Heikki Lunta - Myth or fiction

Hancock, Michigan disc jockey Dave Ruitta created the mythical Finnish Snow God on a record in 1970. The area lacked for snow for a South Range Snowmobile Club race and Ruitta wrote "The Heikki Lunta Snow Dance Song" and the record was played over and over until it snowed and the snowmobile race took place. (Some folks claim it snowed too much and the only race that took place was a bunch of kids using cardboard boxes on a hillside.)

When residents of Michigan's Upper Peninsula (Yooperland) have a need for snow, they pray to Heikki to make it snow, sometimes holding festivals merrily singing the Finnish Snow Dance song. The name Heikki was translated from Country Music's Hall of Famer Hank Snow's name. The Finnish to English translation of Heikki is Henry or Hank. When the area had too much snow, the flip side of the record, "Heikki Lunta Go Away" was played.

There are those who believe that Heikki Lunta is not a mythical character and who's to argue? Would perfectly sane people pray to a Snow God that doesn't exist? I think not.

Dat Snow Page for da Houghton County weather conditions for skiing and snowmobiling.