gnome kids playing tug-of-war

December 16, 2005 9:01 PM

Help me identify the location of this photo. So far I know it's in Finland, and it's an annual traditional event. It's a photo of 6 kids dressed as gnomes, taking part if a tug-of-war.

posted by MiG to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

I am from Finland but have never heard of such a thing. I tried googling the Finnish language sites but didn't come across anything. Tug-of-wars can certainly form part of regional festivals as in other parts of the world and the children do look Finnish although they might be Swedish as well judging from the scenery as well. If it is really important I might think hard about where to ask this but nothing really comes to mind now.
posted by keijo at 10:25 PM on December 16, 2005

Please tell us everything you know about the picture, any details might help. What is the original filename of the image and would it be possible to see a higher resolution version. I do not recognize the outfits nor do I know of any festivities involving gnomes in a tug-of-war, but perhaps we could at least help find some information.
posted by fred_ashmore at 11:17 PM on December 16, 2005

Yeah, tell us something you know about the issue, there must be a reason for asking. Actually, on reflection, those costumes do not look like something to be used in Finland but I may be wrong.
posted by keijo at 12:25 AM on December 17, 2005

Or if you know for certain it is from Finland I guess that's right. Just struck me a bit out of place. I don't know why. Perhaps because the people behind are dressed very ordinarily and seemingly for typically bad summer weather.
posted by keijo at 12:30 AM on December 17, 2005

You might also try putting this on flickr for example and posting the question on a Finnish Usenet board. They are of the from sfnet.* but email me if you want me to pick which one to use if I don't check the thread for a while.
posted by keijo at 12:33 AM on December 17, 2005

Ok, what I know so far:

Original image is from here:

http://img488.imageshack.us/img488/1452/nowayjose5kv.jpg

It is part of a "where is this?" contest. I'm supposed to try and figure out the location (city, for example).

So far all I know is that it is a traditional annual event, and that it is in Finland.

Are these kids dressed as gnomes? Is there any significance to that?
posted by MiG at 9:18 AM on December 17, 2005

I can't really tell you anything new. What kind of puzzles me is that these kids aren't really dressed in any traditional Finnish folklore-type costume, I've never seen this. Which makes me wonder if it's some kind of convention with something to do with a fantasy book or whatever that I don't know about. Weird. Sorry but at the moment I can't really help you out any more.
posted by keijo at 11:22 AM on December 17, 2005

It is part of a "where is this?" contest. I'm supposed to try and figure out the location (city, for example).

Isn't asking mefi cheating?

Well, anyways, my best guess so far is the annual Metsäkansan Karkelot summer festival in Juva. Their website does not contain this picture or any picture of green pointyhatted gnomes, but their logo design does have gnomes with green pointyhats and a tug-of-war is just the kind of thing they would do there. You might want to e-mail them with the picture and ask if it looks like it's from their event.
posted by fred_ashmore at 11:24 AM on December 17, 2005

Yes, asking mefi is definitely cheating!

Thanks for your help guys.

I just thought I'd put the photo here in case anybody recognized it.
posted by MiG at 11:37 AM on December 17, 2005

There is a large kid's festival in Finland called Hippalot, which - according to Finland Festivals is "Finland's biggest and longest running cultural festival for children", and includes dress up and other activities. It takes place in Hämeenlinna, aka Häme Castle.

The Finland Festivals site lists some of the other big events for kids as well, including the Vekara-Varkaus Children's Summer Festival.
posted by gemmy at 12:29 PM on December 17, 2005

The thing is, apart from the outfits, it doesn't look like a cultural festival. There seems to be a corridor marked with white strings behind the people. It might be part of a course of some sort of competition. The high pole on the background has lights pointing away from the camera and speakers, the other pole also has some sort of equipment attached and the structure on the right could be the back of some bleachers. All this would indicate that this event is happening on a sporting arena of some sort. Also, apart from the 9 gnomes and the toddler in the stroller, there are no kids in the picture so it's hard to say whether it's a children's event or just something else.

Naturally, it is entirely possible that this is just a very small event. MiG: Are the other images in the contest from places that one could conceivably recognize?
posted by fred_ashmore at 2:06 PM on December 17, 2005