Ostrobothnians Explained

Group:	Ostrobothnians
Flag Caption:	Coat of arms of the historical province of Ostrobothnia
Regions:	South, Central and North Ostrobothnia
Languages:	Finnish (South, Central and Northern Ostrobothnian dialects)
Religions:	Lutheranism (Awakening and Laestadianism)
Related:	Other Finns

Ostrobothnians (Finnish: Pohjalaiset, pronounced as /fi/) are a subgroup of the Finnish people who live in the areas of the historical province of Ostrobothnia in the northwestern parts of Finland.

History

Ostrobothnians descend from Tavastians and Savonians, the latter started to settle in Ostrobothnia during the 1500s.^{[1] [2]}

A notable historical event involving the Ostrobothnians is the Cudgel War, in which peasants led by the local rebel leader Jaakko Ilkka rose in a revolt against the nobility during the Swedish rule.^[3]

Dialects

The South Ostrobothnian dialect is characterized by the changed of pronounced as //d// in Finnish to pronounced as //r// in Ostrobothnia Finnish: lehren (Finnish: lehden||leaf's), the middle vowel in Finnish: tylysä (Finnish: tylsä||boring) and the diphthongs Finnish: uo, Finnish: yö and Finnish: ie changing into Finnish: ua, Finnish: yä and Finnish: iä.^[4]

The Central and North Ostrobothnian dialects have been influenced by the Savonian dialects. They have changed the written Finnish sound of pronounced as //t͡s// into pronounced as //s:// or pronounced as //ʰt// and the vowels Finnish: -ea and Finnish: -eä into Finnish: -ia and Finnish: -iä.^[5]

Description and stereotypes

The stereotypical Ostrobothnian is brave, calm and dependable.^{[6] [7] [8]}

Many Ostrobothnians are either Laestadians,^[9] or active in the Awakening movement (körttiläisyys).^[10]

Notable Ostrobothnians

• Alvar Aalto, architect and designer
• Heidi Hautala, politician
• Antti Isotalo, criminal and Puukkojunkkari
• Jussi Jokinen, ice hockey player
• Kyösti Kallio, president of Finland between 1937-1940
• Mari Kiviniemi, politician
• Jorma Kontio, harness racing driver
• Petri Kontiola, ice hockey player
• Pekka Korpi, harness racing driver
• Timo Kotipelto, musician
• Vilho Lampi, painter
• Jari-Matti Latvala, rally driver
• Jarppi Leppälä, stunt performer and member of The Dudesons
• Juha Mieto, cross-country skier
• Teemu Mäki, artist and writer
• Antti Niemi, footballer
• Janne Niinimaa, ice hockey player
• Jorma Ollila, businessman and former CEO of Nokia
• Jorma Panula, conductor and composer
• Tero Pitkämäki, athlete
• Erkki Raappana, Major General
• Jukka Rautakorpi, ice hockey coach
• Topi Sorsakoski, singer
• Jutta Urpilainen, politician
• Hannu Väisänen, artist, painter and writer
• Juha Väätäinen, athlete
• Niilo Yli-Vainio, preacher

See also

• Finns proper
• Tavastians

References

1. Web site: 2003-12-28. Suomen heimojen peruspiirteet. 2021-05-29. Turun Sanomat. fi.
2. 10.1016/j.gene.2006.03.004 . Geographically, Northern Ostrobothnia is in the west but it was populated from Eastern Finland during the 1500s, and is thus genetically regarded as an eastern province.. Regional differences among the Finns: A Y-chromosomal perspective . 2006 . Lappalainen . Tuuli . Koivumäki . Satu . Salmela . Elina . Huoponen . Kirsi . Sistonen . Pertti . Savontaus . Marja-Liisa . Lahermo . Päivi . Gene . 376 . 2 . 207–215 . 16644145 .
3. Web site: Nuijasota oli hyvin verinen sisällissota – Kunnaksen uusi Koiramäki-kirja kertoo siitäkin lapsille sopivasti. 2021-05-26. Yle Uutiset. 25 October 2017 . fi.
4. Web site: Eteläpohjalaisten murteiden piirteitä. 2021-05-26. sokl.uef.fi.
5. Web site: Keski- ja pohjoispohjalaisia murrepiirteitä. 2021-05-26. sokl.uef.fi.
6. Web site: 2003-12-28. Suomen heimojen peruspiirteet. 2021-05-26. Turun Sanomat. fi.
7. Web site: 2009-11-04. Professori Hannu Katajamäki: Pohjalaiset ymmärretään usein väärin. 2021-05-26. Studio55.fi. fi.
8. Web site: Heimoerot: pohjalaiset. 2021-05-26. yle.fi. fi-FI.
9. Web site: Lestadiolaiset pitävät Pohjois-Pohjanmaan väkiluvun kasvussa. 2021-05-26. Kaleva. fi.
10. Web site: Körttiläiset. 2021-05-26. yle.fi. fi-FI.