Näkemiin Good Sir

Picture in your head an old oak tree sitting in the middle of an Upper Peninsula forest. Large, powerful, and wise; this tree has stood the test of time. It has seen many things over the years, and weathered countless storms. It has survived by having deep roots, and as time has moved on its branches have grown and extended to great lengths. Now, imagine if that tree were a person. It is this writers opinion that the tree would be named Carl Pellonpaa.

Carl on set. Photo courtesey of "this is FINLAND" website.

Mr. Carl Pellonpaa's roots are in Ishpeming, Michigan, where he still lives there to this day. His roots, like many other Yoopers out there, are also just as deep in the country of Finland. Yet Carl stands tall like the tree I had mentioned, because he has been the UP symbol of that heritage. This is because, as many of you know, Mr. Pellonpaa has been the host of the TV show "Suomi Kutsuu, Finland Calling" for the last 53 years. Those 53 years translates to an astounding 2,650 straight weekly episodes, according to this Wall Street Journal article honoring him. Sadly, that run comes to an end this Sunday, with the final episode set to air that morning.

If for some reason you are reading this and not in the know, Finland Calling was a show on TV6, which is our local television channel. It is a show for all things Finnish: history, travel, music, politics, etc. I mean if it had to do with Finland, Carl was covering it! This show was on religiously Sunday mornings, and I say that with pun intended, because for many people it was a part of their routine, the same as going to church and watching football is on Sundays. It hasn't been flashy or anything even close to cutting edge. But it has been honest, heart-felt, and consistent. No matter what, people have been able to count on Carl and his show, like a trusty and sturdy oak, no matter what.

This is what makes Carl a true Yooper legend. For 53 years he has carried the torch left by our ancestors. This has been done by keeping tradition alive and well through his television show. I applaud him for having both the foresight and fortitude to realize that the traditions from our Yooper heritage are important and need to be preserved. Even though the show is ending the torch has already been passed. This was done through the reach his TV program had, much like tree branches casting shade, into the homes of Yoopers far and wide for literally generations of families. Not only that, but his reach has extended globally, having sat with the prime minister of Finland, as well as two of their presidents. Not bad for a born and raised Ishpeming boy!

I have many fond memories of watching his show through the years of my youth. I may be aging myself a little, but it brings me back to the days when satellite TV was in its infancy, and channels were still somewhat limited, especially if we headed out to camp! Truth be told, my biggest memories of Mr. Pellonpaa come from the event I touched on in my last blog post, Pine Mountain Ski Jumps. You see, Carl was the announcer of the ski jumps for many years. He would announce the jump distances in both English and in Finnish, to the delight of everyone. I remember then trying to mimic what he had just said, and failing quite humorously. Not only that, but he popularized these phrases that people associate with ski jumps:

"Keep your eyes on the hill folks, this guy's a flyer!"
"Ring those bells and honk those car horns folks!"
"Springer Come!"
"Hooooly Wah!" (after a really far jump)

Think about how many times you've heard or said these phrases. In my eyes, Carl is responsible for that. When you combine this with everything his show has done, you have the true makings of an icon in the Upper Peninsula. He belongs in the history books, right next to Voelker, White, Van Riper, and the rest of them. For the last 53 years he has embodied all that is Yooper, and because of him our pride, heritage, and culture will live on for decades to come. He is the SISU oak tree that has grown a UP forest. I hope he enjoys his official retirement, because he's damn sure earned it! With that being said, we bid your show farewell Mr. Pellonpaa, or as you might say in Finnish; Näkemiin good sir...