Don’t Ever Say These Things To A Yooper

Mitten Michiganders love our Upper Peninsula.
We love crossing the bridge and enjoying the wilderness and the history.
The UP might be part of Michigan, but it's still a culture of its own that most Mitteners - or "trolls" - don't realize. Many of us have made a good number of faux pas' when conversing with lifelong Yoopers.

When visiting, don't try to pass yourself off as "being one with Yoopers', because you're not. You may visit each and every year, but that doesn't make you an honorary Yooper. Many of us end up going home after saying something idiotic to a Yooper like "do you like pasties?" or "do you hunt up here?" or "is there someplace close-by where can I get a mocha latte?"

We go back across the bridge with the Yoopers waving goodbye.
Sure, they love the tourism, but they have to put up with tourists.

Therefore, (and a big thank you to an excellent Mlive article,) here are:
Some Things You Should Never Say To a Yooper.....

“Do you ever drive cars in winter or just snowmobiles?”
Yoopers are not un-eduma-cated and they do utilize newfangled things like, oh…a car.

“Do you have a toilet that works?”
Outhouses are abundant in the U.P. but fortunately, so are regular bathrooms. Don’t assume all yoopers have outdoor poopers.

“Finland? Who the heck cares about Finland?”
Yoopers do…their main culture was formed by Finns. So be careful what you say.

“I don’t know how to play Euchre”
It’s the card game of choice all throughout Michigan, but Yoopers are particularly rabid about it. If yer gonna be up there awhile, you better learn how to play. Or be a hermit.

“I hate all this snow”
Be prepared to be escorted back over the bridge.

“I see you have a sauna”
It may be called a “SAW-na” down here, but up there it’s a “SOW-na”.

“I usually vacation in Northern Michigan”
To a Yooper, our ‘northern Michigan’ is their ‘southern Michigan’ or ‘Troll territory’. In all reality, the U.P. is ‘Northern Michigan’.

“Is this a part of Canada? Are you Canadian?”
Are you from Mars? You’re in Michigan, aren't you?

“Michigan is shaped like a mitten”
The worst thing you could say.
A good way to be ignored and not allowed to come back to the UP. Their piece of Michigan looks nothing like a mitten and they’re proud of it. Don’t push your luck.

“The Packers are a bunch of wimps”
It’s OK to push the Detroit Lions or any other fave football team, but the U.P. has many Packers fans, being so close to Wisconsin.

“What kind of a friggin’ hat is that?”
It’s a Stormy Kromer. It reeks of Yooperism, so keep tight-lipped if you don’t like the way it looks.

“You talk funny”
You will too, once you receive a punch in the mouth.

To read the original Mlive article, click here!