Ukrainians in Finland find familiar Midsummer traditions

Ukrainians in Rovaniemi feel at home during Midsummer, as many traditions mirror those in Ukraine, though with local variations, Yle reports.

At a Midsummer event in Rovaniemi, Ukrainian and Finnish national costumes were showcased for the first time. Both cultures share customs like flower wreaths and bonfires, though in Ukraine, couples jump through the flames hand in hand.

Unmarried Ukrainian women weave flower crowns and cast them into rivers, believing the direction they float indicates where a future spouse will come from. They also search for the mythical “magic flower,” said to bloom only once a year, promising luck and love to its finder.

In Odessa, the bonfire is lit by the best athlete, according to Natalia Tsyrtsaki, a Ukrainian resident of Rovaniemi. Roman Vilchyk, originally from Donetsk, recalls childhood summer camps where couples would jump through the fire together, hands clasped. If their grip held, they were said to remain happy as a couple or close friends.

Ivanna Kokki, who has lived in Finland for 15 years, notes that Ukrainian bonfires are typically smaller than Finnish ones. She also observes that Finnish Midsummer celebrations could incorporate more cultural stories, myths, and history. This year’s Rovaniemi event marked the first time national costumes were featured, a tradition she hopes will continue.

Rovaniemi has hosted large Midsummer Eve celebrations for about a decade, drawing thousands of locals and tourists to the Kemijoki riverbank for music, picnics, and traditional sauna whisk crafting.