The retired teacher Inga-Britt Uusitalo is passionate about the Tornedal minority language Meänkieli.
To reach out with her message, she has created the alter ego “Signe” which runs a humorous chef school with 40,000 followers.
– I love our language, I love our culture and our history, says Uusitalo.
Retired language teacher and native Tornedaway Inga-Britt Uusitalo is passionate about keeping Meänkieli and the Tornedal culture alive. In the Facebook group “Signen Keittokoulu”, she turns traditional recipes with short language lessons and has created a close tape for her followers.
Signe’s chef videos contain everything from Finnstek of pure to baking and coffee moments, nagging for the king visiting Pajala and all this at Meänkieli.
Uusitalo does not obviously see itself as influences, but believes that she shows Tornedalen’s culture to a wide audience.
– Is it called that you are an influencer? Well, then maybe I am, she says.
Language and community
In addition to inspiring others to cook traditional Tornedalsmat, Inga-Britt wants to give new power to those who have lost their native language. Videos are regularly posted in the group, and followers can comment and ask questions. In doing so, she contributes to living language – directly in people’s everyday lives.
– The reindeer lives on green out there in nature, so you don’t need the green in the pot either, says Signe.
She also shows how to drink coffee in a classic way, and at the end of each clip she thanks with a waving, determined to pass on an important cultural and linguistic tradition.
– I love our language, I love our culture and our history, says Uusitalo.