Song for the Native Place

Every summer evening for the past 50 years, the people of Jyväskylä are greeted by a familiar sound at 8:00 pm. It’s an old recording of Torsten Lindfors playing the opening bars of Laulu synnyinseudulle (A Song for the Native Place) composed by Aulis Raitala. The music is played from a speaker atop Vesilinna observation tower, which sits on a hill above the city.

When asked about the significance of the music, a waiter in a downtown café said: “This song is very evocative for us. When we first hear this song in late May, it’s a very moving moment. It means summer is here, the long night is over, and everything is going to be ok.”

LAULU SYNNYINSEUDULLE

(sanat Martti Korpilahti, sävel Aulis Raitala)
Oi, päivät seutuvilla Päijänteen,
oi, tuttu kellon kilke koivuhaasta!
Niin kirkas tunne nousee sydämeen
kuin muisto jostain kaukaa onnen maasta.
Oi, matkat korven poikki naapuriin,
kun polku kiertäen käy lammen rantaa,
oi, retket saarihin ja poukamiin,
kun aurinko taas lämmön armaan antaa!

Te Keski-Suomen rakkaat rantatiet,
te tuoksut heinäpellon, kukkaniityn!
Ah, aika, vaikka multa paljon viet,
et kiintymystä, jolla tänne liityn.
Tään kansan kanssa kuulun yhtehen,
sen tunnen nytkin juuri tällä kertaa.
On täällä hyvä olla ihmisen,
en synnyinseudulleni tiedä vertaa.

A SONG TO THE BIRTHPLACE

(words by Martti Korpilahti, music by Aulis Raitala)

Oh, the days in Päijänne,
oh, the familiar tinkling of the bell from the birch grove!
Such a bright feeling rises in the heart
like a memory from some distant land of happiness.
Oh, trips across the ear to the neighbor,
when the path goes around the lake shore,
oh, trips to islands and coves,
when the sun gives warmth again!

You dear coastal roads of Central Finland,
you smell the hay field, the flower meadow!
Ah, time, even if you take a lot from me,
not the affection with which I join here.
With this nation I belong,
I can feel it right now.
It's good to be human here,
I don't know a match for my birthplace.

(Translation: Google Translate)

Ice Cream in Jyväskylä

Ice Cream Stand

Families gather in the afternoon for an ice cream by the lake in Jyväskylä, Finland. This stand sits at the intersection of two popular hiking and biking trails, so it’s a great spot to rest and have a pear ice cream.

Wharf at Lake Päijänne

Asa’s wharf (Photo: Johnny Shaw)

Lake Päijänne is the second-largest of Finland’s innumerable lakes, and serves as an inland waterway connecting many communities in the country’s interior. With 1,100 square kilometers of water and 330 square kilometeres of islands, it is a favourite retreat for Finns in the summer months. Asa, a retired professor from Helsinki, has a cottage on the shores of the lake just north of Korpilahti Village. This recording was made early in the evening on a long summer night.

Quiet Japan: Tired Commuters

Photo: (Video Capture): Yuya Kurata

The Yamanote Line (山手線, Yamanote-sen) is one of Tokyo's busiest and most important train lines. Laid out in a circuit (connecting many important commercial centres in in the city). a full curcuit takes around one hour. Trains depart in both directions every two minutes at peak times.

Although this recording was made when the train was with packed with commuters, the only sounds are of the train moving through the tunnel. Japanese society places great emphasis on courtesy towards others in public spaces, so conversations are kept to whispers.

Noisy Japan: Shibuya Crossing

Photo (video capture): Yuya Kurata

Shibuya Scramble Crossing (渋谷スクランブル交差点, Shibuya sukuranburu kōsaten) is a famous pedestrian crossing in Tokyo’s Shibuya District. This audio recording was made in front of Shibuya Station among the throng of pedestrians who cross the street while vehicles in all directions are stopped at traffic lights. The cacophony of sounds at this intersection is a near constant feature in a city that never sleeps…

St. Nino's Day in Tbilisi, Georgia

This recording was made on the steps of Sion Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia. The Georgian Orthodox structure dates to the 6th Century, but has been renovated extensively. Today is St. Nino’s Day, named in honour of the woman who brought Christianity to (what is now) Georgia in the 4th Century. The recording features polyphonic singing, and as the service ends, the bells are rung. Today’s celebration was attended by the Patriarchal locum tenens (acting Patriarch) Shio Mujiri (Georgian: შიო მუჯირი).

High School Baseball in Japan

Saikyo Stadium, Japan

Submitted by: Yasuo Kurata

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Japan. Both children and adults enjoy watching and playing baseball. Every spring and summer, there are big national high school baseball tournaments. Students in baseball clubs practice for three years for these games and hope to win as many as possible.

The sound of this baseball game was recorded at Saikyo Stadium in Yamaguchi city, Japan. The music is performed by the brass band of that school. Students from the school also come to the stadium to cheer. For high school students, this experience is unforgettable and precious.

Primal Sounds: Láhpoluoppal

Kristine Hansen (Photo: Alf Ove Hansen)

Láhpoluoppal

The recording featured here is entitled Láhpoluoppal, part of Kristine Hansen’s Lyd-ID project to “sound-identify” different parts of Norway and capture something of what she describes as the “primal landscape”. Funded by a grant from the Sami Artists’ Council, this 37-minute recording was completed by editing down many hours of recordings made while Hansen spent three weeks alone in a small canvas tent in the remote wilderness between Alta and Kautokeino.

This haunting and evocative recording is a concert of wind, rain, birds, voice, water, insects, and solitude.

About the Artist

Kristine Hansen is a teacher, composer, and percussionist living in Alta, Finnmark, a municipality in Norway’s far north. Read a recent interview about her life and inspiration then check out her recordings on Spotify or YouTube.

Tusen Takk to Kristine Hansen for participating in Sounds of Culture!

Yoroiya Ramen, Tokyo

Ramen menu

Submitted by: Miyako Ballesteros

The recording was taken by Miyako Ballesteros, co-owner of Halifax’s Ikebana Shop, at a ramen restaurant called Yoroiya (与ろゐ屋) in Asakusa, Tokyo on Jun 24, 2022. 

After two years of being away from Japan due to the pandemic, Miyako finally returned and sought out one of her comfort foods--ramen. She was not only looking for a bowl of noodles. She had also missed the familiar sights, smells and sounds inside a down-to-earth ramen shop. Just being there was very soothing, even therapeutic!

The Ikebana Shop | Visit website

“We are a small Japanese shop in Halifax, NS, Canada. Our aim is to introduce authentic Japanese culture. From the traditional (pottery, tea, incense, etc) to the modern (anime, kawaii).”

Market Day in Pula, Croatia

Pula Market, Pula, Croatia

Pula, Croatia is situated at the tip of the Istrian Peninsula facing the Adriatic Sea. On a summer day, the tree-lined Farmer’s Market (Gradska Tržnica Pula) offers respite from the sun and a chance to enjoy some of the wonderful produce from the region. Popular things to try include Istria’s famed prosciutto (Istrian pršut), oilive oils, truffles, and seafood.

Apfelschorle on the Lahn

Lahn River at Marburg

The picturesque town of Marburg is nestled on the banks of the Lahn River about 100 km north of Frankfurt, Germany. While the town centre (dating to the 13th century) is perched atop a steep hill above, today there are numerous cafes along the banks of the river. This recording captures the sounds of people enjoying a cold apfelschorle (apple spritzer) by the river as birds dart around above.

Summer Evening in Vilnius

Evening in Vilnius, Lithuania

Vilnius Town Hall Square (Vilniaus rotušė) has played an important role in the life of Lithuania’s capital for almost six centuries. While it was once the central hub for trade and commerce, today the large pedestian plaza is a popular destination for locals and tourists to gather in the Old Town to have a bite or enjoy a glass of wine. This recording captures people on a leisurely stroll enjoying the lively atmostphere on a warm spring night.

Taking the 11:05 to Kassel

11:05 Train to Kassel

Passengers are chatting on the platform at Bahnhof Gießen as the 11:05 train to Kassel pulls in. It’s a Saturday morning, and people board the train for destinations further north in Land Hessen (the State of Hesse).

Speaking Hakka at Grandma's

Contributed by: Mingjia Liang

What sound transports you to another place? A sound that evokes a powerful emotion?

If I am walking along the road and hear someone speaking Hakka, I strain to listen to their words. This transports me to grandma’s home. I miss grandma. She lives in the countryside, and she’s retired. When I was born, she came to the city where I lived to help my mother raise me. I am very grateful to my grandmother. My grandmother is a Hakka native and speaks the Hakka dialect. So I naturally learned to speak Hakka while living with my grandparents. But I communicate with my parents in Cantonese, and I speak Cantonese or Mandarin with my friends. I live in Foshan, where people mostly speak Cantonese, and few people speak Hakka. When I hear Hakka, I’m transported back to the countryside in Meizhou. I love going to grandma’s hometown for the winter and summer vacation. Here the people are warm and cheerful. They are always willing to share with their neighbors. I’m so lucky to have grown up surrounded by this culture.

Dim sum in Guangzhou

Submitted by Lin He

This recording was made at a busy teahouse in downtown Guangzhou, China. At this time of day, teahouses can be packed, and as you might hear - today was no exception.

In the background you’ll hear people preparing for their meal. One man, looking up from his menu shouts out "Ok, Who likes roast goose? Let me look for it on the menu." After deciding what to order, you hear the clamour of everyone moving around their cups and bowls to rinse them with boiling water. A woman, a non-native speaker of Cantonese asks “Do I need to rinse the plate too?” Her hosts reply that she should.

The Culture of Morning Tea in Guangzhou

In the past, waiters would push carts past the table, and people would select what they like. But nowadays, people are expected to use a menu, and order things by marking boxes by pencil and submitting their order slips. Although the advent of modern dishwashing equipment makes rinsing utensils with water redundant, it remains part of the ritual of starting morning tea. There’s a very particular set of rituals, and people like to follow them to this day.

Morning tea in Guangzhou primarily refers to the food more than the drink, so people say they are going to eat morning tea. Traditionally, this meal can last for the whole morning if people have time to relax and enjoy themselves. It’s a great way to catch up with friends and family, and as you can hear, people are having some lively conversations. Outsiders might ask: “Don't they have to work?” “How can they spend the whole morning drinking tea?” For people in Guangzhou, morning tea is a reflection of the importance of slowing down to enjoy life, and its not something to be rushed…

Dinner on the Bund, Shanghai

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Submitted by: Haishu Sun

This recording was made in a trendy restaurant near the Bund in Shanghai, China. Its a place for young professionalss to grab a quick bite on their way somewhere else, but not the kind of place you’d linger too long. You might say it’s a place that reflects changes in Chinese society; people are busy, and want a quick bite rather than an elabourate meal that takes hours to serve.

Shanghai is a very international city, and it’s packed iwth all kinds of entertainment. Fancy cocktails and nice wines are in high demand, and this restaurant serves both. If you invited some friends to meet here, Chinese custom has it that you - as the host - would be expected to pay of the whole group. It would feel awkward if people started splitting the bill.

Night falls in Huitong, China

Submitted by: Jonathan Shaw

The evening chorus fills the air as night falls on the village of Huitong, in China’s Guangdong Province. Every inch of the steep limestone hills is covered by dense jungle cover, providing habitat for innumberable insect and bird species. Although the hills are relatively quiet for most of the day, as the sun sets we are reminded that the area is teeming with life.

Push-push Men in Bamako, Mali

Submitted by Drissa M Traore

This recording was captured at the market in central Bamako, Mali. Also known as the Pink Market (on account of the colour of the buildings), it’s one of the most lively and vibrant attractions in the city.

People start arriving at the market every morning at 6:00 am to set up their stalls, and they generally stay until 10:00 pm at night. Within an hour or two, the market fills up with customers, and the place gets packed. You can wander down a labyrinth of small alleyways lined with small stalls, and the sights, smells - and especially the sounds - are intense.

In this recording you can hear vendors talking through megaphones to advertise their products, often shouting out the word ‘’Promo!’’. Others clap their hands to attract attention to their wares. Some vendors play the Djembe drum and shout out the names of their products. In the backgound, you can hear the horns of motorcycles. The people walking around with plates on top of their heads or with products in their hands are mostly working for store owners, because many of the shops are located in the back alleys and can be hard to find. In this photo, you can see a man pushing a cart. We call this cart a “push-push”. On any given day you’ll find lots of push-push men offering to help stall and shop-owners transport their goods to and from delivery trucks and warehouses.

Blessing a new house in Jiangxi

Submitted by Shiyi Chen

This soundscape is dominated by the loud, rapid banging of firecrackers outside a home nearing completion in Jiangxi, China. The moment celbrates the installation of an old wooden beam from the house that was demolished to make way for a new home. Although the beam no longer serves a structural purpose, it is considered auspicious to install it in the roof of the new house.

The residents of the house were here to mark the occasion. In China, firecrackers are lit to mark all kinds of occasions, no matter how joyous or sad. In this case, our recording captures a joyful celebration.

New Year's Eve in Seoul, Korea

Submitted by Gyubin Lee

There are several ways Koreans celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Seoul is home to Bosingak, a landmark in Jongno-gu famous for its festive atmosphere this time of year, and that’s where this recording was made.

Each December 31, this place gets crowded with people who travel from all parts of the country to celebrate together. It’s always frigid, but people don’t seem to mind the weather when they’re all gathered to celebrate. As midnight approaches, people get more and more excited for the last moments of the year. Then the countdown begins, and everyone joins in by shouting out in unison. At the stroke of midnight, you hear a roar as everyone starts shouting out greetings to usher in 2021.