Important Places
In Finnish Mythology
By Molly Kalafut
Ahtola
The palace of the water-god Ahto and his wife. Their castle is at the bottom of the sea in the "salmon-rocks".
Aiuelake
Aiuelake is the name of the lake that the Fire-child falls into.
Hallapyora
Hallapyora is a lake in Finland.
Horna
Horna is a sacred rock found in Finland. (Crawford, 1888)
Imatra
Imatra is a waterfall near Wiborg. (Crawford, 1888)
Ingerland
Ingerland refers to St. Petersburg, Russia. (Crawford, 1888)
Jamen
Jamen is a river in Finland that is also called Yamen. (Crawford, 1988)
Jordan
John Martin Crawford's glossary for the 1988 English translation of the Kalevala describes it as "Curiously, the river of Palestine".
Joukola
Joukola is the name for Joukahainen's home. It is also called Youkola. (Crawford, 1888)
Jumala
The word "Jumala" can be confusing because in some context it means "the heavens" where the god Ukko lives, but in other places it actually means the actual god himself or the Christian God.
Kaatrakoski
Kaatrakoski is a waterfall located in Karjala. (Crawford, 1888)
Kalevala
"on the heaths of Kalevala" -Runo 3
The word "Kalevala" translates to "The Land of Heroes". It refers to both the place (Finland), and the epic poem of the same name describing the heroes and mythology of the area.
Karelen
Karelen is a province of Finland. (Crawford, 1888)
Karjala
Karjala, also known as Karyala is the seat of the waterfall Kaatrakoski. (Crawford, 1888)
Karyala - See Karjala (Crawford, 1888)
Katrakoski - See Kaatrakoski (Crawford, 1888)
Kemi
Kemi is a river in Finland. (Crawford, 1888)
Kipukivi
Kipukivi is the rock in the Underworld River. The spirits of all plagues and diseases are imprisoned underneath it. (Crawford, 1888)
Lapland
"I am off to war in Northland, Off to fight the lads of Lapland" -Runo 12
Lapland is another name for the Northland.
Lempibay
Lempibay is a bay in Finland. (Crawford, 1888)
Linnunrata
Linnurata is the name given to the Milky Way, translated as "Bird-Way".
Luotola
Luotola is a bay in Finland that may be found near Joukola, Joukahainen's home. (Crawford, 1888)
Kyöpelinvuori
Also called Raatikko, and known as the place where women who die as virgins go.
Metsola - See Tapiola
Moskva
Moskva is a province of Suomi. (Crawford, 1888)
Newa
Newa is river in Finland. (Crawford, 1888)
Northland
The Northland is a province of Finland that has several names; Dusterland, Lapland, Pimentola, Pohja, Pohya, Pohjola, Pohyola.
Pimentola - See Pohjola
Pisa
"Tall the trees on Pisa's Hill" -Runo 3
Pisa is a mountain of Finland. (Crawford, 1888)
Pohja - See Pohjola
Pohya - See Pohjola
Pohjola
"Yonder to that cold north village, To that gloomy Pohjola." Runo 6, Kalevala
"And old Vainamoinen answered: "Up in twilit Pohjola, In the gloomy land of sedges, That is where I've spent my time, That is where I have been living, Visiting round in Lappish quarters, There among the great enchanters." -Runo 10
Pohjola is a name for a northern province of Finland. It has several names; Dusterland, Lapland, Pimentola, Pohja, Pohya, Pohjola, Pohyola, Sara, Sariola, Turja, Turya and Untamala.
Rutja
Rutja is a waterfall in the Northland. It is also called Rutya, and possibly Turja, Turya and Tyrja. (Crawford, 1888). "Turja" and "Turya" are also words for Pohjola, which can be confusing.
Rutya - See Rutja
Sahri
Sahri is the home of Kyllikki, the bride of Lemminkäinen. It is also called Saari. (Crawford, 1888)
Sariola - See Pohjola
Sawa
Sawa refers to eastern Finland and is also called Sawo. (Crawford, 1888)
Sawo - See Sawa (Crawford, 1888)
Sedgeland
"From the murky shades of Northland, From the foggy fields of Sedgeland." -Runo 7
Sedgeland is another word for Pohjola and the Northland.
Suomi
Suomi, alternately called swomi, is the ancient lands of the Finns. It is pronounced "swoh-mee". (Crawford, 1888)
Swomi - See Suomi (Crawford, 1888)
Tanika
Tanika is a magic mansion of Pohja. (Crawford, 1888)
Tapiola - See Metsola
Tuonela
Singing better suits this earth Than it does the Underworld In the shades of Tuonela." -Joukahainen's mother in Runo 6, Kalevala
Tuonela is the Underworld of Tuoni; a dark underground where the dead sleep eternally. Souls enter it by crossing a dark river by boat. It is also called Ulappala.
Turja - See both Pohjola and Rutja
Turya - See both Pohjola and also Rutja
Tyrja - See Rutja
Ulappala - See Tuonela
Untamala - See Pohjola (Crawford)
Vainola
"in the glades of Vainola" -Runo 3
Vainola (and alternately Wainola) refers to the home of Väinämöinen, and can be used to mean Kalevala ("The Home of Heroes").
Vuoksen
Vuoksen is a river in eastern Finland, also called Wuoksen. (Crawford, 1888)
Wainola - See "Vainola"
Wuoksen - See Vuoksen
Yamen - See Jamen
Youkola - See Joukola
Youmala - See Jumala
Other Places
These are Finnish places of import that actually exist.
- Pyhöjärvi - sacred lake
- Pyhäjoki - sacred river
- Vöhanda - a rivulet in Estonia
- Eim - sacred lake in Estonia