the goddesses of the wind

this blog post was going to be inevitable.

if you see me regularly or are a poor soul who lives with me (sorry flatmates) you will probably hear the words 'finland' come out of my mouth once every thirty seconds.

remember how i mentioned in my last post that i was someone who goes completely all-in when something significant slaps me around the face? well, this is probably the most enchanting yet overwhelming experiences of my life. it is also the slightly longer explanation as to why i am learning finnish, and just an all-round wholesome story. let us begin...

march 2020. there was no such thing as a pandemic (just yet). it was a hot summer, and festivals were in full swing. my family and I were off to WOMAD in new plymouth. for those who don't know of WOMAD, it is a multi-day festival hosting music acts from all over the world (100% the best festival i have ever been to, make sure to go to at least one in your life)! with both parents being seasoned WOMAD attendees, rule number one after pitching camp is to look at the time table and plan which artists you want to see.

the first artist my dear parents' circled on their list was a group by the name of 'tuuletar' which translates to 'goddess of the wind'. they were from, and you guessed it, finland. i knew where finland was, what their flag looked like but nothing much else if i have to be completely honest. i remember my father saying 'these ladies are going to be mental. we cannot miss them' and he was not wrong. i am always going to take my dad to festivals going forward.

so, we went to see these 'crazy finnish girls' in the basking hot sun, surrounded by thousands of people. from the minute they walked onto the stage, i was struck by a force of nature. it was like they had cast a spell on the whole crowd. they transported me to the universe where my mind usually retreats to when i cannot face the physical world. i didn't know the language, yet i deeply understood. they had been to this same world i lived in. everything resonated, we were on the same wavelength.

these four incredibly powerful, diverse, rich voices sent a wave of energy through the crowd that was indescribable. it was at least 30 degrees outside, yet the sounds they made of cold polar ice sent chills down my body, making the audience feel as if they were in the midst of an angry arctic blizzard. we were all in awe of how much force these four voices could create. it is still a really difficult feeling to explain even five months on...

after their show, tipsy and completely enchanted, we tried to go to their signing but all the cds were sold out (obviously). so, as a typical millennial does, i sent them a message on social media to say how moved and empowered i felt by their performance. additionally, i added that in the unlikely event they got stuck because of covid-19, they were welcome to stay with us if they needed. i wasn't expecting a response nor what was going to happen that following week.

the festival ended. we reluctantly packed up our tents and drove back to auckland whilst listening to the news about how the country was going to shut down in a fortnight due to the virus. i went back to the daily grind feeling incredibly melancholic, longing to know more about nordic culture. then i received a message from the girls explaining they needed a place to stay in auckland before having to fly back to finland prematurely... eh?!

at the time i was currently living across town, so i offered for them to stay with my parents. after the initial response of "holy shit!", my parents agreed to cancel their meetings, miss their classes and expect to have some incredible guests come to stay for three days.

it is a surreal experience to walk into my childhood home and see four women, who i had only seen two days prior performing to thousands of people, just sitting by the fire and cuddling our beloved dog. within minutes, i felt like i had four sisters who had just been away for a while.

over the few days we spent together, they shared the incredible story about how their group was formed, captivating tales from their tours around the world, deep personal stories about our lives and they sang to us at any moment they could. we laughed, we cried, we drank a lot of sauvignon blanc. they shaved my hair off for a cancer fundraiser, made us the best mustikkapiirakka (finnish blueberry pie) and sang to us some more. we didn't want them to go.

once they were safely on their way back to finland, i got back to my flat feeling completely shellshocked. just like a summer breeze, they came as quickly as they left. what was left behind, however, was this intense need to pay attention to my art. it felt as if the universe was screaming at me at this point. i needed to stop ignoring something so innate, silence negative inner monkey chatter and just go for it.

a few days later, new zealand went into full lockdown for six weeks. over this time, i danced every day; i sketched and started to paint. i picked up the guitar again and practised strengthening my voice (i sound like a dying cat a little less now). i fell into a deep internet rabbit hole; needing to learn everything i possibly could about finland, its folk music, language and culture (along with continuously spamming the whatsapp group chat between the five of us... anteeksi sisaret!)

our family felt so incredibly held by the universe. there a isn't a day that goes by where we don't talk about them. we have all individually been inspired to create and connect with nature and ourselves at a deeper level. after returning to my family home once lockdown restrictions ceased, it was strange to not see them there, singing down the valley. their energy still seeped through the cracks and crevices of the house and i think it will be like that forever.

one day in the near future i will write about what came to follow this vivid experience. for now, i just want to send my love and deepest gratitude to johanna, sini, piia and venla. what started off as your good ol' kiwi hospitality turned into a pivotal moment in our lives. these four women will not be forgotten by our family; they are family. their visit has completely redirected the rest of my life and i cannot wait to visit finland when this chaotic world has settled a little.

kiitos for reading my rambles and hope you all are well,

bridgette