Sisu

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Sisu is a Finnish term that could be roughly translated into English as strength of will, determination, perseverance, and acting rationally in the face of adversity. The equivalent in English is "to have guts", and indeed, the word derives from sisus, which means something inner or interior. However, sisu has a long-term element in it; it is not momentary courage, but the ability to sustain the same. To anthropologists, it is an appropriate invention for a cold northern land, dotted by thousands of lakes, and long under threat of being overwhelmed, militarily, linguistically and otherwise, by more powerful neighbours. Similar concepts exist among other cold-weather peoples, such as the Inuit and Chukchi.

Due to its cultural significance, Sisu is a common element of brand names in Finland. For example, there are Sisu trucks (and armored vehicles), a brand of strong-tasting candy manufactured by Leaf and a metapolitical nationalist organisation Suomen Sisu. Sisu is also the name of a mountain discovered by mountain climber Veikka Gustafsson in the Antarctic.

The term is commonly used in everyday speech to describe stoic toughness. It is widely understood in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which is home to a large concentration of Finnish-Americans. For instance: Even after cutting his hand open and getting 12 stitches, he didn't shed a tear. Wow! He's got sisu! By analogy, the term has picked up new meanings. Depending on context, "sisu" can refer to spunk, attitude, self-confidence, and so on. However, sisu is not bravery, nor strength, and needs to be distinguished from courage, especially when talking about the military. In contrast, sisu is an ability to finish the task and get things done, as defined by Roman Schatz in his book From Finland with Love (2005). Usually sisu means will and decisiveness to get the things done against impossible odds, or to succeed when given the chinaman's chance.

Sisu can be either good or bad, but the usual meaning is good. Bad sisu (Finnish paha sisu) means malice combined with ruthlessness and implacability: it means relentless strive for mischief, persecution and vengeance. It is in a sense the mirror image of good sisu. The verb sisuuntua refers to getting angry, but with an element of determination and even being unforgiving. The idiom meni sisu kaulaan "the sisu went to the neck" returns to the original meaning, "innards"; "get a lump in one's throat", as in become too intimidated to act.

In Finland, there's a well-known saying that the Finnish culture can be condensed in three S's: "sisu, sauna and Sibelius". Or, alternatively, "sisu, sauna and salmiakki." (The Finnish word for Finland, Suomi, also starts with an S).

Other uses

Foreign users of the term include Sisu, a Canadian company that makes vitamin and mineral supplements; SISU, the educational association of the Swedish National Sports Confederation; and Sisu Medical Solutions, an American non-profit company providing IT support.

As an abbreviation, SISU may refer to Shanghai International Studies University. Also, the Belgian Red Cross has a "Sisu" service which provides psychosocial emergency assistance in critical events (fire, explosions, floods, catastrophes & disasters); in that context the acronym "Sisu" stands for Service Intervention Sociale Urgente.

External link

• Washington Post: The Finnish Line, about Finnish fortitude and resilience