The differences between an ordinary wooden cup and a traditional Finnish kuksa

1. The salty taste of the first uses

During the last stage of production, the kuksa are boiled for 6 to 8 hours in salted water to improve their longevity.

Thus, this salty taste is present during the first uses.

Moreover, when a kuksa is produced and not used for a long period of time, it can dry out and cause small salt crystals to appear on the wood.

This salty taste can be disturbing at first, but is easily eliminated by using the cup and cleaning it with mild soap.

It is also one of the few things that can really tell you the authenticity of your kuksa.

2. The wood used

The authentic material of a kuksa is the "pahka" in Finnish or birch burl. It is an outgrowth of the tree that is found on the trunk or branches.

This is the traditional material. It is also a strong and durable wood.

3. The wood patterns of the cup

Wood often shows circular marks, as we frequently see, but they are not always perfect circles; they can also be random shapes.

4. The method of manufacture of the cup

In the past, kuksa were:

• Handmade
• A difficult, very manual job
• Very time-consuming to cut
• Required a lot of raw materials. Consequently, a lot of wood was wasted.

Nowadays, kuksa:

• Are sometimes made with machines
• Require less raw material thanks to machines

Machine-made kuksa lose some authenticity compared to traditional Sami handmade kuksa.

However, it remains a symbol of Sami culture.

5. The maker's signature is often on the bottom of the cup

Some Kuksas are signed by the maker on the bottom of the cup. This is not necessarily a guarantee of quality, but it can be a sign of authenticity.

6. The colour of the cup

The colour of a wooden cup can help you to recognise whether it is a genuine kuksa or not.

However, this is not the only thing you should look for.

The colour of the wood of a kuksa can vary greatly.

Indeed, the colour of the wood sometimes changes with the seasons.

1. If your cup is a very light beige or brown colour, this is often a bad sign.
2. A medium or dark brown colour is a more reassuring choice.

You can see in the picture below the difference between a wooden cup made in China (top) and a traditional kuksa handmade by a Finnish artisan (bottom).