Six streets in Helsinki get Arabic name signs
Groups want to display "beauty of Arabic culture"
Six streets in Helsinki have been given Arabic language name signs in addition to the present Finnish and Swedish names.
A group of sign artists aged 20 - 60, calling themselves the Rauhankatu ("Peace Street") group, say that one of the purposes of the move is to draw attention to the beauty of Arabic culture.
"The culture is not seen in Finland, and if it is, it is always in a negative context", explains one of the members of the group, noting that when news reports quote material from the al-Jazeera television channel, the focus is usually on bomb attacks, terrorism, or other types of violence.
"We wanted to bring Arabic-language culture forward in a positive sense."
Arabic-language signs were made for the streets Arabiankatu ("Arabia Street" - named after the Helsinki district of Arabia), Rauhankatu ("Peace Street"), Mustankivenkatu ("Black Rock Street"), Kolmas linja, and Sitratori, as well as for Silkkitie ("Silk Road"). A sign was also made for Muukalaiskatu ("Alien Street"), but the tape gave way and it fell off early.
Sitratori ("Zither street") proved to be something of a blunder. "We thought that it was an Indian instrument. Only later did we find out that it is Austrian. Apparently someone confused a zither with a sitar."
The Rauhankatu group emphasises that their stunt has nothing to do with the cartoon conflict that is currently making waves in the Islamic world. The idea of the multicultural group emerged already last year, well before the uproar. The street sign project is a statement against the numbing of everyday life.
Some of the members of the group have been involved in the production of street art before. They wanted to remain anonymous, fearing that their unauthorised action might lead to arrest and a fine.
Members of the group do not want to be linked with unauthorised graffiti or other vandalism.
"It is fun to experience surprises on the street. A familiar environment opens up in a new way. We are numbed in our everyday environments, and no longer understand the meanings of the names of streets, for instance."
"With Vuorikatu ("Mountain Street") we rarely think that there really is a hill here. Silkkitie ("Silk Road") was a famous trading route to China. It was fun to see it in an Arabic version in a Finnish residential area in Rajakylä."
The members of the group plan to dismantle the signs in two weeks' time. However, they suspect that someone else might do it before that.
Helsingin Sanomat
