In Russian jokes, Finns are described as slow and simple. Dmitri Medvedev’s Matti and Pekka joke is part of a long continuum.
ex-president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev The Matti and Pekka tweet shows the archetypes of Russian jokes about Finns.
Emeritus Professor of Russian Arto Mustajoki considers the duo to be a clear extension of Russian jokes about Finns.
He tells the Matti and Pekka joke.
Matti and Pekka are having fun. After an hour of silence, Pekka says that it will probably rain soon. Matti doesn’t knit anything. After four hours, the two go home.
At home, Matti tells his wife that he won’t go fishing with Peka anymore, because he is fooling around all the time.
Fools of few words
According to Arto Mustajoki, the central image of Finnishness is precisely that people are of few words.
– A person of few words is remembered better when he is lively. This is how stereotypes are born.
In Russian jokes, Finns are described as simple and slow fools. Arto Mustajoki thinks that the image of slow Finns goes back to Hämäläs.
– After all, we have different tribes and people are not slow even in Mikkeli, although they might be in Häme.
The Finns in the Russian jokes are also described as overly honest and socially awkward to the point of stupidity.
A joke is also a matter of honor
Arto Mustajoki says that neighbors and superpowers are usually eligible for jokes.
– On the other hand, it’s always an honor to get in on other people’s jokes. It is a sign that the nation means something.
As for Medvedev’s Matti and Pekka joke, Mustajoki points out that it is very harmless compared to the kind of text that comes out of the former president’s mouth these days.
In Russian jokes and anecdotes, for example, Jews are busy trading and narrow-minded. Russians’ favorite jokes are, however, Georgians.
– They are described as people who speak Russian strangely, are long-lived and very sexually active.
Jokes are social capital
The tradition of jokes and anecdotes is long in Russia. It has been of great importance when the nation has had to deal with big and traumatic issues and problems.
During the Soviet era, jokes made fun of the system. Kolkko’s laughter warmed him.
– It’s downright incomprehensible how quickly and widely jokes spread back then, even though there was no information about the internet. They were significant social capital.
In Soviet society, those who knew these jokes were highly valued.
– You just had to look carefully in which club you said them, Mustajoki says.