Oolanin sota [Finnish Crimean war song] [English and Finnish lyrics]

Lyrics: Unknown
Composed by: Unknown
A song about the defence of the Bomarsund fortress on the Åland islands which was destroyed by the British and French during the Crimean war. The song was theorized to have been written by Finnish soldiers in who were placed in captivity after losing the fortress.
Thanks to Foreign Fren for the lyrics and helping me find the song.
Text:
Finnish:
1. Ja se Oolannin sota oli kauhia
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa,
Kun kolmellasadalla laivalla
Seilas engelsmanni Suomemme rannoilla.
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
2. Ja se oli niin komiata katsella
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
Kun engelsmannit seilasivat lahdella
Juuri Oolannin fästingin kohdalla
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
3. Ja sehän oli vihollisen meininki
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
Että ampua murskaks se fästinki
Ja ottaa sen sotaväki vangiksi
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
4. Mutta Suomen poijat ne ampuivat
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
Että fästingin muurit ne kaikuivat
Ja Oolannin rannat ne raikuivat
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Hurraa, hurraa, hurraa
English:
1. And the Åland war was horrible
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
When came with three hundred ships
Sailed the English on our Finland's shores
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
2. And it was so graceful to watch
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
When the English sailed on bay
At Åland's fortress
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
3. And it was the enemy's intention
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
To blow the fortress into pieces
And take the troops as prisoners
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
4. But sons of Finland shot
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah
So that the fortress' walls echoed
And Åland's shores rung
Sunfa-raa, sunfa-raa, sunfa-ralla-lalla-laa
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah

[@buttersstotch7981]

Fun fact about this war:
Royal Navy burned many tar, timber and rope storage houses on Finland´s West coast. Like in town of Oulu.
That material shouldn´t have been there but because Royal Navy completely dominated the Baltic sea and had blockaded Finnish harbors so the cargo ships couldn´t get to the sea.
What is the fun part in this you may ask?
All that material was sold before the war and money was already in Finnish pockets.
And the buyer of all that material was the biggest naval power in the world at the time.

[@vasilykatuma5689]

Thats how "empires" should be treated... and thats why Finland still stands strong, because of fate or not, she doesnt do their bidding... for free

[@o.h2202]

Finland humiliating both Soviet and British empires

[@internetstrangerstrangerofweb]

Imagine spending millions in today’s money and then up and burning it in a war unwittingly.

[@fiskkeranen]

Another funny thing about the tar storages was that the storage houses and the stuff in them was owned by English merchant men so the english goverment had to pay reperations to those merchantmen

[@AmphiStuG]

@@fiskkeranen Ha!
Perkele top!

[@atklm1]

This was a popular song in Finnish elementary school musics class in the 80's and 90's. This was practically sung every time in my class by the request of the students. Because of these lyrics, I thought we won. I wasn't the only one surprised later on in history class to learn that actually we didn't win, but instead... ahem. Sure "our boys fired", but didn't reach British ships. Their naval cannons, however, reached us. Talking about bringing a knife into a swordfight :D

[@kallesirvio2695]

Kokkolassa kyllä voitettiin jopa kaksi kertaa. Engelsmannit yrittivät maihinnousua viidellä soutuveneellä, ja tähän yritykseen vastattiin tulittamalla muutamalla hyljepyssyllä ja kahdella tykillä. Kokkolan keskustassa on vieläkin näytillä yksi sotasaaliiksi saatu maihinnousuvene.

[@atklm1]

@@kallesirvio2695 On luokkaretkelläkin käyty sielläpäin ja nähty. Mutta Krimin sota koski Venäjää, Ranskaa, Britanniaa, Italiaa yms. ja Ahvenanmaalta Mustalle merelle ja Tyynelle valtamerelle ja käytössä oli tuhansittain sotalaivoja, fregatteja jne. ja 650 000 kuoli, että eipä sillä sodan lopputuloksen kannalta juuri ole merkitystä miten käy parille soutuveneelle Kokkolan kaislikossa 😄

[@ralepej]

@@kallesirvio2695 And that is the one of only two of vessels who have been ever captured from the Royal Navy.

[@ralepej]

@Gigachadicus Maximus did I say something which is against to what you said. I just noted simple fact. Also what you told are facts.

[@helios9025]

@@GigachadicusMaximus Literally no one was saying that, quite the opposite. Are you hallucinating?

[@shivmalik9405]

Song : When the Englishman sailed on the bay
Picture: Shows French ships and flags

[@alkfouq8762]

It’s because the attack on Åland was led by France and England.

[@t.t7225]

There was also french ships present

[@planarwombat1528]

Finnish were just so happy that someone bothered to attack them.

[@subrosa7708]

Well. Two great European powers was happy to attack against small island of small Finland...

[@planarwombat1528]

Ok, maybe war wasn't great for everybody. Im just basing this on this song. But it seems like this was fun war compared to Sevastopol

[@alkfouq8762]

@@subrosa7708 and Finland was part of the enormous Russian Empire.

[@onlinecommentator2616]

@@planarwombat1528 The war was respectable and honorable. We all had fun :D

[@KA-jm2cz]

You make fool of yourself.

[@alfiinamelanen8101]

Opiskelen juuri historiaa👍👍👍👍👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌

[@Sauron03503]

Asia selvä siideri

[@lapazet2135]

On kyllä hyvä ku peruskoulun historia loppu viime vuonna eikä siinä kertaakaan mainittu tästä sodasta. En ees tienny siitä että britit on sotinu suomessa enne kuin katoin tän videon

[@jarskil8862]

Nojaa.
Kyllä meillä tästä mainittiin koulussa. Mutta kyseessä oli Suomen suurruhtinaskunta

[@KoteDarasuum]

Kyllähän Krimin sodassa (tai näin paikallisesti sanottuna Oolannin sodasta) varmana aikalailla joka peruskoulun historian kirjoissa on, mutta se on eri asia mitä eri opettajat valitsee tärkeäksi opettaa oppitunneilla.

[@quasicroissant]

olisit ollu hereillä hissantunnilla

[@wadimmaximowvzale]

Ещё и с русскими вместе воевали против англо-французов)))

[@kaappi_peikko6100]

Itsekin jouduin ehdottamaan tätä aihetta opettajalleni ja minun onnekseni hän piti tunnin tästä hurraa hurraa hurraa

[@huominentoivottomuus1315]

I have no idea why I remember this song.

[@carolus7348]

Maybe because it's really catchy?

[@123aresare]

ikivanha muumi peli? :D

[@ville59379]

@@123aresare muumipapan hattu perkele

[@akukorhonen5182]

"Kun kolomella ruosteisella kylypyammeella seilas puliukot sammakkolammella...-...Kyllä Kekkonen kustantaa ja paskantaa". jne.
Ilmeisen piähän jäävä lasten hiekkalaatikkolaulu.

[@kanervatie]

Me laulettiin tätä ala-asteella musiikkitunnilla. :)

[@samiaario8291]

Sunfaraa, sunfaraa, osta lenkkimakkaraa

[@benlovakia5940]

Oolannin perunat

[@sir.maxwell.h4924]

Hahah

[@Juhasante]

Sunfaraa, sunfaraa, osta lenkkimakkaraa, kyllä kekkonen kustantaa

[@henna8281]

Me hoilattiiin tätä täysillä pihalla kiikussa lapsena (80-90 -luvulla) mm. näillä sanoilla: sunfaraa, sunfaraa, osta lenkkimakkaraa, kyllä Kekkonen kustantaa!

[@jounilojander8821]

1853 - 1856 käyty sota ja Oollannin sota käsittää koko Itämerta koskevan taistelualueen! Tämä tunnetaan paremmin Krimin sotana ja päättyi Pariisin rauhaan 1856! Kokkolalaisten ansiosta meillä oli Venäjän vallan alla hieman paremmat oltavat, kuin muilla heidän kansalaisillaan! Kiitoksia kaikille kokkolalaisille!

[@johanjylha455]

Hade aldrig hört denna och bor på åland ,tack!

[@huginmunin8253]

Roligt att du nämnde det, jag läste faktiskt nyss om sången och dem nämnde att den inte är känd på Åland

[@anneliseppanen9105]

Koulussa laulettiin tätä aina kovalla äänellä.

[@w.1.-du9gs]

What the hell are they teching in the schools of Ahvenanmaa? Eternal neutrality?

[@rudde7918]

​@@w.1.-du9gsThis song was not invented by Ålanders, so it's not surprising that they don't know it.

[@oskar7962]

the fun thing is that i live on åland and have been att bormarsund like 100 times

[@janflorian1742]

Ich fiinde es sehr schon und interessant zu horen

[@takpuilo9776]

Is Sunfa-raa something meaningless like lalala?

[@carolus7348]

I think so.

[@takpuilo9776]

Thanks;)

[@huominentoivottomuus1315]

Probaby something Swedish.

[@thebronywiking]

@@huominentoivottomuus1315 That isn't swedish. Hälsningar från Göteborg!

[@thebronywiking]

P.S. I'm for the unification of Norden, and if they want to then Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Scotland are also allowed to join.

[@jaffajake]

So is the word "Engelsmanni". Is that Old Finnish, or is it Swedish back from a time when Finland was a Province of Sweden?
I am learning Finnish and I know that theres worlds like englantilainen, englantilaisen, englantilaiset ect and many more probably, but I've never heard of the word Engelsmanni and it kinda sounds Swedish in decent.
Any help would be much appreciated!

[@pataruutu1]

Old finnish, nationalities ending in -manni are very very rare and you won't find them in normal speech.
There are some other ones too that follow this same naming convention like:
-sakemanni(a german)
-timpermanni(a carpenter)
-normanni(a norse man, viking to be precise)
-oltermanni(the oldest of the village, also a brand of cheese in finland)
-gentlemanni(a gentleman)
-jungmanni(a cabin boy)
So there aren't very many of them and they are not part of your every day vocabulary so i wouldn't stress too much about it.

[@jaffajake]

@@pataruutu1 that's very helpful indeed, thank you very much.

[@roopeheikkinen494]

I think "engelsmanni" means "english man" or something that

[@pataruutu1]

@@roopeheikkinen494 exactly

[@davidibidokun2693]

Engelsmanni is more of a slang today only old use it now days, just know that finns love use slangs for they daily lives, example: Espoon Keskus (center of espoo) is called centti or kepe. Or bus in finnish its bussi but in slang its dösä.
So yeah good luck learning finnish!

[@jh79male]

The lyrics of this song are largely fictional and a Finnish illustration of the War of Åland. During the Crimean War a British-French navy sailed to the Gulf of Finland with an intention to embargo the Russian Empire. The lyrics particularly are inspired by the Battle of Bomarsund at Åland Island, but the real events were quite the opposite as described in this song. The Fortress Bomarsund was stormed, captured and blown up by the British-French troops. 2 000 Finnish soldiers were taken as prisoners of war and sent into captivity in France and England. The original lyrics were not found until the early 2000's - the original lyrics (Åland's War Song) were written by one or more Bomarsund defenders during the captivity in county town Lewes, East Sussex, UK. Fortress Bomarsund is currently in rubble and a tourist attraction.

[@herrakaarme]

It was a legendary war. The English navy sailed all the way to Oulu and burned warehouses full of tar. It just happens the tar was waiting to be shipped to the United Kingdom, and the British merchants had already paid it as well. The locals were thus watching, quite baffled, how the Britons burned their own tar. Although for fairness's sake, there was probably more than just their own included, and they burned other stuff as well.

[@Juubelimies]

@@herrakaarme Pilkka osui omaan nilkkaan kun britit polttivat heidän laivoja varten ostetun tervansa.

[@Ardious]

Original lyrics, imho do not fit the current composition.
1. Ah kuin muistu mielehen, hurraa, hurraa, hurraa,
toi Olandin sota surgia, Jostam tahdon kirjoittaa, sunka fralla
2. Suomen poikia muutamii
vietiin Olandin fästinkii, ja sinne tuli vihollisii
3. Kuin poijat ne lähtiväd sotimaan
Vihollista vastaan ottamaan ja isäns maata varjelemaan
4. Ensi kerran kesäkuus
Sota alkoi angara, josta mä tahdon kirjoittaa
5. Kahden sadan laivan kans
Tulivat Olantin fästingin all, franskalaine ja engetesman
6. Vuored ja laaksod ne kaikuivad
kuin Suomen [poijat] ampuivat, ja vihollista vastaan ottivad
7. Franskalaine ja engelisman
Rupesivad paasin ambumaan, ja fästinkin sisälle stormaamaan
8. Sit käsky se kiiruust annettiin
Ja paasin kovasti ammuttiin ja vihollisii paljon surmattiin
9. Woi surkia voi kauhia
vihollisen kuolemaa, kuin Suomen [poijat] surmasit
10. Waan mitäs auttoi poikien
Kuin franskalainen ja engellesman Stormasi monen tuhannen kans
11. Sit poijat ne kovin vihastui
Kuin armo flagu nostettiin, ja viholliselle portit aukaistiin
12. Poijat ne olivat kiukkuisii
Stusarins ja hukarins maahan kaikki paiskasit
13. Kuudestoista päivä elokuusa
Fangiksi otti engelisman, ja poies kuljetti laivan kans
14. Sit poikia poies kuljetettiin
Masinan kanssa Englantiin Levesin kaupunkiin arestiin
15. Siell olivat poijat arestis
Vuosi ja kahdeksan kuukautta Englantin kuningan hallussa
16. Sit käsky se tuli keisarilt
Että päästää poijat arestist ja isänsä maahan takaisin
17. Sit poijat ne hurras ja huusivat
Kuin Levesin kaupungist läksivät ja tulivaunui[hi]n astuivat
18. Ja poijat ne lauloivat lähteissä
Että Englantin valtakunta ihana tääl, mut isämme maa on ihanampi viel

[@quasicroissant]

Skirmish of Halkokari never forget, kiitos 1854-1856

[@damiengates7581]

@@Ardious it can be fitted

[@britishgrenadier2800]

Reminds me of “Es War ein Edelweiß” a German song

[@karelkappers1181]

I was already wondering why it sounded as familiar to me. Thanks!

[@vesasalminen]

Mun perus kouluni suosikki kappale :)

[@SocialistFinn1]

Millonka tätä on laulettu peruskouluissa? Ite en muista että olisi laulettu

[@BasedForever0]

@@SocialistFinn1 Opetettiin mun kouluaikoina.

[@KoteDarasuum]

@@SocialistFinn1 opetettiin meillekkiin kouluissa kun olin alakoulussa ja oli vain noin 10 vuotta sitten.

[@Juubelimies]

@@SocialistFinn1 13 vuotta sitten laulettiin meidän ala-asteella (Oulussa)

[@roopeheikkinen494]

No nykyään sotaki o kielletty sana

[@takpuilo9776]

great work as always! May I ask what is the application used for making the video? ;)

[@carolus7348]

Hitfilms.

[@takpuilo9776]

@@carolus7348 Thanks a lot;):)

[@grauwolf1604]

This question is not allowed.

[@maalari]

Оказывается финны одерживали самые блестящие победы в составе Российской империи.

[@wadimmaximowvzale]

Не совсем , но нередко

[@VikingTeddy]

Tämä on siistitty versio josta on poistettu Bomarsundin tuho, ja vankien kuljetus Lewesiin englantiin.

[@jaroslawparzych4719]

Brawo. Super fajne extra lux piękne. Brawo bravo super Finowie

[@znoochy]

Ey, a war song about my home "nation"!

[@oddjonsson2815]

Finns det någon inspelad version på svenska månntro?

[@znoochy]

@@oddjonsson2815 Jag vill dessvärre tvivla. Vore häftigt faktiskt!

[@finnicpatriot6399]

Ew

[@oddjonsson2815]

@@finnicpatriot6399 originalet är på svenska (precis som er nationalsång😉), då samtliga av försvararna vid Bomarsund var svenskspråkiga.

[@znoochy]

@@oddjonsson2815 Det var som tusan, finns versionen på UA-cam? :)

[@maxmartinez5483]

sunfaraa sunfaraa osta lenkimakkaraa, kyllä valtio kustantaa!

[@roopeheikkinen494]

Tätä hyräilen aina hissan tunnilla

[@eln5343]

Kuunnellako tämä uudestaan vai lukeako Alastalon salissa... 🤔

[@truewarrior2261]

Mukava

[@zeroburbyt6426]

Ålandin sota oli kauhua

[@otsogronberg6193]

Muuten hyvin kirjoitettu noi Suomen tekstit mutta siinä lukee että "fangiksi" vaikka ne sanoopi "vangiksi"

[@59Lemony]

Vanha sanamuoto ruotsinkielestä. Fängelse = Vankila

[@otsogronberg6193]

@@59Lemony ok kiitos👍

[@gustavramstrom736]

Det finns väl en svensk version? Kan du ladda upp den?

[@gustavramstrom736]

@@eemil.894 Jag har hittat den svenska versionen på Wikipedia, kallad "Det Ålandska kriget". sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slaget_vid_Bomarsund

[@mitah4]

suomiperkele

[@DeltaSilver88]

There's a parody version of this in a school jokebook.
"And the War of Åland was a terrible one,
Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah~
When with three-hundred tin cans
The hobos sailed in a pond of frogs~
Sumpharah, sumpharah, buy some sausage
Kekkonen will pay for it all~"

[@osku4420]

Oi kallis suomenmaa?

[@roopeheikkinen494]

Tämähän on Oolannin sota
This is Ålond war

[@osku4420]

@@roopeheikkinen494 nii mut seuraavaks

[@roopeheikkinen494]

@@osku4420 miten nii seuraava?

[@osku4420]

@@roopeheikkinen494 ehotus Seuraavaks.

[@roopeheikkinen494]

@@osku4420 no entä sitte jos on

[@wadimmaximowvzale]

Ураааа

[@mihanich]

So is this song about Finns fighting for the Russian empire? I usually heard anti-russian songs

[@rudde7918]

This is about the Crimean War in the 1850s, when the English fleet attacked Finland, which was at that time a part of the Russian Empire.

[@Ruhtinas84]

​@@Mysteres78979 Anti Russian tendencies grew every time when Russian emperors were trying Russification of Finland. Lots of the hate dates back to times of Isoviha ( "Big hate", Russian occupation of Finland 1713-1721) and Pikkuviha ( "Little hate" Russian occupation 1742-1743 ) and what Russians did during those times.
Also later:
" The policy of Russification of Finland (Finnish: sortokaudet/sortovuodet - times/years of oppression) was a governmental policy of the Russian Empire aimed at limiting the special status of the Grand Duchy of Finland and possibly the termination of its political autonomy and cultural uniqueness in 1899-1905 and in 1908-1917. It was a part of a larger policy of Russification pursued by late 19th-early 20th century Russian governments which tried to abolish cultural and administrative autonomy of non-Russian minorities within the empire. "
These had nothing to do with communism, socialism or Soviet Union. Actually most Finns saw Soviet Union just as Russian imperialism and oppression with new name. Mannerheim is a bad example, because he was an exception. He was an officer in Russian imperial army and that "honor code" of a soldier made him respect Nicholas. Majority of Finns didn't feel that way. In fact, White guards and especially Jägers ( who trained in Germany to get rid of Russian oppression 1915-1918 ) didn't trust him at first. He was seen as "russian officer". He gained their trust and respect in later battles.
General "memory rule" taught in Finnish schools is usually that tsars who were named Nicholas were bad ( russification ) and Alexanders were good ( more liberty, autonomous Finland).

[@Mysteres78979]

@@Ruhtinas84 Fair enough.
Alot of facts that proved me once more, that I missjudged things. Will delete my post then.

[@johnislander7956]

@@Ruhtinas84 Actually Nicholas I was a good tsar for the Finns. He is known to have warned his governors not to upset the Finns because "they are the only people in my empire that do not cause me trouble"

[@moisuomi]

@@johnislander7956 True, but Nicholas II was probably the worst to us.

[@vapaus831]

1:52 Jack's the lad (hornpipe)

[@janihorkko9720]

Eiks tos ny frankkien liput miks ei kait brittei tollon auttanu?

[@SavolaxMitsu]

Ranska ja Britit olivat tuolloin yhdessä turkkilaisten kanssa sodassa Venäjää vastaa ja oli juurikin ranskalais-britti laivasto joka riehui itämerellä.

[@Mirska_]

A crimean war song? This song talks about Åland aka Ahvenanmaa. Idunno man

[@huginmunin8253]

Finland was a part of Russian empire

[@planarwombat1528]

It was backside of crimean war. That is why finnish we so happy to see english ships attacking.

[@huginmunin8253]

@@planarwombat1528 finnish people happy to see the brittish?

[@ivankratz9643]

@@huginmunin8253 No

[@huginmunin8253]

@@ivankratz9643 which of my comments do you say no to?

[@qwineth]

I like the ambiguity of this - we have always difficulties in coming into terms with a war against England, of all countries, like what is that? :)

[@jounilojander8821]

No that money thing wasn't funnist thing! Kokkola is one place there British lost one boat and some officers and crew! Locals got cossacs from Vaasa to help stop the raid! So British was ambushed and this event lately gave Finns some freedoms!

[@marmeladi2434]

Kuunneltiin tätä historian tunnilla

[@moisuomi]

Well as long as they are Swedes they are taking prisoner 😂

[@aleksanterikaansalo]

Финско-крымская? Я понимаю, что наш этнос дошёл минимум до Венгрии, но чтобы в таком виде....извольте-с.

[@opgt2276]

Ryssä

[@aleksanterikaansalo]

@Kuso Ingrian

[@aleksanterikaansalo]

@KusoFor a couple of years i've been investigating the inner characteristics of Savo-tribe and the difference between this "kansa" and other finnish types. The most interesting stuff is that i've found too many similar things between "suomen savakot" and "inkerinsuomen" ones. I've researched lots of materials:
1. What other finns say about Savo-type and how they display it in humoristic TV shows.
2. How russian scientists of 19th century described that type comparing with Häme-type and Karelians.
3. Even compared characteristics of Nightwish mates (Mr. Hietala is from Pohjos Savo, while the root members are from Northern Karelia)
It's very interesting stuff that i'm totally from Russia (even from USSR a bit) but there's no large difference if to look inside people (for sure we have different breeding).
Btw, karelians are a bit softer and more emotional than me. I like them anyway coz they are still rather rational people than not but i have a three years expirience of dealing with a guy from Latvia - cold, hard....like i like. Not that troll unfortunately but he understands "kieroin" trolling anyway.

[@presidentforlife1732]

@@aleksanterikaansalo yeah, many Savonians and Tavastians went to Ingria, there were also the Finnic Izhorians before them

[@wadimmaximowvzale]

@@opgt2276" Suomen Untermensch" maybe? You know about historical "relationship" with nazi und suomen people? For nazi finnish is second quality of people, you like this, yep?

[@TylerDurden_506]

Paska biisi.

[@askuboi1108]

ei

[@TylerDurden_506]

@@askuboi1108 : syvältä perseestä.

[@Prinssi1]

aika gay