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Louhi (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈlouhi]) is a queen of the land known as Pohjola in Finnish mythology and the mythology of Lapland.
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[edit] In mythology
Louhi is described as a powerful witch with the ability to change shape and weave mighty enchantments. She is also the main opponent of Väinämöinen and his group in the battle for the magical artifact Sampo in the Kalevala.[1] She has a number of beautiful daughters, whom Ilmarinen, Lemminkäinen and other heroes attempt to win in various legends. Louhi, in true fairy tale form, sets them difficult to impossible tasks to perform in order to claim such a prize.
As many mythological creatures and objects are easily conflated and separated in Finnish mythology, Louhi is probably an alter-ego of various other goddesses, notably Loviatar.
[edit] Other meanings
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It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article titled Louhi (disambiguation). (Discuss) Proposed since October 2011. |
"Louhi" or "lovi" also refer to a state of trance, or of magic. This can be seen, for example, in the opening lines often used in spells that go "Nouse luontoni lovesta, haon alta haltiani" or variations thereof (translatable to "rise my nature from the lovi, (rise) my spirit from beneath the threshold").
"Louhi" is also the name of the Finnish Internet company Louhi Networks[2] a Cray supercomputer located in the Finnish IT center for science,[3][4] and was the name of a Finnish orchestra[5] and a local newspaper founded by the Finnish writer Teuvo Pakkala.[6]
Louhi has also been a name of several vessels of the Finnish Navy:
- Minelayer Louhi, built in 1916 in the Russian Empire as Voin and sunk in 1945 by the German submarine U-370.[7][8]
- Support ship Louhi, built in 1939 as the icebreaker Sisu and handed over to the Navy in 1970. Scrapped in 1986.[9]
- Oil spill response vessel Louhi, built in 2011.
[edit] In popular culture
Louhi was the main antagonist in the Finnish-Soviet film Sampo,[10] and was also an inspiration for the Conan the Barbarian's foe Louhi,[11] the Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light boss character Louhi the Witch of the North,[12] the Final Fantasy XI item Louhi's Mask,[13] and the orchestral work Louhi by the Finnish composer Kalevi Aho.f
[edit] References
- ^ Asplund, Anneli; Mettomäki, Sirkka-Liisa. "The Kalevala's Contents". Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura: Kalevala. The Finnish Literature Society. http://www.finlit.fi/kalevala/index.php?m=162&l=2. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
- ^ Louhi Networks (Finnish)
- ^ Louhi ja Murska (Finnish)
- ^ Louhi User's Guide, the 2nd Edition — CSC
- ^ The Orchestra Louhi's Trip to Finland in the Summer of 1920
- ^ Louhi (lehti) (Finnish)
- ^ Miinalaiva Louhi (Finnish)
- ^ Louhi (Finnish Minelayer) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net
- ^ Jäänmurtaja Sisu (1939) (Finnish)
- ^ Sampo (1959) - IMDb
- ^ Louhi (Hyborian era, Conan foe)
- ^ Louhi - The Final Fantasy Wiki
- ^ Louhi's Mask - FFXIAH.com
[edit] External links
- Louhi (Finnish goddess) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
- LOUHI : The deity from Finnish Mythology
- Louhi | Goddess A Day
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