CILU LU Radio, Thunder Bay, on Produced by Pirjohirvonen Ulkonainen

CILU – LU Radio, Thunder Bay, ON – Produced by PirjoHirvonen – “Ulkonainen”

Biography and Program Description for NCRA Third Language Award

Biography

PirjoHirvonen is the volunteer host of Ulkonainen, LU Radio’s long running Finnish language program. She is the main contributor, but she also receives help from four assistants.

Born and raised in Finland, PirjoHirvonen moved to Thunder Bay in 1984. She has since worked in Finnish-Canadian media, volunteered at multiple local Finnish cable TV shows and worked for Toronto-based Finnish-language newspaper Vapaa Sana and Thunder Bay’s CanadanUutiset until 2006. She also enjoyssinging in local choirs.

Pirjo’s assistants are TimoUotila, Dr. RistoLaitila, and LasseFinska, who contribute from Finland, and LiisaLahtinen of Thunder Bay.

Program Description

Thunder Bay’s large Finnish community makes CILU the perfect home for Ulkonainen (“woman outside Finland”), one of the only Finnish-language radio shows produced outside of Finland. Since 2006, Ulkonainen has been broadcast every Saturday from 7:00-9:00am (ET) and rebroadcast Sundays from 1:00-3:00pm on CILU 102.7fm and online at luradio.ca.

Each week, host PirjoHirvonen gives insight into Finnish food, customs, holidays and history. Music is also an important part of the show, and the music featured varies from old religious Finnish folk tunes to modern Finnish hip-hop and everything in between.

In the eight years Ulkonainen has been on the air,dozens of important Finnish figures have made appearances, includingformer president of Finland TarjaHalonen, famous singer/composer JukkaKuoppamaki, actors Elena Leeve and JuusiNikkila, and journalist Anna Berghall.

However, Pirjo’s focus is on ordinary people in the local Finnish community. Many of her interviewees discuss their reasons for moving to Canada and the struggles and victories they’ve had along the way.

Pirjo’s assistants make regular appearances on the show. Every two weeks, TimoUotila sends an 8-10 minute report on current Finnish news from Finland. Dr. RistoLaitila, a doctor in Finlandfamous for his television advice show, answers health questions for a few minutes each episode. LasseFinska interviews Finnish performers who have some kind of connection to Canada – either they have toured in Canada or they have relatives here. Once a month, LiisaLahtinen from Thunder Bay plays religious folk songs and explains their origins.

Ulkonainen’smany supporters come through every year during LU Radio’s Fund Drive, with donations from Ulkonainen listeners coming in from local Finnish individuals, businesses and organizations, and even from listeners in Finland.

Through Ulkonainen, LU Radio is well known in the local Finnish community. Not only has the show influenced Thunder Bay’s cultural landscape, but LU Radio has gained many loyal listeners thanks to Ulkonainen.