On Getting Hot and Getting Cold

Sauna, pirtis, pirts, banya, gyógyfürdő, jimjilbang, phòng xông hơi, hammam, snana, temazcal, inípi, and onsen — all words that somehow end up (a lot of times) translated or spoken of as “sauna” in English.

And yet the mistranslation of these words is actually a larger erasure of bathing culture at large.

As the recent explosion of “bio-hacking” our way to a better version of ourselves continues in the United States, we are seeing headlines, influencers, and many more try to digest (and usually sell) the benefits of sauna. Everywhere you look, that word appears.

Sauna this and sauna that, and yet when we only use that word, we are ignoring so many other practices of sweat bathing, leisure, religion, relaxation, pleasure, and public health.

It is not surprising that the United States has focused on or tried to imitate the most Eurocentric and white version of bathing: sauna. Sauna (a Finnish word) is a specifically Baltic-based bathing practice that includes a cabin-like structure, heated rocks, fire, and steam.

This white-washing of culture dates back to colonialism and obviously has roots in white supremacy and overall ignorance of Global South practices, as well as Native practices within America itself.

And just like “America” has done many times by flattening or thinning something out that actually has much more fat and many more rolls within its structure, the world keeps bathing, relaxing, and seeking pleasure!

So next time you see the word sauna or you visit a place that is using that word, just remember, there’s so much more than meets the eye!