The new Stadin Friidu, Heini Lehtonen, is a senior lecturer and docent in the Finnish language at the University of Helsinki. According to the Stadin Slangi association, Lehtonen’s selection was influenced by her extensive research on young people and language. Lehtonen has focused particularly on the spoken language and linguistic identity of young people in Helsinki who speak different languages and come from different ethnic backgrounds. A central focus in her research has been the multilingual East Helsinki.
Lehtonen has collected her research data by observing how young people use language in various situations, such as at school and during interviews. The association describes Lehtonen’s doctoral dissertation as a linguistically outstanding document that is also an invaluable account of the multi-ethnic and multilingual Helsinki of the early 2000s.
The new Stadin Kundi is Antti Reini, a Helsinki-based actor, author, songwriter and musician who has been involved in numerous projects, including the activities of Stadin Slangi. Reini has written several books, including the novel Kaunis mahdottomuus, which is set in Helsinki and explores the networks of the underworld and the hidden corners of society. In his novel Sunnuntai, Reini paints a darkly humorous portrait of his journey from a rebellious youth on the streets and alleys of Kallio to becoming a versatile artist.
Stadin Slangi has been selecting Stadin Friidu and Stadin Kundi for over 30 years, ever since its founding in 1996.
According to the association, the awards are among the most ‘buli’ (i.e. greatest) honours a resident of Helsinki can receive.
As a local heritage association, the purpose of Stadin Slangi ry is to cherish both Helsinki slang and the spoken language of Helsinki, as to conserve well as the city’s leisure and cultural traditions. To achieve its purpose, the association records and displays slang and organises various events to strengthen the local spirit.