The last Wednesday of every month is a "Weird Wednesday" on Absolute Michigan, when Linda Godfrey (also pictured below right) gives you a sample of what's weird in the Wolverine State. You can listen to Linda's latest podcasts and report your own strange encounters at weirdmichigan.com, follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/lindasgodfrey and also check out her books including Weird Michigan & Strange Michigan.
What better way for Finnish (or other) Michiganders to celebrate St. Urho's day on March 16 than to make a solemn pilgrimage to the giant grasshopper of Kaleva? The welded metal sculpture created by students of Lutheran Brethren High School is celebrating its 10th birthday this year, and represents the mythical banishment of grasshoppers from Finland in order to save the grape crop.*
The big hopper can be found in Kaleva's Centennial Park, alongside a Finnish totem pole. While in Kaleva, don't miss the Bottle House built by famed Finn bottler John Makinen in 1941. It stands one block north of Kaleva's downtown on Wuoski Avenue. Makinen died before he could move into the habitable folk art structure, but his family enjoyed living bottoms up for four decades. The Kaleva Historical Society gives tours on summer Saturdays.
Click the grasshopper to see it bigger and also head over to Michigan in Pictures to check out the Michigan Snowhenge!
*If grashoppers should come to your town, seeking your wine grapes, saintuhro.com suggests uttering the phrase: "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen" (roughly translated: "Grasshopper, grasshopper, go to Hell!").
3 Comments
A few years ago I was catching a lot of grasshoppers to use as trout bait. If I saw this one I would be afraid it was coming after me to avenge its little cousins!
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I would make a Correction to the story it the name of the High School is simple Brethren High School part of the KND school system http://knd.k12.mi.us
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According to the late David Carradine, Keye Luke (aka "Master Po") used to say something like "Heinäsirkka, heinäsirkka, mene täältä hiiteen" quite often.
Additionally, this just demonstrates once again how closely Michigan and Minnesota are related in myth and legend. The Arness Brothers from Minnesota---who gained famed as actors James Arness (Gunsmoke, THE THING, THEM) and Peter Graves (Mission Impossible, AIRPLANE, and: http://www.angelfire.com/alt/mst3k/images/end.GIF
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