Oren Tikkanen named Hankooki Heikki for Heikinpäivä 2008

HANCOCK -- Musician and storyteller Oren Tikkanen of Calumet is this year’s recipient of the Hankooki Heikki honor, which Hancock’s Finnish Theme Committee bestows each year on a person or people whose commitment to preserving and promoting Finnish culture in the area goes above and beyond "normal" efforts. The Hankooki Heikki presides over the Heikinpäivä festivities, wearing the crown and robe that come with the honor.

Musician Oren Tikkanen, right, performs during Heikinpäivä 2007 with his young apprentice, fiddler Kelly Suvanto, who studied under the late fiddle master Ed Lauluma. Kelly is now playing mandolin under Tikkanen's direction. (Photo © 2007 Sharon Cuffe)

A regular with numerous Copper Country bands, Tikkanen plays a wide variety of instruments and an equally wide variety of tunes. He is well known in the Finnish communities of North America for his musical performances with several bands at festivals and dances. Tikkanen also recorded four albums with old friend and mentor Al Reko of St. Paul, Minnesota. The two musicians, who both sing in Finnish, have performed together many times at FinnFest USA programs, the Smithsonian Institution’s Festival of American Folklife and three times at Finland’s Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, among others.

In January 2007, Tikkanen was selected by the Michigan Traditional Arts Program as a "master folk musician" and began teaching his style of Finnish-American mandolin playing to apprentice Kelly Suvanto of Houghton. Along with mandolin techniques, she and Tikkanen are also reviewing the music she learned while apprenticing under the late fiddle master Ed Lauluma. Tikkanen and Lauluma had played together on a regular basis for two decades.

Oren Tikkanen and his apprentice Kelly Suvanto on mandolin join kantele players Matt Durocher, third from left, and Dave Bezotte in playing a Finnish tune during Finlandia University's Finnish Independence Day Celebration on Dec. 6, 2007. (Video © 2007 Keweenaw Now)

When asked how he feels about being honored with the Hankooki Heikki award, Tikkanen replied with his typical creative improvisation:

On Heikinpäivä

Take the best of Christmas Day,
Fourth of July and the First of May,
Mix with snowflakes falling down
On a pretty UP hillside town.

Music, dancing, old-world food,
Arts and crafts, and a cheerful mood,
Ice-hole divers, lots of smiles,
Parading Finns and Finn-o-philes.

But my mouth goes dry, and my knees grow shaky
When I am named as Hankook Heikki.
Great the honor--yes, by golly!
(And I hope I don't meet Hankook Lalli...)

Tikkanen’s name will be added to the Hankooki plaque, which lists each Hankooki Heikki since the award’s inception in 1998. The plaque is displayed year-round at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock.

For more information about Hankooki Heikki, or any aspect of Heikinpäivä, call (906) 482-0248 or visit pasty.com/heikki.

Updated: Heikinpäivä 2008 offers family fun Jan. 17-21

A toddler enjoys the thrill of the Finnish vipukelkka (whipsled) during Heikinpäivä 2007. (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu)

HANCOCK -- Heikinpäivä 2008, Hancock's Mid-Winter Festival, will offer Finnish cultural activities for the whole family this week from Thursday through Monday, Jan. 17-21. The Finnish Theme Committee has again planned music, art and cooking events, the traditional parade at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19 -- followed by the whipsled, boot-throwing and wife-carrying events on the Hancock Middle School lawn -- dances, cross-country ski races, the Polar Bear dive and more.

A contestant in the Heikinpäivä 2007 wife-carrying contest, a Finnish tradition, negotiates some obstacles during the competition. (File photo © 2007 Keweenaw Now)

Finnish dance lessons, begun last week, will be offered again from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, in the Community Arts Center, Hancock. To register, call (906) 487-7505 or e-mail htepsa@webtv.net.

On Friday, Jan. 18, the dancing begins at 6 p.m. with Tango lessons by Ralph Tuttila at the South Range Community Center. Cost is $15 per couple, $8 for singles (partner not necessary). Class size is limited only by available space. To register, call (906) 487-7505 or e-mail htepsa@webtv.net. Karhun Tanssi (The Bear Dance), featuring Finn Hall, will follow, from 7:15 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Kivajat Dancers will perform at the beginning of the dance. The cost is $8 at the door.

The Kivajat Dancers, under the direction of Kay Seppala, right, perform Finnish folk dances at the Finnish American Heritage Center during Heikinpäivä 2007. (File photo © 2007 Keweenaw Now)

The Calumet Theatre's Club Finndigo promises again a full evening of Finnish food and film on Friday, Jan. 18. A Finnish buffet, yooper style as created by the chefs at Toni's restaurant, Laurium -- famous for their Finnish foods, and especially their Finnish pasties -- will take place at 6 p.m. in the ballroom, followed at 7:15 p.m. by a multi-internationally awarded 2003 movie, Elina. Set in the northern part of Sweden near the Finnish border, it reveals the story of a lonely 12-year-old Finnish girl, her Swedish teacher and a serious crisis that brings everyone -- teacher, Elina and the rest of her family and friends -- together. The buffet and movie for this special event cost $13; the movie alone, $5. Since the film is a winner for children, they will be permitted admission to both buffet and film at half price. Assurance for seating at the buffet requires a reservation made in advance by calling the theatre at 337-2610.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19, the Tori Market will be held in the Finnish American Heritage Center and in the First United Methodist Church hall. It features ethnic crafts, foods and Finnish items. For more information contact Debbie at (906)-482-0248 or jkurtti@chartermi.net.

Mary (Biekkola) Wright, community artist and creator of the mitten and door art projects in Hancock, was chosen as "Hankooki Heikki" for Heikinpäivä 2007 along with Rick Kauppila, who crafted the stands for each mitten. Here Wright presides over the festivities in the Tori (market), which was held in the Finnish American Heritage Center and also in the First United Methodist Church hall. (File photo © 2007 Keweenaw Now)

A new event this year will be the Lumijuoksu (Snow Run) at 11 a.m. Saturday on Quincy St. in Hancock. Hosted by the Michigan Tech University women’s track team, this 5K road race will serve as a fundraiser for the program. To register, call (906) 487-3143 or e-mail mjhutchi@mtu.edu. Young people will have a chance to try a different sort of race as well. The Finnish Theme Committee has purchased three youth-sized kicksleds, and committee members are planning a race course for the traditional Finnish recreational vehicles.

On both Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 19-20, the Maasto Hiihto trail system will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for leisure classic skiing. At 1 p.m. Saturday on the Michigan Tech Trails the TalviTohinat (Winter scramble) Cross-country ski races will begin with a 2.5 k youth race. This will be followed by a 10 k freestyle race at 1:30 p.m. and a 5 k freestyle race at 1:35 p.m. At 2:30 p.m. a 6.2 k skijor race will be held for individual skiers with 1-2 dogs. Registration begins on-site at 12:00 p.m. on race day. For information, call (906) 482-0820. Visit the Keweenaw Land Trust Web site for details, a schedule and maps. *

For the very hardy (foolhardy?) athletes, the traditional Polar Bear Dive will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Hancock waterfront, near the Ramada Inn.

Polar Bear divers brave the icy Portage during Heikinpäivä 2007. (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu)

Saturday night, Jan. 19, offers two musical events. At 7:30 p.m. the Keweenaw Youth Symphony will offer a concert at the Rosza Center on the MTU campus in Houghton for free admission. The Copper Country Suzuki Association (CCSA) Preparatory String Orchestra and the CCSA "Classics" (the Adult Orchestra) will also perform.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, following the Seisovapöytä (Finnish buffet), the Tanssit (Dance) featuring Wilho Kilpelä and Friends, begins in Finlandia Hall on the Finlandia University campus. Dance-only tickets are $5.

Finland-born Anneli Lähteinen Johnson, now of Garfield, Massachusetts, will offer a variety of courses and presentations during Heikinpäivä. An award-winning homemaker and nutritionist formerly with the University of Massachusetts Extension and the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, Johnson has taught numerous courses in Scandinavian cuisine and coordinated international cooking demonstrations in and around her home area.

On Sunday, Jan. 20, Johnson will offer a Finnish coffee table demonstration and cooking class at 2 p.m. and a nisu-making demonstration at 5 p.m. at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, Hancock St., Hancock. On Monday, Jan. 21, she will teach Finnish baking for commercial kitchens at 1:30 p.m. at Little Brothers. Johnson will also offer a Finnish Coffee Table - demonstration/cooking class at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21, at Zion Lutheran Church. The classes are $10 per person per class. To sign up for any of these sessions, call (906) 487-7505.

Visit the Heikinpäivä Web site for the complete schedule of events and more details about the festival.

*Editor's Note: Please note the changes on times and events for these ski races. We regret the incorrect information posted earlier.

Dems offer voters advice for Jan. 15 Primary

HOUGHTON -- Houghton County Democrats have provided this information for supporters of Joe Biden, John Edwards, Bill Richardson and Barack Obama -- who are not listed on the Michigan Primary Ballot for the primary election Tuesday, Jan. 15.

Voters for any of the above candidates are encouraged to vote “uncommitted” so that their vote will count to send to the Democratic National Convention delegates who are not committed or pledged to any candidate. These delegates can then vote for any candidate they choose at the Convention. A "write-in" vote for any of the above candidates, however, will not be counted under state law.

The Democratic ballot will have the names of the following candidates only: Hillary Clinton, Christopher Dodd, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich. There is also an option for "Uncommitted" or "Write-in."

In order to vote at a polling place, voters must show a photo ID or sign a statement that they do not have a photo ID with them. Absentee voters do not have to produce a photo ID.

Visit the Michigan Democratic Party Web site for more details. See also the Voter Guide.

"Wilderness is ..." exhibit to open at Omphale Gallery Jan. 11

CALUMET --The Omphale Gallery in Calumet will host an opening night reception for "Wilderness is ..." -- a community exhibit by artist George Desort -- at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11.

While completing an artist's residency at the Porcupine Mountains in August 2007, Mr. Desort began gathering contributions to a project titled "Wilderness is..." Visitors to the exhibit will have the opportunity to participate in this project by expressing their thoughts on wilderness using available art materials and 4 x 6 inch postcards. Hundreds of these postcards have already been completed by individuals around the country and will be on display at the Omphale Gallery and at wildernessis.com.

This is one of hundreds of community contributions to George Desort's art project, "Wilderness is ..." (Photo © 2008 George Desort)

Mr. Desort's exhibit also includes a piece of artwork exploring the recent botulism e outbreak in the northern waters of Lake Michigan. A two-minute video of a long-tailed duck stricken with the bacterium will also be shown throughout the evening.

The opening night reception will include refreshments as well as opportunities to purchase Mr. Desort's work and to support local preservation efforts.

A short film, "Wilderness is..." -- with an introduction by wolf biologist John Vucetich -- will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on opening night. The film explores the different philosophies of wilderness among park visitors to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The film is available for viewing during gallery hours as well.

A wilderness advocate displays his sign for the "Wilderness is ..." project. (Photo © 2008 George Desort)

The exhibit will be held through Feb. 29. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The Gallery phone number is (906) 337-2036.

For more information, please visit www.wildernessis.com or contact George Desort at (906) 523-4771 or georgedesort@gmail.com.

"New Year; New Beginnings" opens at Vertin Gallery Jan. 11

The Back Wall at the Vertin Gallery features paintings and a reading/visiting table. (Photo courtesy Keweenaw Krayons)

CALUMET – The Vertin Gallery, located on the corner of Sixth and Oak in Calumet, welcomes the New Year with a new diverse platform of art works from the Upper Peninsula. An opening reception for all of the gallery artists, "New Year; New Beginnings," will take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 11.

Music will be provided by the Cat’s Meow featuring Brian Parmeter, John Munson and Greg Wright. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Cat's Meow includes, from left, local musicians John Munson, Brian Parmeter and Greg Wright. (Photo courtesy Keweenaw Krayons)

Pablo "Pig" Casso, Keweenaw Krayons’ traveling Piggy Bank, will be making a guest appearance.

"We are excited about Pablo being invited to this New Year celebration," stated Keweenaw Krayons’ director, Susan Hallwachs. "The Vertin also supports us by carrying our line of greeting cards. All this helps to keep our doors open and our programs free or low cost."

In addition to the gallery space on the main floor, the second floor of the Vertin houses artists' studios. Tom and Leona Blessing are two of the current artists occupying this space.

"Having a studio in the Vertin has been very productive for me," Tom stated. "It has given me a place away from the distractions of home to write, edit and draw. The openness and light on the studio floors would be impossible to duplicate anywhere else."

Blessing has been writing and publishing poetry for over 25 years. His work has appeared in several anthologies and many magazines including Passages North, Modern English Tanka, Modern Haiku, Ocho, MiPoesias, Thunder Sandwich and From East to West.

"When I first began taking painting lessons in 1997 I never thought I would be able to work in a place as wonderful as the Vertin studio," Leona Blessing said. "The light here is fantastic. I wish I could spend more time painting."

Artist Leona Blessing works in her studio at the Vertin Gallery. (Photo courtesy Keweenaw Krayons)

For additional information about the opening reception, the artists, available studio space and more, call the Vertin Gallery at 337-2200.

Lahti encourages communities to apply for recreational grants

LANSING -- State Representative Mike Lahti (D-Hancock) advises local governments in the Western Upper Peninsula to take advantage of recreational grants offered through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The funding is designed to help communities enhance their outdoor recreational opportunities and facilities.

"There are a lot of great things about the Upper Peninsula, but it's our untold natural resources that make us so special," Lahti said. "Recreational tourism plays a huge role in our economy; and, by strengthening our trails and parks, we will bring more people and more dollars into our communities."

Communities have until March 1 to apply for grants through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The LWCF is a federal program, administered by the National Park Service and managed by the DNR in Michigan. The program provides funding assistance for state and local outdoor recreation needs, including development of outdoor recreation facilities.

Types of development projects that are eligible for LWCF funding include non-motorized trails and riverwalks, skate and spray parks, playgrounds, athletic fields, picnic areas and other types of outdoor recreation. Roughly $1 million in LWCF assistance is available annually.

"This is a great opportunity for local governments to enhance recreational opportunities in their communities," Lahti said. "I strongly encourage local leaders to take a look and get involved."

Grant application materials can be obtained from the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr-grants. For more information, call at (517) 373-9125.

Public comments needed on DNR Land Use Lease for sulfide mine

MARQUETTE -- The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will discuss the "Metallic Mineral Mining Operations Surface Use Lease" from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for Kennecott's proposed sulfide mine at the next NRC meeting on Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008, in Lansing.

Kennecott wants to lease 120 acres of public land for 35 years from the State of Michigan to use for most of the surface facilities associated with their proposed mine.

Although the comment period has ended for the mining permit, concerned citizens can still send letters to members of the NRC, reminding them that all Kennecott permits need to be granted before the surface use is considered. In addition to the DEQ permits outstanding, the EPA has yet to issue an Underground Injection Control (UIC) permit. Moreover, the Mining Safety Health Administration has not yet received a permit application.

Please visit Save the Wild UP for a letter you can edit and sign to be emailed to the Governor and the NRC decision makers before the Jan. 10 meeting.

Click here for a map showing the location of this state land Kennecott plans to lease and close off to the public for 35 years.

Click here to read the Draft Lease.

Keweenaw Now announces 2007 Photo Contest winners

HANCOCK -- As the end of 2007 approaches, let us praise Lake Superior and its watershed, the greatest natural resource of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, now threatened by potentially destructive mining. Let us express our love for the Big Lake -- its beauty, its wildlife and its recreational and educational features -- with some photo memories of 2007.

Keweenaw Now presents the winners of our first Lake Superior Photo Contest. Last fall we invited readers to submit amateur photos in three categories: landscapes, wildlife and responsible action (environmental stewardship or responsible recreation in the Lake Superior watershed). Here are the winning photos, as judged by photographer Eric Munch of Calumet.

Landscape category: First place goes to Joe Kaplan of Hancock for his photo of a sunset at Lane Cove, on Isle Royale.

This photo of a sunset at Lane Cove, Isle Royale, wins first place in the landscape category of Keweenaw Now's Lake Superior photo contest.

Winning second place in the landscapes is this photo by Bryan McKamey of Copper Harbor:

Taking second place in the landscape category is this photo of the Lake Superior shoreline just west of the Hunter's Point area in Copper Harbor. The photographer, Bryan McKamey of Copper Harbor, notes the young woman in the photo is his daughter Aliza.

Wildlife category: Joe Kaplan takes another first place with this photo of Isle Royale wildlife:

Joe Kaplan's candid shot of this red squirrel taking his siesta at Blake Point, Isle Royale, wins first place in the wildlife category.

Second place for wildlife goes to Dan Larson of Skanee for this photo of a loon taken while kayaking on Dirkman Lake:

Dan Larson of Skanee wins second place in the wildlife category for this photo of a loon on Dirkman Lake.

Stewardship category: Winning first place in the stewardship category is Sue Haralson, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) administrator, for her photo of volunteers pulling knapweed at the Joseph and Mary Lizzadro Preserve on Lake Superior, between Copper Harbor and Eagle Harbor. Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) is an aggressive weed that is crowding out native plants at both the Lizzadro and the Bete Grise Preserves. Last July HKCD sponsored the knapweed pulling at both preserves.

Volunteers pull Spotted knapweed, an invasive, non-native plant, at the Lizzadro Preserve on Lake Superior July 18, 2007. Sue Haralson, Houghton Keweenaw Conservation District (HKCD) administrator, takes first place in the stewardship category for this photo. Pictured here in the foreground are Janet Shea, right, of Keweenaw County, and her grandson Nathan Ozment of Sheboygan, Wis. Pictured in the background are John Bowie and Larry Forth of Ahmeek. Others who helped (not pictured here) were Rachel Tarpey, Bonnie Hay, Rex and Nick Wilson and Gina Nicholas.

"It was a hot day with a lot of hard work; but the ice cold lemonade, chips and cookies hit our spot!" Haralson noted. "Nine people showed up, and we filled 16 large garbage bags with knapweed."

Second place in the stewardship category also goes to Sue Haralson for her photo of participants in the Gratiot Lake Conservancy's Reading the Landscape (RTL) program last summer. On July 21, 2007, RTL participants visited Bete Grise beaches with educators Jim and Judy St. Arnold and writer and teacher Peter Blau to gain an Ojibwe perspective on both historical and current use of natural resources along the shore.

Second place in the stewardship category goes to Sue Haralson for this photo of Reading the Landscape participants walking along the beach at Bete Grise South, famous for its "singing sands."

Keweenaw Now wishes to thank those who sent photos for our first Lake Superior photo contest. Readers, please save your best 2008 photos for next year's contest!

Sulfide mine opponents sue MDEQ for issuing illegal permits

MARQUETTE -- One week after a controversial decision by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to permit a sulfide mine in the central Upper Peninsula, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Huron Mountain Club and Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve filed, on Dec. 21, 2007, a contested case petition and a lawsuit against the MDEQ as the first step in a legal challenge to halt the mine.

"The opponents of the mine have presented MDEQ with over 1000 pages of unequivocal evidence that Kennecott’s proposed sulfide mine does not meet the state’s legal requirements and would result in profound pollution, impairment and destruction of air, water and other natural resources," Michelle Halley, attorney for NWF and the other co-petitioners explained. "The MDEQ has issued permits that are based upon defective, inadequate and incomplete applications and are therefore illegal," she added.

Read the rest of this press release on Save the Wild UP.
Read the Marquette Mining Journal article.

Read also the article, "Rio Tinto Poised to Open 6 More Projects on the Yellow Dog Plains" concerning plans by Rio Tinto (Kennecott's parent company) to expand its mining operations in the U.P. beyond the current Eagle Project in order to meet demands for nickel, especially from China.

See also other related articles on Save the Wild UP, including Congressman Bart Stupak's statement expressing his disappointment at the DEQ decision to permit the Eagle Project sulfide mine near Marquette.
Photo: A fall 2006 view of the Salmon Trout River, which flows through an area proposed for Kennecott Minerals' Eagle Project sulfide mine. The river contains a rare population of Coaster Brook Trout. (Photo © 2007 and courtesy lexup at Save the Wild UP. Reprinted with permission.)

Finlandia hosting traveling exhibit Dec. 20-Jan. 31*

HANCOCK -- The Finlandia University Gallery, in the Finnish American Heritage Center, Hancock, is hosting the traveling art exhibition, "A Celebration of the Upper Peninsula as Home," from Dec. 20, 2007, through Jan. 31, 2008.*

"Calling for Other Coordinates," Mixed Media by Ingrid Blixt of Escanaba. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

Organized by the Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition (UPEC), and co-curated by artists Joyce Koskenmaki and Christine Saari, "A Celebration of the Upper Peninsula as Home" features eleven artists from across the Upper Peninsula whose work reflects their feelings about living here.

An opening reception for the artists will take place at the gallery from 7 p.m to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007. The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

At the reception, Jon Saari, UPEC board president, and several participating artists will give a brief gallery talk about the goals of UPEC and the role of artists in celebrating the Upper Peninsula ’s unique beauty.

The exhibit includes pieces in various media from Joyce Koskenmaki of Hancock; John Lundeen of Munising; Ron Lukey, Christine Saari, Patrick St. Germain and Vicki Allison Phillips of Marquette; Ingrid Blixt of Escanaba; Eric Munch of Calumet; Peg Sandin of Ironwood; Jan Manniko from the Keweenaw; and Rex Marsh of Sault Ste. Marie.

Co-curator Joyce Koskenmaki has a special connection to the Upper Peninsula: "My grandparents came from Finland and settled in Baraga County around the turn of the century. I was raised here, imprinted by the land and climate and grounded in family history," Koskenmaki says. "I helped curate this exhibition because I wanted to celebrate what growing up here and coming back to live here after a lifetime away has meant to me as a Finnish-American woman. It is a very special history, and this is a very special place."

"Passage Island," Ink and Watercolor on Paper by Joyce Koskenmaki of Hancock. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

Choosing artists who share her love of the Upper Peninsula was an easy task for Koskenmaki.

"There are many wonderful artists living in the Upper Peninsula. These artists choose to live in the relative wilderness for many reasons; chief among them is the love for place," she notes.

"The Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition," Koskenmaki explains, "is concerned about encroaching development, as well as the effects of climate change, forest fragmentation and (metallic) sulfide mining. This exhibition honors the voices of artists who love the land and feel deeply connected to it, offering their work as a celebration and an act of love and concern."

Connecting the themes of nature and home was obvious for Jon Saari of UPEC.

"Home is where we want to be most, where we have chosen to root our lives and to get to know a place deeply and broadly," Jon Saari says. "It sets man-made and natural places together: the house in the yard, the camp in the clearing, the canoe on the lake, the trail in the woods. At home, nature is familiar and approachable; and in small doses we are most at ease with it."

Saari adds the "celebration" in this exhibit is more meaningful than fireworks or partying.

"At the deeper levels, we honor what we celebrate," he says. "We honor the U.P. not because it is an easy or convenient place to live, but because it tempers us with long winters and black flies and rewards us with quiet outings in beautiful and remote places."

"A Celebration of the Upper Peninsula as Home" will be on display through Jan. 31, 2008.

*Update: Please note the gallery will be closed from Dec. 22 through Jan. 1, but will re-open Jan. 2.

The Finlandia University Gallery is in the Finnish American Heritage Center, 435 Quincy Street in Hancock. Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., or by appointment. Please call 906-487-7500 for more information.

Turquoise Gallery to re-open Dec. 20

HANCOCK -- The Turquoise Gallery in Hancock is re-opening Thursday, Dec. 20, with a reception from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., for an exhibition called "Scrapbook" by Sevil Soyer. The exhibition will continue through Jan. 25.

Artist Sevil Soyer, right, and her sister, Serpil Narmanli, pose for a photo together at a previous Turquoise Gallery exhibit. (Keweenaw Now file photo © 2003 Michele Anderson)

While she was away Sevil worked on a series of large paintings inspired by her friends here in the Copper Country.

"When I was in the Copper Country during the 6 years from 1999 to 2005, I met a lot of wonderful people," Soyer writes. "They were very kind, helpful and friendly. With the friendship during the 6 years, Houghton and Hancock became like a second home to me. I have unforgettable memories about these years. My last exhibition is about these people; it is a kind of diary from my life in the U.P. I dedicate this exhibition to my wonderful friends and to the people of the U.P."

The Turquoise Art Gallery is in the E.L.Wright Building (old school) in Hancock. Phone: 906-370-7332.

Sheriff Lahti collects toys for Keweenaw tots

By Carissa and Deborah Pavolich

EAGLE RIVER -- In his 10th year of collecting for Toys For Tots, Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti is once again conducting business amidst a mass of toys and other donations gathered in his office. While taking phone calls, patrolling Keweenaw County, and taking care of the Keweenaw County Jail inmates, he still finds time to help families who are experiencing the strain of tight budgets during the holiday season.

In his office in Eagle River, Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti is collecting toys for tots for the 10th year. (Photo © 2007 Carissa Pavolich)

As we entered his office this Sunday morning, he was graciously accepting a donation from a local church. This donation and other monetary donations will be used to buy gifts and necessities, such as winter jackets and boots, for local area children. Sheriff Lahti receives a list of families who need that extra bit of help from the Family Independence Agency. Along with those names, he gets clothes sizes, ages and interests of each child so he can match them up with appropriate toys. The Eagle River "Courthouse Ladies" help Sheriff Lahti do the shopping each year.

Sheriff Lahti says, “In the last ten years, this has grown. We really appreciate the help we’ve gotten, because needy children who might not otherwise get Christmas gifts will get help.”

Though many people have dropped off their donations at his office in the Keweenaw Sheriff’s Department, others have used the alternate drop-off sites at Slim’s Café and Superior National Bank in Mohawk, The Eagle Harbor Inn in Eagle Harbor, or the Bear Belly Inn in Lac La Belle. People may make donations until Friday, December 21.

Any new toy still in its packaging may be brought to one of the drop-off sites. Toys may be purchased for boys or girls, infants through teenagers. Stocking stuffers, such as candy, may also be donated. No gift of money or toys is too big or too small. They all add up. If you have any questions or would like to donate an item, you may call Sheriff Lahti at 337-0528 or email him at ksheriff@pasty.com.

Editor's Note: Carissa and Deborah Pavolich are residents of Laurium. Carissa is a fifth grade student in the CLK Elementary School, while Deborah, her Mom, teaches second grade at CLK Elementary.

Rally in Marquette Dec. 17 to show disappointment at DEQ approval of sulfide mine permits

Save the Wild UP sign in Chassell. (Photo © 2007 Gustavo Bourdieu for Keweenaw Now)

MARQUETTE -- Save the Wild UP invites others opposed to Kennecott's proposed metallic sulfide mine to join them at noon on Monday, Dec. 17, in front of the Marquette Post Office, to show community members' disappointment and opposition to the DEQ's recent approval of some of the required permits for the mine. Dress warm and feel free to bring a chair if needed.

If you do not live in the Marquette area, Save the Wild UP suggests showing your opposition to the proposed Kennecott project in your neighborhood. Put a sign in your yard (where permitted), get a group of people together in your city center, or write a letter to the editor!

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) approved on Dec. 14, 2007, a series of permits to the Kennecott Eagle Minerals Co. to conduct mining operations at their proposed Eagle Project Mine near Marquette. According to the DEQ press release, Kennecott must still acquire a surface use lease from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Read the DEQ press release. Read more on this issue at SavetheWildUP.

See also our Oct. 11 article on the public hearings, with comments by local residents, and the Oct. 14 Viewpoint article by Chuck Brumleve, geologist.

Keweenaw Now also invites readers to post comments or send us a letter with your viewpoint on this issue.

PasiCats to celebrate Pikkujoulu (Little Christmas) with song, dance Dec. 16

HANCOCK -- Musti says that Winter has arrived with a blast and it's time to celebrate Pikkujoulu (Little Christmas) with PasiCats music beginning at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16.

Pasi says there will be no blizzard inside the Community Arts Center in Downtown Hancock. So take your family and your holiday spirit and head there to sing Finnish Christmas Carols and to loosen your muscles with PasiCats music.

Oren Tikkanen and Dave Bezotte will join Pasi on stage to lead the Finnish Christmas Carol sing-along between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. And don't worry, we'll bring you the lyrics.

PasiCats will take the stage at 3 p.m. and swing the place with their humppas and polkkas. But you never know Pasi. He might slip a couple of "Christmasy" tunes into the middle.....

The cover charge is $5. Finnish bakery items and coffee will be for sale.

Visit the PasiCats' new Web site!

Community Arts Center to hold Open House Dec. 14

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Community Arts Center will celebrate with a Holiday Open House from noon to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. A Gourmet Bake Sale and Silent Art Auction will be held throughout the day. Silent auction items can be picked up after the live auction.

Keweenaw Krayons will conduct Kids' Art Activities from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Stop in from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for Artist demos. Enjoy live music and sing-along Christmas favorites with Tom Hiltunen from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Guitar music by members of the CopperCountry Suzuki Association will be from 5:30 p.m. to 6:15.

Don't miss the Parade of Confections, beginning at 6:30 p.m., when Auctioneer Ray Sharp will conduct the Live Auction of Gourmet Desserts and Art. This will include, for example, Kathy Halverson's famous cookie suite and Joan Chadde's pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap pecan crust, as well as a traditional yule log, flan, chocolate bonbons, etc., etc.

Take advantage of your visit to the Arts Center to view the Pottery Exhibition in the Kerredge Gallery. The new exhibition, through Dec. 23, is the work of seven potters: Suzanne Hoppe, Rya Dalman, Mary Ann Predebon, Miriam Dobrofsky Pichens, Marsh LaTulip, Lenni Rukavina, and Elaine Eikenberry. All work is for sale.

There will also be an exhibition of wonderful Art from the Calumet Schools in the Youth Gallery. The Friday Open House celebration will also be the opening reception for this event. The work is up now and will be there through December 22. Don't miss this great work by students from first through twelfth grades!

The Community Arts Center announces these winners of the Shaft Show Community Choice awards: Kevin Breyfogle, Tammy Toj Gajewski and Jan Manniko. Honorable Mentions are awarded to Kristine Danielson and Kathy Carlton Johnson.

Updated: Guatemalan market postponed; newsletter available

HANCOCK -- The Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP) Market of jewelry and textiles, ornaments and bags, originally scheduled for Dec. 20-21, has been postponed to a later date.

Read the latest stories from accompaniers in Guatemala, including news of the September elections, in the November 2007 CCGAP Newsletter, now available on their Web site.

The Copper Country Guatemala Accompaniment Project (CCGAP) is a group of organizations and individuals who financially support accompaniers to serve as human rights observers and a deterrent to the violence that threatens people in Guatemala who are struggling for justice and an end to impunity. The Guatemala Accompaniment Project (GAP) is a branch of the national organization, NISGUA (Network in Solidarity with the people of Guatemala).

MTU to host U.S. Cross Country Skiing Championship races Jan. 1-6

HOUGHTON -- For the second year in a row, the U.S. Cross Country Skiing Championship races will be held Jan. 1-6, 2008, at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center (MTU Trails).

Skiers approach the finish of the individual sprint race during the 2007 U.S. Cross Country Championship races held at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center. Competitors cover a 1.5 km course, working their way through the bracket to reach the finals. Pictured here are Torin Koos (center), who finished second and Kris Freeman (right, in the yellow "Leader" bib). Both are two-time Olympians. (Photo © 2007 Adam Johnson of brockit.com. Reprinted with permission.)

Members of the U.S. Ski Team -- including Olympians Kris Freeman, Andy Newell and Kikkan Randall -- will be among the 400 skiers competing in the four-race, week-long extravaganza.

"We will have the top skiers in the country here," said organizing committee chair Mike Abbott, director of MTU sports and recreation. "Our stadium area is very spectator friendly, and this is a rare opportunity to see this caliber of event in the Midwest."

Those top skiers include members of the US Disabled Team, who compete on sit-ski devices, using their arms and poles to propel themselves around the course.

For details on the race see the full article on Tech Today.

Volunteers needed for Christmas Classic Nordic ski races Dec. 15, 16

HOUGHTON -- Michigan Tech will hold its annual Christmas Classic Nordic ski races Saturday, Dec. 15, and Sunday, Dec. 16, at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center (MTU Trails).There will be probably 70-100 college and high school racers. Volunteers are needed to help with the timing. This would involve being at the trail from approximately 9 a.m. through 1 p.m., and this is an indoor job (in the timing hut), unless you want to be outside at the finish line. You can help on one day or, if your schedule allows, both days.

Recording stopwatches will be used for timing, which means the jobs are: 1) pressing the button on the stop watch when someone finishes; 2) writing down a bib number when someone finishes; or 3) calling out bib numbers as people finish. For #1 and #2, more than one person will be doing the job (for redundancy and in case a stopwatch malfunctions). There is also a youth 2 km event that will start about 1 p.m., and a couple of people will be needed to stay for that.

If you are interested, please email deanwoodbeck@gmail.com.

The race will feature the race courses to be used for the 2008 U.S. Cross Country Championships, which will take place Jan. 1-6, 2008, in Houghton. The event is also a Great Lakes Division Junior Olympics qualifier. For more information on the races see www.keweenawtrails.com or contact Joe Haggenmiller (487-2986 or jjhaggen@mtu.edu).

Carnegie Museum to offer Food exhibit, presentation on potato farming Dec. 14

HOUGHTON -- A reception for the Michigan Tech Archives exhibit "Scrounging for Food: Copper Country Foodways during the Great Depression" will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, in the Carnegie Museum (former Portage Library).

At 6:30 p.m., Erik Nordberg, MTU archivist, will give a presentation about this exhibit, which tells the history of potato farming in the Upper Peninsula during the Great Depression. The exhibit features photographs from the MTU collection and memorabilia from many area potato farmers.

The Carnegie Museum is located on the corner of Huron and Montezuma streets in historic downtown Houghton. Winter hours at the museum are Tuesdays, 12 noon - 7 p.m.; Thursdays, 12 noon - 5 p.m.; and Saturdays, 12 noon - 4 p.m.

Open House Dec. 18

The Carnegie museum will hold an Open House from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18. Gingerbread houses will be on display, including a "walk-through" house for small children. The public is invited to share in cookie decorating, Storytime by a Portage Lake District Library librarian, holiday cookies and warming drinks for all.

Finlandia to celebrate Finnish Independence Day Dec. 6

HANCOCK -- The 90th anniversary of Finland ’s independence will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Finlandia University Finnish American Heritage Center on Quincy Street in Hancock.

The keynote speaker is Finlandia President Philip Johnson, who joins the celebration for the first time as president of the university.

A selection of Finnish music will be performed by local musicians Pasi Lautala, Oren Tikkanen, and David Bezotte; and a two-act play, The Boarding House, will be presented.

Pasi Lautala, left, and Hannu Leppanen appear as a trammer and a mine worker in a previous performance of The Boarding House, which will be presented on Dec. 6, Finnish Independence Day, at the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock. (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

The Boarding House is a drama written in the 1920s for the Finnish American cooperative and labor movement. It depicts an afternoon in the life of three miners as they cope with naturalization problems and try to find the perfect woman. The play will be performed in Finnish.

Tanja Aho, a German-Finnish national, translated the play. Aho, whose research interests are in Finnish-American literature, recently completed an internship with the Finlandia archives. She attends the Ernst-Mortiz-Arndt University in Greifswald, Germany .

Now a member of the European Union, Finland was part of the Swedish realm for some 600 years until 1809 when it became attached to the Russian empire. In 1906 Finland acquired its own national parliament; and on Dec. 6, 1917, a Russian revolution prompted Finland to declare herself independent. Russia’s Bolshevik government recognized Finnish independence on Dec. 31, 1917.

Traditionally, Finnish Independence Day is a solemn observance of those that made freedom possible for Finland. In recent decades, however, celebrations often include fireworks, parades and celebratory cakes decorated with the blue and white Finnish flag.

For more information about this year’s program, please contact James Kurtti, director of the Finnish American Heritage Center, at 906-487-7302.

Students' Reflection Gallery to host receptions Dec. 6

Preceding the Independence Day celebration, the student-run Reflection Gallery at Finlandia University’s Portage Campus will open an exhibit by studio arts senior Christine Sommerfeldt with a reception and artist’s talk at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6.

Sommerfeldt’s work will be exhibited through Dec. 21, 2007. Her show, “Sun Over Revolving Cycles,” is a series of four large oil paintings, each titled for one of the four seasons.

Also on Thursday afternoon, at 5 p.m., the Reflection Gallery will host a reception for the Bohemian Artist Coalition’s pre-holiday silent auction. The silent auction student art work is on display, and bids are being accepted until Dec. 14. At the reception, student ceramic works will be available for purchase, and a ceramics demonstration will take place. More than half the sales price will be donated to the Bohemian Artists’ Coalition. With the funds, the student club plans either to take a trip or to re-invest in Portage Campus facilities.

The Reflection Gallery is on the second level of Finlandia’s Portage Campus, Hancock. For additional information, please contact Yueh-mei Cheng, at 487-7375.