The selection of KAJ as Sweden's Eurovision entry has piqued international curiosity about Swedish-speaking Finns who make up roughly five percent of Finland's population.
Since KAJ's ode to sauna, Bara bada bastu (Let's just sauna), became Sweden's first Swedish-language Eurovision entry this century, the band from Vörå in Finland's Ostrobothnia region has been fielding questions about their linguistic heritage, including on Good Morning Britain.
"Swedish-speaking Finns have never received as much attention as they've gotten with KAJ," minority policy expert Johan Häggman told Yle. Häggman works as a political advisor at FUEN, a European organisation for linguistic minorities.
Despite its longtime role as the contest's underdog, Finland will now be seen and heard more than ever, because two acts from Finland will be competing at ESC in Switzerland this month. One is representing Finland and the other, Sweden.
Although being a larger group than both the Germans in Denmark and the Danes in Germany, Finland's Swedish-speakers are relatively unknown in Europe, according to Häggman. He said it's surprising how little recognition the country's Swedish-speaking population receives compared to minorities such as Catalans, Basques, the Welsh, and the German minority in northern Italy.
Linguistic, not ethnic, minority
According to Häggman, one possible explanation is that Swedish-speaking Finns tend to see themselves primarily as a linguistic minority rather than an ethnic one. The fact that Swedish is one of Finland's two official national languages may also obscure their minority status in the eyes of outsiders.
It can be difficult for other Europeans to grasp the concept of a linguistic minority, according to Häggman.
He noted that some minorities in Europe have strong ties to their kin states, like the Slovene minority in Italy, which can vote in Slovenian elections, or ethnic Hungarians in neighboring countries, who are often eligible to vote in Hungary's elections.
"The difference is that Swedish-speaking Finns identify themselves as Finns who speak Swedish…we are pretty unique, which makes us difficult to pin down."
"I'm from Finland and speak Swedish"
"Finland-Swede, Swedish-speaking Finn, Finn with Swedish as a mother tongue, Swede from Finland." The terminology used to describe Finland's Swedish-speaking population can be confusing, especially outside the Nordic region. So, how do Finland's Swedish speakers talk about themselves?
"I usually just say I’m from Finland, that Swedish is my mother tongue, and that I have nothing to do with Sweden," Häggman explained. "Outside of Finland, people don’t really grasp what it means to be Swedish- or Finnish-speaking anyway."
Michael Rießler, professor of general linguistics at the University of Eastern Finland, praises KAJ for drawing attention to the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland.
"This offers an opportunity to inform Europe and the rest of the world that not all countries function the same way and that Swedish-speaking Finns actually exist,” he said.
Originally from Germany, Rießler recently became a Finnish citizen. He is officially registered as a Swedish speaker and identifies as a Swedish-speaking Finn, a label he said still confuses people abroad. German refers both to the language and the people, he noted.
Different opinions
In linguistic circles, the term Finland Swede is commonly used in English to describe Swedish-speaking Finns. However, the term can easily be misunderstood, often interpreted as referring to a Swede living in Finland. He said the emphasis should be on Finnish nationality.
That said, Rießler is not a fan of referring to the minority as Swedish-speaking Finns, saying it's misleading since many Finnish-speaking Finns also speak Swedish.
Jenny Sylvin, a bilingual expert at the University of Helsinki, said she disagrees with Rießler and Henrik Häggman. She emphasised the importance of focusing the discussion on language to steer clear of associations with Sweden.
"I'd rather say Swedish-speaking Finn because that emphasises me being a Finn who speaks Swedish," she explained.
"What's hard to explain," she noted, "is that there exists a parallel society where sometimes you can speak Swedish, and other times you have to speak Finnish, even though you should be able to use Swedish."
Unlike many other minorities, Finland's Swedish speakers do not differ from the average Finn in terms of ethnicity or religion. There are no distinct industries, clothing styles, or traditions that set them apart. Instead, many switch fluidly between the two depending on where they live, their family background, workplace, and other daily circumstances.
"There's hardly anything more Finnish-Swedish than not really feeling like you're a Swedish-speaking Finn at all," Sylvin laughed
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