Shamanism
The Arctic peoples, whose economic base was based on hunting, fishing, crafts and bartering, adhere to a belief system that European ethnologists have grouped together under the term shamanism. Characterized by the worship of nature, ancestors and spirits, shamanism remained in Lapland until the beginning of the 20th century. The shaman, a wise wizard, provided the link between the world of the living and that of the spirits.
Thanks to his knowledge and certain techniques, described by the Western world as magical, he enjoyed real authority among the Ural-Altaic peoples. In this universe, gnomes and goblins play an important role, as do certain deities such as the god of thunder, Ukko, the god of winds and storms, Ilmarinen Ahti, and the god of forests, Tapio. Väinämöinen, the hero of the Kalevala, was inspired by this mythology. The spirits of the dead were treated with respect and venerated. The kalmisto (graveyard) was a place for offerings. Trees and rocks with unusual shapes or animals such as the bear were the object of local cults. Shamanism was gradually eradicated with the arrival of Protestantism and today seems to be very little practised and followed.Lutheranism
Finland's conversion to Catholicism - it belonged to the Kingdom of Sweden at the time - was followed three centuries later by a conversion to Lutheranism. In the middle of the 16th century, King Vasa I decided to adopt the principles laid down by Luther in Germany. The Reformation spread throughout the kingdom of Sweden, including Finland. The emphasis was on catechism and literacy. However, the intransigence of the Protestant theological currents led to the destruction of most of the beautiful murals in the old Catholic churches. The Evangelical Lutheran Church consists of eight dioceses. The President of the Republic is the head of the Church, but the Bishop of Turku has the title of Archbishop. The bishops are appointed by the President. During the 20th century, interest in Anglo-Saxon Protestantism developed: Baptists, Methodists, Adventists and especially Pentecostals (2% of the population). Summer camps for 15 year olds (the equivalent of the second communion in France) are very popular: almost 95% of an age group participate. Even if far from all of them are practising.
Orthodoxy
During the Russian rule (1809-1917), Orthodox churches multiplied. Today, the Greek Orthodox Church retains a certain influence in the eastern provinces and in Karelia. Small chapels, the tsasouna, are still accessible in the eastern municipalities and villages, where a large number of Karelian refugees flocked after the USSR annexed part of Karelia between 1940 and 1945. See in particular the superb collections of old icons in Kuopio. If the freedom of worship is recognized by the Finnish Republic in 1923, the State and the Church are not separated.
Sami traditions
The Saami have traditionally been a nomadic people living by hunting, fishing or gathering on a territory shared by several families called siida. In the past, the Saami used reindeer as beasts of burden, especially to pull their sleds. The milk and meat were a highly prized source of food, while the skins were used to make clothing and to protect makeshift dwellings. The kota
was a kind of tepee covered with reindeer skins and other smaller tents were used during migrations. This of course came to an end with the advent of snowmobiles and the beginning of sedentarization. In terms of clothing, their taste for colour is reflected in the often very bright colours of blue, red and yellow. Reindeer fur was still used for coats, leggings and mittens. In these boreal latitudes where man is constantly fighting against the elements, nature has become the capital for the ancients who venerate the Wind, the Earth (mother) and the Sun (father) with the presence of sacred places called seita. It is not surprising that shamanism found a favourable ground there. Serving as an intermediary between the world of the spirits and the world of the living, the noaïdi (or shaman) could, by entering into ecstasy, interpret the secrets of the beyond and transmit them to his people. He would use his kunnus (magic drum) or the joik (ancestral haunting song) to do this. The magic drum, which is oval in shape, is divided into three parts representing the spirits of Heaven, Earth and man himself. Each of these parts is decorated with symbolic designs that the sorcerer can interpret. These designs are painted with saliva reddened by alder bark. The sorcerer places the divining rod(arpa) on the skin of the drum, then sings while beating the kunnus and, more often than not, goes into a trance. In the past, the reputation of the Sami shamans was widespread throughout Scandinavia. They are already mentioned in the Icelandic sagas. In his account of his trip to Lapland, the 17th century playwright Jean-François Regnard (one of the first Frenchmen to venture "as a tourist" to the Far North), claims to have witnessed some quite amazing manifestations. The Tsar of Russia, Ivan the Terrible, himself went to Lapland for the sole purpose of consulting a sorcerer "from the end of the world". The astrologers at his court were unable to interpret the passage of a long-tailed comet in the sky over St. Petersburg as he intended. During the forced evangelization of the Sami, Lutheran missionaries burned the magic drums (only a few dozen remain today). Animist cults were replaced by major Christian festivals such as Easter. The Siida Museum in Inari, dedicated to Saami culture, is a must-see and a fascinating stop for all those curious to learn more.
