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The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland
27.02.2024
Vappu (aka May Day) traditions in Kuopio, during the time of the Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY) and the former Student Union of the Union of Kuopio (KYY), has been celebrated in the Market Square, around the Velj’mies statue and its pool on Vappu Eve (30 May) already for 50 years.
At the ISYY’s Vappu Eve’s Pool Event the statue Velj’mies is washed and capped with a Finnish student cap. The Student Union also names a professor ‘Uitettava Proffa’, who will be immersed in the pool of Velj’mies, and two student actives as Velj’mies and Siskotyttö. The professor and student actives are published at the Pool Event. The honorary task of the named student actives is to cap the Velj’mies statue together.
The names Velj’mies and Siskotyttö comes from the statues in the both ends of Kuopio’s Market Hall, which names are the same, Velj’mies an Siskotyttö. The name Velj’mies consists of two parts, Vel’j which means a brother and mies which means a man. Also the name Siskotyttö consists of two parts, Sisko which means a sister and tyttö which means a girl. The tradition to name student actives with these names is problematic, since it is impossible to take diversity into consideration. As a Student Union we want to update our traditions to this date, so that they could be accessible for everyone.
With this name competition we want to include our members to take part in updating this tradition. The winner will receive free tickets to the ISYY Savo-Karjala Excursion before the ticket sale begins!
We want to include our members in updating this tradition and give us ideas for the new names for the student actives, who get to do the capping of Velj’mies statue. The names can be separate or just one name for both. The name idea must be inclusive, so that it could be given to a person despite their other personal features, than being active amongst the members of our Student Union.
We want to keep the tradition to name two persons for the honorary task. The capping of Velj’mies is easier to do together, because of the size of the statue’s head. And of course the memory and the honorary task is fun to share with someone else.
Leave us a name suggestion and your contact info (name, email) with the form linked below by Sunday 24.3.2023.
Google Forms, opens in a new tab: Suggest new name or names for Kuopio’s vappu tradition to name Velj’mies and Siskotyttö
The winner will be elected by the ISYY Executive Board in their meeting in March or April. If we don't get suitable name ideas, ISYY Board can decide to not choose any of the names given within this competition and then decide the new name otherwise.
The winner of the name competition will receive two tickets to the ISYY Savo-Karjala Excursion 29.4.2024. The winner can choose the wanted campus city and select the bus before the ticket sale officially begins.
If we don’t get suitable name ideas and the ISYY Board decides to not choose any of the given names, we will raffle the prize of this competition for those who sent us name ideas within the competition time.
Isyy.fi, opens in a new tab: Privacy Protection
Isyy.fi, opens in a new tab: ISYY’s Vappu Traditions in Kuopio 2024
Isyy.fi, opens in a new tab: Savo-Karjala Excursion Kuopio 2024
Isyy.fi, opens in a new tab: Savo-Karjala Excursion Joensuu 2024
Mirka Nieminen, Chair of the Executive Board, The Student Union of the University of Eastern Finland (ISYY), puheenjohtaja(at)isyy.fi, tel. +358 44 576 8400