Suomessiin

Suomessiin is a historical term used in Finland, particularly during the country's prostestantization in the 17th century. The term literally translates to "Fins to Finland" or "Finland to the Finns" and describes the movement of Finnish-speaking people from the surrounding areas of Sweden and Norway into the fertile lowlands of southern Finland, particularly along the shores of the Gulf of Finland.

This movement, which began in the 1610s and continued throughout the 17th century, was largely driven by the Swedish government's policies of colonization. The government encouraged Finnish-speaking settlers to move to the southern regions of Finland in order to establish new agricultural communities and alleviate the pressure on the existing population in the north. Many of these new settlers were attracted by the fertile soil and the promise of economic opportunities in the area.

The Suomessiin movement had a significant impact on the demographic and cultural landscape of southern Finland. The influx of new Finnish-speaking settlers helped to shape the region's agricultural practices, customs, and language patterns. Many of the old Swedish-speaking communities in the area eventually assimilated into the Finnish-speaking majority, while others maintained their cultural identity in the face of the growing Finnish influence.

Today, the legacy of the Suomessiin movement is still visible in the cultural and linguistic diversity of southern Finland, where Finnish-speaking and Swedish-speaking communities continue to coexist.