Follow the Sami Cultural Center through the last ten years of outreach activity with this colorful photographic display. Experience each year with a sampling of the events and people who have made the Center such an important part of the North American Sami experience. For more Center history, see our presentation “Putting Up The Lavvu” at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. 

Practice your Finnish skills!

Come and speak Finnish in a relaxed and informal space! Grab some coffee from the tori, enjoy chatting with others, and learn more about Finnish language resources from Lily Obeda, the University of Minnesota Finnish instructor. From novice to native speaker, everyone is welcome!

Check out our two Nordic Walking vendors at the Tori Nordic Fair and find out when the FREE Nordic Walking tours provided are provided (each morning and afternoon).

What is sisu—and how can it help you lead with purpose, navigate pressure, and grow with grace?

Join us as we watch this Finnposium from May 21st Join us for a recorded Q&A with Dr. E. Elisabet Lahti, author of Gentle Power, as we explore this uniquely Finnish concept that blends inner strength, quiet courage, and enduring resilience. Elisabet will share insights from her research—including her personal journey and epic solo trek across New Zealand as part of her dissertation—and explain how we can cultivate this inner power in both our personal and professional lives.

The Brooks Anderson Peace Walk self guided tour visits sites along the Lakewalk that celebrate Duluth’s peace-making initiatives.

Here is the link to the online tour guide: https://www.duluthmnsistercities.org/brooks-anderson-peace-walk

A presentation of Darien Arikoski-Johnson’s artwork while discussing the influence of his Finnish Heritage.

What does being Finnish have to do with being an artist? Arguably, not a lot. I mean there aren’t an unusually large number of Finnish artists as compared to other cultures. Yet there are parallels that can be drawn between stereotypical Finnish attributes and common traits associated with artists. In this lecture I’ll explore aspects of Finnish culture and how they relate to being an artist, while using my artwork and experience as a backdrop.

Artwork, when done well, reflects on self as well as on aspects of humanity more broadly. For many years my work has asked questions about consciousness, memory, perception, and other aspects of being human. These ideas are embedded in the work, and manifest in clay. Other thoughts about the integration of screens into society and a shift in perceptual experience are reflected in layers of mark making that reside on the ceramic surface of the work. These topics will be discussed, while I also draw connections between being an artist and stereotypical Finnish attributes.

Darien Arikoski-Johnson’s work is recognized internationally through awarded grants, exhibitions, and residencies. In 2012 he was awarded the Emerging Artist Award through NCECA. His work has been featured in various national and international exhibitions and publications. A-Johnson’s work was awarded the Gold Prize in the Korean International Ceramics Biennale 2021 and in 2023 his work was featured in the 62nd Faenza Prize – International Competition of Contemporary Art Ceramics. A-Johnson resides in Atlanta, Georgia and is an Associate Professor at Georgia State University.