Celebrating the sauna

Scandinavian Review, Autumn 2002 by Elman, Leslie Gilbert

There does not seem to be a definitive reason why the Finns have taken up the cause of promoting sauna to the world. Certainly saunas by other names-the Native American sweat lodge, the Roman and Turkish baths and the Mexican temascal, among others-have existed for centuries.

It is clear, however, that the sauna is more an integral part of daily life in Finland than it is in other parts of the world. The sauna in Finland knows no economic boundaries. Indeed, saunas exist in most Finnish housing projects and even in some prisons. Saunas are used equally by men and women, in the city and in the country, for stress relief and for socializing. For many Finns, the sauna is perhaps the ultimate representation of what it means to be from Finland. Perhaps that's reason enough to want to share it with the world.

For more information about the Finnish Sauna Society visit www.sauna.fi. To arrange a visit to the Finnish Sauna Society, call +358 (0) 9 6860 560. For information about the American Sauna Association visit www.americansaunaassociation.org or contact Beatriz Kuzara at bkuzara@americansaunaassociation.org

Freelance journalist Leslie Gilbert Elman has written about Roskilde Cathedral, Arne Jacobsen and Keiko the orca for Scandinavian Review.