Vainamoinen – Sage, Sorcerer, Adventurer And Friend Of Ilmarinen In Kalevala Myths And Legends

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The central figure of the Finnish epic 'Kalevala' is Vainamoinen (Väinämöinen), a god of songs and poetry. He is a great bard, sage, singer, and wizard, and according to tradition, he spent so long in his mother's womb that he was already an old man when he was born.

Vainamoinen playing kantele, by Johan Z. Blackstadius: 1851. Image via Wikipedia

Vainamoinen is sometimes said to be the source of the world's creation. Still, the most popular stories about him describe his great adventures, sorcery, his visit to the underworld, and coming back alive.

Usually, this god is described as an older man possessing a powerful, magical voice. Vainamoinen shares some properties with the Norse god Odin, regarding magic and poetry, but the Finnish hero can also sing and play the kantele. Therefore, he is often compared to Orpheus, a hero from Greek mythology, who, like Vainamoinen, fascinates the listener with his playing.

The hero of "Kalevala" is said to be the son of Ilmatar (a virgin spirit of the air), also occasionally called Luonnotar ('Nature's mother'). Ilmatar travels across the cosmic waters and meets a duck who puts her egg on her knees. The egg turns out to contain all celestial bodies.

Vainamoinen’s departure. Credit: Akseli Gallen-Kallela - Hämeenlinna Art Museum via wikipedia; Right: Robert Stigell: Väinämöinen, 1888. Image via wikipedia 

Vainamoinen is presented as a sensitive old man with white hair and a beard. He helps to sow the fields with barley and grow trees. Vainamoinen is a handsome and charismatic man, but much of the Kalevala epic deals with his quest to find a wife. Unfortunately, he is unlucky in love. While looking for a wife among Pohja's women, he is promised one of Louhi's daughters, but first has to perform the magic talisman, Sampo. He cannot do it, so he entrusts the task to his companion, Illmarinen. Unfortunately for Vainamoinen, Louhi's daughter is much more attracted to Ilmarinen, the blacksmith, than to him.

Ilmarinen builds the Sampo in the North, which creates endless wealth for the northern people. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong, and soon, the people of Kaleva and Pohjola are fighting over the Sampo. Eventually, the magic mill is destroyed in the battle, and the pieces sink to the bottom of the sea.

Väinämöinen by Robert W. Ekman/Public Domain/Wikipedia 

Vainamoinen joined by Lemminkainen and Ilmarinen, sets out to search for Sampo. After many adventures, they recover and carry the magical artifact onboard their vessel. Now Louhi knows that when the Sampo is lost, the prosperity of Northland is forever lost. So she calls the goddess of the densest fogs and sends her out to delay Wainamoinen's boat and order the sea monster, Ukko, to swim to the boat and sink it.

Only Vainamoinen's quick reaction saves his companions, but the wind takes away the Sampo in the storm. After the storm, Vainamoinen collected some parts of the artifacts scattered across the world and bound them together. He partially restores Sampo's former magical power.

When his mission ends, Vainamoinen constructs a boat of copper and sails off towards the west. People hear his singing:

'…Fare ye well, my people. Many suns shall rise and set on Kalevala until the people shall at length regret my absence and shall call upon me to come back with my magic songs and wisdom. Fare ye well….'

Vainamoinen finally leaves the mortal realm of Kalevala, never to return again. His endless journey begins, but in one of the epic passages, we learn that the Finnish national hero promises to return to his homeland whenever he is needed.

In the meantime, perhaps waiting for his return, we hear the sound of Vainamoinen's kantele and his wonderful, magical songs full of wisdom.

Updated on February 27, 2024

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com  Senior Staff Writer

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