Paper short abstract:

In 19th Century Finland common people's oral culture was important source for national identity. To construct this identity it was necessary to transform unique oral performances into literary presentations. This raised questions of authenticity of folk lore publications but was also seen as an instrumental addition to national body and spirit.

Paper long abstract:

In the nineteenth-century historicity and fascination on national identity demanded knowledge about nation's history and culture. In Finland oral poetry performed by common people was considered an important source of unique national character. The romantic belief presupposed that oral culture was the most authentic and original source for Finnish language and past. Correspondingly it was thought to be a chance to develop modern literary culture in Finnish language.

This was contradictory since the oral presentation of folk poetry was a unique bodily performance formed in an assemblage of the performer, audience and surrounding material conditions. Collecting these songs first to manuscripts, drastically editing them and finally publishing them was a process that transformed the folk poetry to a new material form very different from the original. Printed word could not vary in same manner as the live performance.

This process created a body of written works which in a particular manner functioned as an organ of the nation's body politic. Nation as a collective subject transcending individuals was typical metaphor in early Nineteenth Century, often making division between the body (e.g. the territory) and the spirit (e.g. the language) of the nation. Oral culture transformed into printed form was not only an addition to the spirit but acted also as a material organ in the collective subject's body. The printed folk poetry was perceived as an authentic presentation and was defined as an instrumental addition to both the body and spirit of nation.