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Finnish

Wife-carrying. Source: Алина Битта / Adobe Stock.

In Finland, Carrying One's Wife is More than Affection – It's a Sport!

In the tapestry of ancient sports and traditions, some activities are surprisingly unconventional. One such sport that has captured global fascination, emerging from the picturesque landscapes of...
The Finnish sky god Ukko. Source: Risukarhi / Public Domain.

Ukko, The Mighty Finnish God of Thunder and Lightening

Every culture has its sky deity or old man of the heavens. The ancient Greeks had Zeus . The Romans had Jupiter . For the Norse , Thor essentially played this role. The Finns are no exception. For...
Lemminkäinen and the black swan.

Lemminkäinen: Resurrection of the Handsome, Yet Frivolous Finnish Epic Hero

Thus became a mighty hero, In his veins the blood of ages, Read erect and form commanding, Growth of mind and body perfect But alas! he had his failings, Bad indeed his heart and morals, Roaming in...
Akseli Gallen-Kallela: The Departure of Väinämöinen

Väinämöinen: The Finnish Deity and Hero Who Inspired Tolkien to Create Gandalf and Tom Bombadil

J.R.R. Tolkien created remarkable stories that inspired Peter Jackson to make incredible movies. But it was his knowledge of literature and old legends which inspired the writer to use stories of...
The Departure of Väinämöinen.

The Fantastic Adventures of Vainamoinen: Finnish Hero, Wizard, Shaman, and God

Väinämöinen is an important figure in Finnish folklore, and has been variously referred to as a hero, a wizard, a shaman, and a god. More importantly, this benevolent character is the primary...
The Defense of the Sampo, by Akseli Gallen-Kallela, shows Louhi in the form of a flying, winged creature. Created in 1895 by unknown artist.

Loviatar: Finnish Goddess of Desolation, Death, and Decay

Known as the blind daughter in Finnish mythology, Loviatar is the goddess of death and disease. Born from the union of Tuoni, the god of death, and his underworld queen Tuonetar, Loviatar is...
The Defense of the Sampo, magical artifact of Finnish folklore.

The Magical Sampo: Object of Power and Riches in Finnish Folklore

The Kalevala, a poem based on Finnish folklore and mythology, is regarded as the national epic of Finland. As such, the 28 of February has been set aside in Finland as a day to commemorate this piece...