Savonian people

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Savonians are Finnish people descending from the inhabitants of historical province of Savonia. Savonians differ from other Finnish tribes by their dialect (see Savonian dialects) and cultural tradition. Originally they are descendants of the historical Finnish Karelians and the Tavastians. Nowadays the historical homeland of the Savonians is divided between the provinces of Northern Savonia and Southern Savonia. The regional identity of Savonians, like that of the other traditional Finnish "tribes", is declining. Savonians were the first people in Finland who started to use surnames.