In the rural region of North Karelia in eastern Finland, there is an island called n-word in Finnish. Yes, you heard right: n-word, according to Journalisti, a publication of the Union of Journalists of Finland.
But that’s not all.
In Finland, the n-word is inappropriate and racist. The island in North Karelia is not the only example of the n-word in Finnish geography.
The offensive word explains why the Union of Journalists North Karelia (PKJY), which owns the small island, applied to the Institute of Languages of Finland (Kotus) to change the name to Uutiseksi (News).
The proposal by PKJY, which approve the name change at a board meeting earlier this year, turned to Kotus but its request was turned down.
“Even if the n-word is used in a derogatory [and racist] manner today, the name cannot be changed because it makes some feel uncomfortable,” Kotus said in a statement.
Somebody should enlighten Kotus that the usage of the n-word today is racist and offensive, “not uncomfortable.”
The decision by Kotus is a good indication of how Finland deals with racism, or how it does nothing substantial to challenge it.
The island derives its name from lehtin-word, which was what some called journalists and people working for the media in the 1980s.