Background outside the epic

Besides the Kalevala, which is a collection of old mythical stories, finns had a more concrete religion far older than the legends gathered by Lönnrot. This ancient religion had a lot in common with many similar religions of its time. The religion and ways had changed in those thousands of years finns had inhabited their land before the arrival of christianity, so the more specific knowledge is from the few centuries before the crusades.

The world image was three dimensional. There was the realm of the dead and the lesser mythological creatures, and the realm of higher creatures "haltijat" (=a godlike creature, nowdays used in fantasy literature for an "elf"). Between was the world of humans, under the influence of the two other planes of existence.

The creatures of the "lower" realm were neither good nor bad, more like neutral, working for their own intrests. To give an example or two, there was the house-spirit, "tonttu" (=the magical humanlike creature living in symbiosis with the human habitat, "gnome", "elf", later on "Santa's little helper"), which was never seen, but often noticed. The creature was small, humanlike and possessed magical abilities. In exchange for getting to live in the human houses and barns (and for occasional food offering) the creature would use it's powers to benefit it's host family. Also were known creatures like "skratti" (=word from swedish, "skratta"=to laugh, the laughing guardian creature of treasures) and "näkki" (=apparently some sort of spirit of the rivers and alike, hunted people by drowning them, especially children).

In the higher state of existence were the god-spirits, each ruling it's own territory.

Ukko - the highest of the gods, "Zeus"
Ilmarinen - the god of weather and farming
Tapio - the god of forests and hunting
Ahti - the god of waters and fishing
--pari jumalaa puuttuu, ketkä?--
Also on later times in the eastern parts of Finland was know the god of war, Turisas. (="thurisaz", old norwegian word, meaning a giant, the anti-god of norse mythology).

Besides these there were spirits worshipped in only certain areas and times, often even spirits of certain, specific places. The god-spirits were worshipped in holy woods, where food offerings were left on large stone-slag altars. Often small prayers were spoken when entering the god's territory. The lesser beings were kept happy by offering them food, or performing certain rituals. Also the meaning of the game was very important, larger prey animals were honored for their flesh and fur. Especially the bear was a powerful and honored animal, even so that the name of the animal ("karhu") couldn't be used, so in old finnish language there are together over one hundred "nicknames" for the mighty animal. After killing of a bear, the animals head would be put up in a special tree and a celebration ("peijainen") would be put up to thank the beast and ask for it's spirit's forgiveness.

After the arrival of christianity the finns started slowly converting, but never gave up from all of their pagan ways, morelike the two religions melted in to a "northern woodoo". For example, rituals to keep the bear from killing the cattle were still performed by special witch-women as long as until the 1950's. All finns should recognice at least four or five "nicknames" for bear. Still it's an old and common way to be careful not to make any loud noises in christmas sauna not to anger the house-spirits. After the hunt, the traditional fiest is celebrated, although it's original meaning has faded. Also, the old names are in use: Tapio, Ahti and in some amount Ukko, too are still used, even common names in Finland.


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- Finnish Mythology Classroom
- Mythology
- Elftown Academy