Baltic Finnish pre-Christian religion and Mythology

[The Ripper]

I noticed that so far this topic has been altogether absent in our Hallowed Halls of Learning.

After all, our mythology and our folklore is one of the great unifying and shared elements of Baltic Finnish culture. The Kalevala, The Kalevipoeg and other collections of folklore show the common roots of our nations.

In the past, nationalist movements have often attempted to rehabilitate pre-Christian traditions and faiths, and I know that in Estonia Maausk is somewhat significant. Also in Finland, interest in the ancestral faith has been reviving. Here is a Finnish community, which is dedicated to reviving those traditions: http://www.taivaannaula.org/

Personally, I'm always a little weary of such projects, and I have reservations regarding the motives of those active in them, but Taivaannaula has been a real source of information and their activists seem dedicated and sincere.

[esaima]

An Estonian website of pre-Christian religion is http://www.maavald.ee/eng

[The Ripper]

Finnish-Soviet movie based on the Kalevala: Sampo, from 1959.

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Another one, Rauta-aika (Iron Age), miniseries from 1982.

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[Talvi]

The story of Suur Tõll (Tõll the Great). He was a mythological giant from the island of Saaremaa.

Part 1:
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Part 2:
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Its quite short.

[The Ripper]

Suur Tõll is awesome in a weird vintage way. It was used in Metsatöll's song, Vaid vaprust.

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[Talvi]

I wanted to share this really awesome picture by Jüri Arrak (Estonia).

From the Estonian (and Russian) translation of Kalevala.


Love it.
I think I saw the book on the window of a used book store... so I might check it out.