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Finnic paganism

Finnic paganism was the indigenous pagan religion in Finland, Karelia, Ingria and Estonia prior to Christianisation, the religion was native to the Baltic Finnic peoples. It was a polytheistic religion, worshipping a number of different deities. The principal god was the god of thunder and the sky, Ukko; other important gods included Jumo (Jumala), Ahti, and Tapio. Jumala was a sky god; today, the word "Jumala" refers to all gods in general. Ahti was a god of the sea, waters and fish. Tapio was the god of forests and hunting.

Finnic paganism shows many similarities with the religious practices of related cultures, such as Mordvin, Mari, Sami and other Finno-Ugric pagan beliefs. It shares some features with its neighbouring Baltic, Norse and Germanic paganisms.


The organic tradition was sidelined due to Christianisation starting from ca. 12th century and finally broken by the early 20th century, when Folk Magic and oral traditions went extinct. Finnic paganism provided the inspiration for a contemporary pagan movement Suomenusko (Finnish: Finnish faith), which is an attempt to reconstruct the old religion of the Finns. It is nevertheless based on secondary sources.

The chief god was (also [thought to be] known as Perkele), who was the ruler over the sky and thunder. A corresponding figure is known in countless other cultures of the world.

Ukko

Another deity that appeared very significant to the Finnic pagans, but about whom modern scholars know very little, was , whose name is related to "Jumala", the modern Finnish language word for a monotheist God.

Jumi

There were many other important deities who ruled over a specific aspect of the natural world, and who have been referred to as "kings". The king of water was often called , and the king of the forest was Tapio.

Ahti

Other major deities included , the god of fertility; Mielikki, the goddess of the forests and the hunt; Kuu, the goddess of the moon; and Lempo, the god of wilderness and archery.

Äkräs

Great heroes, who had, in mythology, once been human, such as and Ilmarinen, were also objects of worship, in a way similar to the Greek pagans' worship of mythical human heroes like Herakles.

Väinämöinen

Estonian mythology

Finnic deities

Uralic neopaganism