Finnish paganism

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 49. Chapters: Finnish deities, Finnish mythology, Kalevala, Sampo, Ior Bock, List of Kalevala translations, Finnic mythologies, Ilmarinen, Kullervo, Kanteletar, Joulupukki, Finnish Neopaganism, Pohjola, Louhi, Lalli, Lemminkäinen, Kalevi, Aino, Hiisi, Nine diseases, Tuonela, Peijainen, Finnish flood myth, Antero Vipunen, Ukonvasara, Etiäinen, Ved-ava, Näkki, Kyöpelinvuori, Sampsa Pellervoinen, Tapio, Luotes, Hammaspeikko, Aarnivalkea, Joukahainen, Vammatar, Menninkäinen, Surma, Tuonetar, Kuu. Excerpt: The Kalevala (IPA: ) is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology. It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature. The Kalevala played an instrumental role in the development of the Finnish national identity, the intensification of Finland's language strife and the growing sense of nationality that ultimately led to Finland's independence from Russia in 1917. The first version of The Kalevala (called The Old Kalevala) was published in 1835. The version most commonly known today was first published in 1849 and consists of 22,795 verses, divided into fifty songs (Finnish: runot). The title can be interpreted as "The land of Kaleva". Elias Lönnrot (9 April 1802 - 19 March 1884) was a physician, botanist and linguist. During the time he was compiling The Kalevala he was the district health officer based in Kajaani, responsible for the whole Kainuu region in the eastern part of what was then the Grand Duchy of Finland. He was the son of Fredrik Johan Lönnrot, a tailor and Ulrika Lönnrot; he was born in the village of Sammatti, Uusimaa. At the age of 20, he entered the University in Turku and gained his masters degree in 1827. His thesis was entitled De Vainamoine priscorum fennorum numine (Väinämöinen, a Divinity of the Ancient Finns). This was destroyed in the Great Fire of Turku. In the spring of 1828, he set out with the aim of collecting folk songs and poetry. Rather than continue this work though, he decided to complete his studies and entered Helsinki University to study medicine. He earned his masters degree in the year of 1832. In January 1833, he started as the district health officer of Kainuu and began his work on collecting poetry and compiling The Kalevala. Throughout his career Lönnrot made a total of eleven field trips within a period of fifteen years. Prior to the publication of The Kalevala Elias Lönnrot compiled several