielu sais, ois tähän köyhään kotihin halumme kuitenkin. 𝄇 X Totuuden, runon kotimaa maa tuhatjärvinen 𝄆 miss' elämämme suojan saa, sa muistojen, sa toivon maa, ain ollos, onnees tyytyen, vapaa ja iloinen. 𝄇 XI Sun kukoistukses kuorestaan kerrankin puhkeaa, 𝄆 viel lempemme saa nousemaan sun toivos, riemus loistossaan, ja kerran, laulus synnyinmaa korkeemman kaiun saa. 𝄇	I Our land, our land, our Fatherland! Ring out, dear word, oh sound! 𝄆 No rising hill, or mountain grand, No sloping dale, no northern strand, There is, more loved, to be found, Than this — our fathers' ground. 𝄇 II Our land is poor, and so shall be To him who gold will crave. 𝄆 The strangers proudly pass, but we Shall ever love this land, we see, In moor, and fell, and isle and wave, A golden land, so brave. 𝄇 III We love our rippling brooks, so bright, Our gushing streams, so strong, 𝄆 The whisper of dark woods, at night, Our starry skies, our summer light, All, all that we, in sight and song, Have felt and lived among. 𝄇 IV Here fought our fathers, without fear, With sword, and plough, and thought. 𝄆 And here, in clouded times, and clear, With fortune in their front or rear, Their Finnish hearts have beat, and wrought And borne what bear they ought. 𝄇 V Who tells, of all the fights, the tale, In which this folk withstood, 𝄆 When war did rage from dale to dale, When frost set in, with hunger's wail? Who measured all their pouring blood, And all their patience good? 𝄇 VI And it was here their blood was shed, For us, here, on this shore; 𝄆 And it was here their joys were bred, Here, that their sighs were heaved and fled, That people's who our burdens bore Before us, long before. 𝄇 VII Here it is sweet and good, we wot, All, too, is giv'n us here; 𝄆 However fate may cast our lot, A land, a fatherland, we've got. Will there a thing on earth appear More worthy, to hold dear? 𝄇 VIII And here's, and here's this fatherland, Here every eye it sees; 𝄆 And we can stretch a pointing hand, To show, with joy, its sea and strand, And say, "Behold this country, this, Our Fatherland it is." 𝄇 IX And if we once were made to rise To gold clouds, from below, 𝄆 And if we moved in starry skies, Where no one weeps, where no one sighs, To this poor lonely country, though, Our longing hearts would go. 𝄇 X Oh land, the thousand lakes' own land, Of faith, and lay, and glee, 𝄆 Where life's main sea gave us a strand, Our fore-time's land, our future's land, Shy of thy poorness, never be, Be calm, be glad, be free! 𝄇 XI Thy blossom, hidden now from sight, Shall burst its bud ere long. 𝄆 Lo! from our love, shall rise aright, Thy sun, thy hope, thy joy, thy light, And higher, once, more full and strong, Shall ring Our Country's song. 𝄇

International Phonetic Alphabet transcriptions

Swedish IPA transcription

Finnish IPA transcription

1 [voːrt lɑnːd | voːrt lɑnːd | voˑrt ˈfus.tær.lɑnd |] [jʉːd høkt | uː ˈdyː.rɑ uːrd ‖] 𝄆 [ej lyfts en højd muːt ˈhim.lens rɑnːd |] [ej seŋks en dɑːl | ej ɕøls en strɑnːd |] [meːr ˈel.skɑd en voːr byɡd iː nuːrd |] [en ˈvoː.rɑ ˈfeː.dærs juːrd ‖] 𝄇 11 [din ˈblum.niŋ | ˈslʉː.ten en iː knopː |] [skɑlː ˈmuːɡ.nɑ ʉːr sitː tvoŋ ‖] 𝄆 [seː | ʉːr voːr ˈtɕæːr.lek skɑlː ɡoː opː] [ditː jʉːs | din ɡlɑns | din frøjd | ditː hopː ‖] [ok ˈhøːɡ.re ˈkliŋ.ŋɑ skɑlː en ɡoŋ] [voːr ˈfus.tær.lend.skɑ soŋ ‖] 𝄇

1 [oi̯ ˈmɑːm.me | ˈsuo̯.mi | ˈsyn.nyi̯n.mɑː |] [soi̯ | ˈsɑ.nɑ ˈkul.tɑi̯.nen ‖] 𝄆 [ei̯ ˈlɑːk.so.ɑ | ei̯ ˈkuk.ku.lɑː |] [ei̯ ˈʋet.tæ ˈrɑn.tɑː ˈrɑk.kɑːm.pɑː |] [ˈkui̯n ˈko.ti.mɑː tæː ˈpoh.joi̯.nen |] [mɑː ˈkɑl.lis ˈi.si.en ‖] 𝄇 11 [sun ˈku.koi̯s.tuk.ses ˈkuo̯.res.tɑːn] [ˈker.rɑŋ.kim ˈpuh.ke.ɑː |] 𝄆 [ˈʋie̯l ˈlem.pem.me sɑː ˈnou̯.se.mɑːn] [sun ˈtoi̯.ʋos | ˈrie̯.mus ˈloi̯s.tos.sɑːn |] [jɑ ˈker.rɑn | ˈlɑu̯.lus ˈsyn.nyi̯n.mɑː] [ˈkor.keːm.mɑn ˈkɑi̯.un ˈsɑː ‖] 𝄇

See also

• Public holidays in Finland
• Finnish national symbols
• "Ålänningens sång" – the regional anthem of Åland
• "Modersmålets sång" - unofficial anthem of the Swedish-speaking Finns

External links

• History of the Finnish national anthem