Expert: Lapland's proposed new anthem is cliché and outdated

Lapland is contemplating a shift in its provincial anthem, moving away from "Kymmenen virran maa" (Land of Ten Rivers), a song that has represented the region since 1906. The proposed replacement, "Lapille" (For Lapland), penned by Heikki Yli-Tepsa in 1991, has sparked debate regarding its suitability and lyrical content.

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The melody I heard online was excellent. The melody is easy to sing.

The initiative for a new anthem gained traction in 2019 with an online petition, leading to a formal proposal in November 2024 by provincial councilor and Member of Parliament Sara Seppänen. However, the process has been slowed by uncertainties surrounding decision-making authority.

Emeritus professor of Sámi culture Veli-Pekka Lehtola, who has extensively researched Sámi history, reviewed the proposed song. While he found the melody easy to sing and suitable for a provincial anthem, he identified a fundamental conflict in the lyrics. Lehtola pointed out that the first three verses present a romanticized, almost tourist-brochure-like image of Lapland, featuring familiar elements like fells, campfires, reindeer paths, autumn colors, and the polar night. He described this portrayal as "quite cliché," echoing external perceptions rather than an authentic local voice.

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Outsiders always describe how the fells shine and the wilderness lakes sparkle. Here too, there is the autumn color of the fells and the pain of the polar night. The description is quite cliché.

The song's final stanza shifts dramatically, introducing themes of external threats and a fear of foreign influence, which Lehtola deems "old-fashioned." He believes the lyrics emulate the style of 19th-century provincial anthems, which often contained nationalistic sentiments. This juxtaposition of a tourist-friendly image with a defensive, nationalistic tone has raised questions about the song's appropriateness as a modern symbol for Lapland.

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It's old-fashioned.