Hello everyone! Today marks the start of the A to Z Challenge. This month, I'll have a theme going on, which is creatures from folklore, mythology, or the paranormal. I'm quite excited about it, and since I'm learning Finnish, I've decided to start out with a Finnish spirit.Name: Akka (means "old woman")
Type: Deity, Spirit
Origin: Sámi, Finnish, and Estonian mythology
Description: Akka is the goddess of harvest and female fertility. She is the Finnish Earth Mother goddess, and she is closely tied to birth, farming, and death. She would be called on for earth magic and channelling. She was one of the most worshiped deities in Finland and Estonia (where she is called Maan-Eno).
In Sámi mythology in the Finnish Lapland, there's a deity named Madderakka who is closely related to Akka. Madderakka is the goddess of childbirth. Three of her daughters, Sarakka, Juksakka, and Uksakka, take care of the child from conception to infancy.
Interesting Facts: Her husband is Ukko, the Finnish sky god, who is pretty much the equivalent of Thor with some resemblance to Odin in Norse mythology, and in Greek mythology, his equivalent would be Zeus. It's said when they make love that thunder rolls. *grins*
She was also known as Rauni, which is from the Finnish word for mountain ash, or Rowan tree, which is sacred to her.
What a fantastic idea for a theme! I've never heard of the Akka before, so thanks for schooling me. I look forward to dropping by again to read more about the folklore creatures and characters you share. Happy A-Z blogging!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, Katy! I'd never heard of an Akka before this either. This theme is a lot fun for me too, so much new folklore and myths to learn about. You too! Happy A-Z blogging!
DeleteI second Katy's thought. This is a great theme. My roommate is of Finnish descent. I'll have to be sure to tell her about your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat first post! Good luck on the other 25! :)
That's really awesome, Sarah! My husband is Finnish, so I really like learning about anything Finnish-related. Thanks for commenting! Good luck with your A-Z posts too!
DeleteAwesome theme!
ReplyDeleteHappy A-Zing!
My A-Z
Thanks, Jaycee! Happy A-Zing to you as well. :-)
DeleteKiitos, Sarah! I'm a quarter Finn on my dad's side, as well as a fellow romance author and a mythology junkie. Can't wait to see what you do for the rest of April!
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia! That's awesome! My husband is from Finland. How much Finnish do you know? Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
DeleteVery cool! It is sort of surprising that a crone-type being would be the symbol for fertility.
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Shannon! I know, right? It's so cool learning about new mythologies.
DeleteI have an Akka tattoo, based on a design from a Sami drum.
ReplyDelete