Finnic mythologies

Finno-Ugric mythologies consists of the Finno-Ugric peoples' mythologies: myths of the Volga Finns, Baltic Finns, Permians Sami, and the Ugric peoples are included.

Finno-Lappic mythologies have many aspects in common. They are also related to shamanism in Siberia on one hand, and to Indo-European Baltic and Germanic mythologies on the other. Especially the mythologies of the Baltic Finns were directly influenced by their Indo-European neighbors, the Germans, the Slavs and the Baltic peoples.
The Baltic Finns share a common cultural heritage by which the religious and historical traditions were transmitted orally: the art of ancient rune singing, estimated to be 2500–3000 years old.

Shamanism has been important influence on the mythologies of most of the Finno-Ugric peoples. Many Finnic shamanic myths are based on Orpheus-like music god Väinämöinen, often described as the creator of a cosmic egg. Anther central aspect of the mythologies has been astronomy that includes several Milky Way myths and ideas about the existence of the World tree or pillar while the star formations were thought to represent animal spirits.

The Sami People, who were primarily hunters, worshiped spirits called the haldi who watched over nature. In the animal cult Bear was considered to be the animal lord. The forest god Laib olmai ruled over all forest animals. Some Sami had a thunder god called Tiermes, or Horagalles and a sky-ruling god Radien or Vearalden. The Sami symbol of the world tree or pillar was marked by a stytto.

Many of the Volga and Permian peoples became agricultural and developed farmer based myths. The Udmurt Permians had a sky god, a farmer and weather deity Inmar, the Erzya and Moksha Mordvins worshiped the earth mother responsible for harvest, Mastor-Ava.

Pre-Christian Finnic deities included a sky-god known as Jumala; in Finnish, "Jumal" or "Taevataat" (Sky Grandfather) in Estonian and "Jumo" in Mari.

Finnish

Further information: Finnish paganism and Finnish mythology

The most comprehensive collection of Finnic myths and legends are preserved in the oral epic poetry of Karelia and Ingermanland, parts of which were compiled in the first half of the 19th century by Elias Lönnrot into the national epic of Finland, Kalevala, on the basis of material collected by himself or other scholars. Originally, the Finnish-Karelian epic poetry did not constitute an epic whole but was divided into several unconnected poems or "mini-eposes".

The Kalevala begins with a creation myth where a duck lays eggs by landing on the raised knee of the virgin Mother of the Waters. The earth is formed and Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen were born. Other central figures of the epic include Lemminkäinen, compiled by Lönnrot from several heroes of the oral poetry, and the female antagonist Louhi. Lönnrot has built the story around the forging and the conquest of the Sampo, variantly interpreted as a world pillar or tree, a magic mill, a compass or astrolabe, or a chest containing a treasure.

J. R. R. Tolkien has highlighted the importance of Kalevala as a source for his legendarium including The Lord of the Rings.

Although the gradual influence of surrounding cultures raised the significance of the sky-god Jumala in a monolatristic manner, the father god "Ukko" (Old Man) was originally just a nature spirit like all the others. The most sacred animal, whose real name was never uttered out loud, was the bear. The bear was seen as the embodiment of the forefathers, and for this reason it was called by many euphemisms: "mesikämmen" ("mead-paw"), "otso" ("wide brow"), "kontio" ("dweller of the land").

Estonian

Main article: Estonian mythology

Estonian mythology survives as a complexity of myths from the folk heritage and literary mythology.

Wulfstan of Hedeby reported to Alfred the Great (971-899) concerning proto-Estonian burial customs. These included holding the dead unburied in the house of their relatives and friends, who held a wake of drinking until the day of the cremation. The rite of cremation is thought to be related to the belief that it was speeding up the dead's journey to the afterlife and the dead would not become earthbound spirits, which were thought to be dangerous to the living. Henry of Livonia records that even in 1222 the Estonians disinterred Christian dead and burned them.

Henry of Livonia describes in his chronicle a legend from Virumaa that speaks of a mountain and a forest where the god Tharapita was born and from where he flew to Oesel. It has been speculated that the route of Taarapita’s flight may correspond to the fall of the Kaali meteorite. During the battles in the Livonian Crusade, Oeselians, the proto-Estonians from Saaremaa were described by the chronicle to cry out, rejoicing in Tharapita.

The solstice festival of Midsummer celebrating the sun through solar symbols of bonfires, the tradition alive until the present day, and numerous Estonian nature spirits: the sacred oak and linden have been described by Balthasar Russow in 1578.

Some traces of the oldest authentic myths may have survived in runic songs. There is a song about the birth of the world – a bird lays three eggs and starts to lay out the nestlings – one becomes the Sun, one becomes the Moon, and one becomes the Earth. Other Finno-Ugric peoples have myths in which the world emerged from an egg.

Estonian legends about giants (Kalevipoeg, Suur Tõll, Leiger) may be a reflection of Germanic (especially Scandinavian) influences. There are numerous legends interpreting various natural objects and features as traces of Kalevipoeg's deeds. The giant has merged together with Christian Devil, giving birth to a new character – Vanapagan and his farm hand Kaval-Ants (Crafty Hans).

During the era of Estonian national awakening the elements in the literary mythology were quickly and readily incorporated into contemporary popular culture through media and school textbooks. It can be difficult to tell how much of Estonian mythology as we know it today was actually constructed in the 19th and early 20th century. One should also note that some constructed elements are loans from Finnish mythology and may date back to the common Baltic-Finnic heritage. According to Endel Nirk "the so called pseudo-mythology has played a greater role in Estonian national movement and the people’s life than for some other people their proven authentic mythology."

Sami

Main article: Sami religion

The Sami, who were hunters rather than farmers, worshiped animal spirits like the bear as animal lord. Other animal spirits included the haldi who watched over the nature. Some Sami people had a thunder god called Tiermes, or sometimes called Horagalles. Another sky-ruling god was called Radien or Vearalden. The symbol of the world tree or pillar similar in Finnish mythology that reached up to the North star was marked by a stytto.

The forest-god of the Sami, Laib olmai ruled over all forest animals, which were regarded as his herds, and luck in hunting, or the reverse, depended on his will. His favour was so important that, according to one author, they made prayers and offerings to him every morning and evening.

The clan and family gods of the Sami were known in different parts of the country under the name of Seita or Storjunkare. Each family or clan had its Storjunkare standing in the district where they lived. Every Sami settlement had its seita, which had no regular shape, and might consist of smooth or odd-looking stones picked out of a stream, of a small pile of stones, of a tree- stump, or of a simple post. They were set up on a high, prominent place, or in a rich meadow. Under and round such seitas they strewed green fir twigs in winter, and in summer green leaves. The seitas protected their worshippers against misfortune to the herds of reindeer, gave instructions how to catch wild reindeer, and in return offerings were made to them of the hides and hoofs of reindeer, calves, and sometimes of a dog. But a private person might also have his own seita, to whom he prayed for good luck. The Storjunkare are described sometimes as stones, having some likeness to a man or an animal, that were set up on a mountain top, or in a cave, or near rivers and lakes. Honor was done to them by spreading fresh twigs under them in winter, and in summer leaves or grass. The Storjunkare had power over all animals, fish, and birds, and gave luck to those that hunted or fished for them. Reindeer were offered up to them, and every clan and family had its own hill of sacrifice.

Knowledge of the Sami religion is primarily based on archeological remains and written sources from missionary work in northern Scandinavia during the Middle Ages and up to the early 18th century. Some objects date back to 800-1300s, and the sites are usually termed "Samic metal depots", due to the large findings of metal objects. The objects are mostly coins from Germany and England, and parts from weapons (e.g. arrow-heads). Some minor findings consists of horn from reindeer.

The religion was a form of shamanism, practiced by the noaide for the most miscellaneous problems. The instrument used for ceremonies was the rune drum, but even a domestic flute, the so-called "fadno", was used. The traditional Sami chant, joik, was used in ceremonies where the noaide fell in trance and left his or her body to transcend into the divine world of "saivo", where he or she could negotiate with gods, spirits and forefathers to improve the fate of the group he or she represented. As with other circumpolar religions, the Sami religion contains a hunting ceremony especially for bears, known as the bear cult. Elements of Norse mythology, as well as Christian ideas, are found in the later years of Sami religion.

Mordvin

Although sharing some similarities, no common Mordvin mythology has emerged and therefore the Erza and Moksha mythologies are defined separately.

In Erzya mythology the superior deities were hatched from an egg. The mother of gods is called Ange Patiai, followed by the Sun God Chipaz who gave birth to Nishkepaz, to the earth god Mastoron kirdi and the wind god Varmanpaz. From the union of Chipaz and the Harvest Mother Norovava was born the god of the underworld Mastorpaz. The thunder god Pur’ginepaz was born from Niskende Teitert, the daughter of the mother of gods Ange Patiai. The creation of the Earth is followed by the creation of the Sun, the Moon, the humankind and the Erza. The man was created by god Chipaz who molded the humankind from clay while in another version of the legend the man is made from soil.

In Moksha mythology the Supreme God is called Viarde Skai. According to the legends the creation of the world went through several stages: first the Devil moistened the building material in his mouth and spit it out. The spat piece grew into a plain, which was modeled uneven by creating chasms and the mountains. The first humans created by Viarde Skai could live for 700–800 years and were giants of 99 archinnes. The underworld in Mokshan mythology was ruled by Mastoratia.

The Erzya and Moksha Mordvins worshiped the Earth goddess, the earth mother Mastor-Ava responsible for harvest . An epic poem based on Mordvin folktales, Mastorava, appeared in 1994.

Deities

Estonian

Main article: Estonian deities

• Peko - god of fertility, crops and brewing
• Pikne (lightning) - god of thunder
• Tharapita - god of war, also known as Taara
• Vanemuine (the ancient one) - god of music (possibly a spurious later development)
• Uku - superior god
• Ilmarine - smithgod

Finnish

Main article: Finnish deities

There are very few written documents about old Finnish religions; also the names of deities and practices of worship changed from place to place. The following is a summary of the most important and most widely worshipped deities.

• Ahti (or Ahto) - god of streams, lakes and sea
• Loviatar - One of Tuoni's daughters. Goddess of pain.
• Mielikki - Tapio's wife, the Goddess of forests
• Otso - son of a god, king of the forest, whose carnal form is the bear
• Pekko (or Peko) - God/dess (the actual gender is obscure) of fields and agriculture
• Perkele - god of thunder (originally a Lithuanian deity of thunder, Perkunas; adopted into Finnish tradition at a late date)
• Rauni - Ukko's wife, Goddess of fertility
• Tapio - god of forest and wild animals
• Tuonetar - The wife of Tuoni
• Tuoni - god of the underworld
• Ukko - god of heaven and thunder, the over-god. same as Jumala, later the Christian God.

Sami

• Aske or Manna - The god of the Moon.
• Atja - The god of thunder, also called Bajanolmmai, Dierpmis or Hovrengalles, which means "Thor- man".
• Beaivi or Biejje - The great Goddess of the Sun, mother of human kind.
• Bieggagallis - The god of the storms, father of human kind, consort of Beaivi.
• Bieggolman - God of the summer winds.
• Biegkegaellies - God of the winter winds.
• Biejjenniejte - Goddess of healing and medicine; her name means "Daughter of the Sun" or "Maiden of the Sun", and she was especially helpful against sicknesses caused by her mother, the sun.
• Jabbmeaaakka - Goddess of death and queen of the underworld and the kingdom of death.
• Jipmel - "God"; possibly this was a late name of the Christian god, but it could also have been a name to include all good deities.
• Juoksahkka - The protecter and guardian of children; "The woman with an arrow".
• Lieaibolmmai - God of the hunt, the god of adult men.
• Maadteraahka - Mother of the tribe, Goddess of women and children, she who gives humans their body; women belonged to her, and boys belonged to her until they were declared men. Maadteraahka is popular among modern sami feminists.
• Maadteraajja - The father of the tribe, husband of Maadteraahka; while his wife gives humans their body, he gives them their soul; and thus, they are born.
• Mubpienålmaj - "The evil one"; possibly the Christian god of evil, but also a name that included all the evil deities.
• Oksaahka - The former of the fetus; she shaped the fietus in the mother's womb and gave humans their gender. She was the sister of Juoksahka.
• Raedie or Väraldarade - The main god, the great creator ot the world; he was, however, passive, some say even sleeping, and not very included in active religion.
• Raedieahkka - Wife of Raedie.
• Rana Niejta - Daughter of Raedie. "Rana" was a popular name of Sami girls.
• Raediengiedte - Son of Raedie.
• Ruohtta - The god of sicknesses and therefore also a death-god. He was depicted riding on a horse.
• Saaraahka - The Goddess of fertility, menstruation, love, sexuality, pregnancy and childbirth. Saaraahka was the most important female god; she is sometimes sister of Juoksahka and Oksaahka, sometimes they are a trinity of the same Goddess.
• Stallon - The feared giant of the woods.
• Tjaetsieålmaj - The men of water.

See also

• Altaic mythology
• Baltic mythology
• Bear cult
• Hungarian deities
• Mastorava
• Rock carvings at Alta
• Uralic mythology

References and Notes

• Abercromby, John (1898). Pre- and Proto-historic Finns. D. Nutt. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Herman Hofberg, "Lapparnas Hednatro"
• Uno Holmberg, "Lapparnas religion"
• Rafael Karsten, " Samefolkets religion"
• Edgar Reuteskiöld, " De nordiska samernas religion"
• Tatiana Deviatkina, Some Aspects of Mordvin Mythology, Folklore 17 (2001).[1]
• Paasonen (ed.), Mordwinische Volksdichtung (1941).

External links

• Beivve, including many other related topics (e.g. soul dualism of Sami)