Heikki'sDay

Today is the 19.1. More official and connected to the cultural context it is called "heikinpäivä" or more correct "Heikki's day". That means it is the name day of every person named "Heikki" in Finland. They celebrate it a bit, at least feel joy of their names. Perhaps receiving Happy Heikki's Day wishes. Every day is someones' name day according to Finnish and several other calendars. The names vary according to the calendars. Some stay the same, some change. 

Why you see AI pictures made by Copilot in this blog post where AI has never been used before? Have I changed my mind about these things and will I include AI in this blog in the future. No, no, nonononono...

In autumn term 2024 I was in AI education for craft and art teachers. It is the topic of the day and I learnt to use it. But it is not what I am going to use. I am seriously considering and tested it when needing help to translate the craft instructions only.

But AI is here today because I wanted to show and tell you something earlier this month.

In the arctic nature many animals hibernate. The bear is one of them. The bear is also the king of the forest and one of our gods. When the bear goes to hibernate it curls up in the nest it has made to sleep on its one side over the arctic winter. During the winter female bears give birth to the cups, usually she has two cups. There, in the sleep, she breast feeds the cups who sleep with her and start to grow. 

January is the heart month of the winter. The heart locates always in the middle of everything. January locates in the middle of the winter. Something special happens on the 19th of January. It happens there where a human eye can't see it. It is hidden from us all but it happens even tough we can't see it now but will notice it later on. According to the traditional believes on the 19th of January the hibernating bear wakes just a little bit, in the middle of the sleep, only to notice it is still winter. The bear turns from one side to the other and continues the hibernation. 

Because the bear is the king and god, the movements of the body are so big and powerful, that the turn from one side to the other breaks the neck of the winter and we all have reached the actual point of the midwinter moment. From now on, because the bear has turn the side, only the rest half of the winter is left. 

I tried to ask Copilot to create a picture of this traditional saga to you but it really doesn't understand at all the cultural context and gets a bit mixed up and confused. I could play with Copilot much longer but decided not to because it is a huge waste of electricity and nature resources when you crate a picture by AI. 

Instead you learn the story here as written. 💕Which is of course more fun and follows better the traditional way of transferring the sagas from a person to another and between the generations.

It is easy to understand that this time of the year has included (and still does) important information for people living the traditional lifestyle and surviving in the arctic. At this time of the year the humans should have ate only 1/3 of their winter food storage. It means 2/3 should be left. The cattle and other domestic animals should have at least ½ left of the winter food storage. It is because there still will be many months until the domestic animals and cattle can be set free to find its own food. And it will take even longer until the humans can be able to harvest anything. Just few days ago I checked out my winter food storage and it seems to be OK.

Happy Heikki's Day!