The Lotus Arts and Education Foundation from Bloomington, Indiana brings music and the talents of many artist from all around the world to our local communities and schools. The Lotus Foundation was established in 1994 and is named in part to honor Indiana musician Quinten Lotus Dickey. The mission of Lotus is “to create opportunities to experience, celebrate, and explore the diversity of the world’s cultures through music and the arts.”

Over the past 22 years that I have taught in the North Lawrence Community Schools, the staff, the students, and I have enjoyed hearing and seeing the many wonderful artists that Lotus has sponsored and brought to our schools. The world is brought to our doorstep, which is such a remarkable thing! Many of our students don’t get far from Bedford or southern Indiana. It is a rare privilege for them to meet people from a distant place in the world and hear about their culture, lifestyles and music. It is such a wonderful way to broaden the horizons of our students and let them see that people are people, no matter what part of the world they are from!

Last week on a very snowy day, a quartet of lovely ladies from Finland came to sing at Lincoln Elementary School. The name of the group is Kardemimmit which they told us means “Spice Girls”.  Maija Pokela, Juitta Rahmel, Anna Wegelius, and Leenin Wegelius are the members of Kardemimmit, and they have been singing together since 1999. The girls first started playing the Finnish national instrument – the kantele, which is similar to a dulcimer or zither.

Kardemimmit came to Bloomington in 2013 and again in 2015 to participate in the Lotus Blossom Festival. They have toured in the USA four times in about 15 of the states. The girls have also toured in Japan and several places in Europe, which is closer to their home in Finland.

Their music includes beautiful four part harmonies featuring many of their own compositions in a contemporary Finnish folk style – runo and reki songs. All four girls play the kantele and use both the 15 string and 38 string kantele to accompany their singing. They have released four albums to date!

Trojan Radio show/podcast “What’s Up Lincoln” was fortunate to have an interview session with two of the performers of Kardemimmit – Maija and Leenin.  The Lincoln podcast group enjoyed asking various questions about their music, touring schedule and Finland.  This is our second podcast posted on the Lincoln Elementary Schools’ Website under – Student – Trojan Radio.  Please go to the Lincoln website and listen to our podcasts!

Please also check out Kardamimmit’s videos at their YouTube channel or listen to their music on Soundcloud.

We are very grateful to Lotus Arts and Foundation for connecting Bedford, Indiana and Finland through music. Thank you Lotus Foundation and to Kardemimmit for sharing your music with our Lincoln Elementary School!

“Music is the greatest communication in the world. Even if people don’t understand the language that you’re singing in, they still know good music when they hear it”.

-Lou Rawls