Lyydi Karelia (Russia)

In the number 2/2001 of Alkukoti I found an interesting map chart [alk01] with the living areas and flags of the different Finno-Ugric peoples. Ludes / Ludians (FIN: lyydiläiset LUD: lüüdilaized (?)): Scandinavian cross, blue on red on green. (An image can be found at http://www.tie.to/lyydit/, the web site of the Ludian Society) The flag is very similar to the Vepsian and Karelian ethnic flags, a fact that is not surprising, because all three peoples are very closely related and partly sharing the the same living area (between Petrozavodsk / Petroskoi and Olonets / Aunus) in East Karelia.
Marco Pribilla, 02 Feb 2002

Looks like a mix of the flags for Russian Karelia and Russian East Karelia.
Elias Granqvist, 11 May 2001

• Ethno-linguistic community within the Karelian nation (some linguists consider Lyydi to be just a dialect of Karelian,others see it as a separate language)
• They live in and around the capital of Karelian Republic, Petroskoi (Petrozavodsk).
• All Karelians constitute barely 10% of the population of the Republic of Karelia.
• Lyydi Karelians have their own ethno-cultural organization, Lyydiläinen Seura (Lyydilainen Assembly) to which the following flag and arms are attributed.
• Their leader is Mr. Miikul Pahomov — linguist, poet and writer.

The endangered Ludic language is transitional between Veps and Livvi (latter a.k.a. Southern or Olonets Karelian). There are about 10 000 native Ludes left, only 3000 of which speak the language, i.e., a couple of thousand less than there are Vepsians.
Marco Pribilla, 02 Feb 2002

Lyydi arms is a shield of the arms of Petrozavodsk / Petroskoi.
Chris Kretowicz, 09 May 2001