Having lived in and/or associated with the great Upper Peninsula citizens for over five years, I have finally succumbed to the appropriate pronunciation of the word sauna. Having come from Lower Michigan, I tend to say, “saw’na.” That just doesn’t sound right, anymore.
While reading an excellent cross country ski magazine, I came across an article about the glorious sauna. One of the first things this magazine did was set its readers straight about the pronunciation of the word: sow’na. How ’bout that! Merriam-Webster gives both pronunciations, while The Free Dictionary gives only the former.
The Upper Peninsula, especially the Keweenaw Peninsula, has a large Finnish influence. These American citizens are often referred to as the Fins, or Finlanders. The culture is different, here, and it is rich in Finnish tradition. Now, Finnish tradition isn’t exactly something I’ve wanted to delve into. It isn’t as romantic as French culture or as appreciated as Italian (nothing can beat Italian food!). Finland is not on my list of places to visit. However, I’ve found a great appreciation for the culture and traditions that have been handed down and evolved within this little peninsula and I look forward to learning more.
Many people in the Keweenaw speak or understand some Finnish. Some were born in Finland while others were raised by native Fins. They are proud and many of them are full of life and energy and they continue to pass on the traditions of the old country. The sauna is one of those traditions.
It is an incredible feeling to hit the trails with cross country skis for a good, hard workout of about two hours and then hit the sauna. It isn’t unusual to feel chilled to the bone once skiing has ended, and the sauna cures that chill. The sauna can be used therapeutically, alternating hot and cold. Take a sauna. Take a cold shower. Cycle through.
The list of health benefits of the sauna is comprehensive and can be found in the Wikipedia article along with much more information and many references.
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wikipedia should not be used to as a source. even in a blog post
Wikipedia was not used as a source. It was a reference (meaning you should check it out for further information). In fact, Wikipedia is a spectacular resource. It basically gives a synopsis on a topic, and if you feel like exploring it further, the sources for that article are listed at the bottom of the article. Most of the Wikipedia articles have been verified with at least five quite credible sources.
Now, I have read many credible, scientific papers that really aren’t that accurate. Scientific studies are often skewed and manipulated to make a point. These are papers with over twenty “credible” sources – basically referencing other papers that have referenced other papers and so on.
While I often do informational posts and recommend good, “credible” internet articles, I prefer to give my readers some credit and think that they are capable of digging deeper – even in Wikipedia articles.