SAMI GODS, GODDESSESS AND MYTHICAL ENTITIES
You are Reading..
SAMI GODS, GODDESSESS AND MYTHICAL ENTITIES
Here is a list of Sámi gods, goddesses and other mythical entities.
So much has been forgotten about the Sami world view and beliefs and words over the years and most of the written material from the pre-christian beliefs where written by priests, with very limited understanding of shamanism. Typically the writers would considering all our spiritual belief to simply be devil worship. So we dont claim that this information is 100% accurate and far from all inclusive. There were also local variations since Sápmi is a big area with few people and the communications were not the best back in the days. But this still gives a good basic overview of the pre-christian Sámi belief system.
The words in different Sami languages are marked with:
NS – North Sámi language/dialect.
SS – South Sámi language/dialect.
LS – Lule Sámi language/dialect.
GS – Gildin Sámi language/dialect.
Arja (ns): Female gázzi (Spirit) -entity. The name means energy, determination.
Beaivi (ns) / Biejvve (ls) / Biejjie (ss): Sun. Sun worship is important in the Sami belief system.
Barbmoáhkku (ns): Ensures that all migratory birds return well from warmer land, Barbmu. Getting help from Guorga, the crain.
Rananiejte (ss): “Spring girl”, «the reindeer calf girl” or “the green girl”. Provides, among other things, for good reindeer grazing.
Bieggaolmmái (ns): “The windman» determines the wind direction. He was among other things important during wild reindeer hunting.
Boazuáhkku (ns): Goddess of the reindeer and gives hunting luck. Possibly identical to Juksahkku.
Čahceolmmái (ns) / Tsjaetsieolmaj (ss): The waterman keeper of the lakes and fishes.
Čahcerávga / guovdi (ns): Living in the river or the sea. Used to scare the children, as part of the child rearing.
Čahkalakkat (ns): Chakal: Live by springs. They are small and naked. In the head they have healingpower and the belly is full of silver money. You can get the medicine and the silver money by fooling them and killing them.
Gieddegeasgalgu (ns): wise, female being who lives on the outskirts of the residence and whom one can turn to when you have it extra difficult. Known from North Sami areas. In recent times, the gieddegeasgalgu has been given the negative meaning “chatter crone».
Gufihtar (ns): These goblin like entities live in gufihtarčohkka, “gufihtarhills». The gufitar lure people in, and they must not eat or drink anything while they are inside the hill, because then you never come out again.
Guolleipmil (ns): “The fish god”. Many sacrificial stones by lakes, sea and rivers are called Guolleipmil.
Hálddit (ns): Protects animals and plants. Sometimes represented by sacrificial stones/ sieidi.
Ipmel / Ibmil / Jubmel / Jupmele (gs): Some shamans believed that Raedieaehtjie and Raediegiedtie were the same, namely Ipmel / Ibmil. He is considered the highest god. During the Christian mission, the missionaries adopted the name Ipmel / Ibmil, and it became the Sami name of the Christian God.
Serge-edni (gs): Raedieaehtjie or Ipmel’s wife. The one who creates the human spirit and leads it to Matharáhkku when children are created.
Radius kieddi (gs) / Raediegiedtie (ss): Raedieaehtjies son. Radius-acce / -tattje (gs) / Raedieaehtjie (ss): The highest god, the primordial father, the highest.
Jábmiidáhkku (ns) / Jábbmeahkku (ls) / Jaemiehaahka (ss): The godess of death who rules in the kingdom of death Jábmiidáibmu.
Jábmiid- (ns): The deceased who lives underground.
Leabeolbmai (ns) / Liejbalmaj (ls) / Liejpalmaj (ss): «The alder wood man». The god of hunting and caretaker of the wild animals. Receives offerings before bear hunting to protect hunters. Alder wood is considered sacred. The red color from the bark was used to paint the drums, and the juice was sprayed on returned bear hunters.
Mailmenraedie: Máilbmi (ns) + raedie (ss) = The god of the world.
Maadteraahkas (ss) / Mahtaráhkku (ns / ls): «Mother earth, Gaia» or “great-grandmother”. Mother of the three goddesses Sáráhkku, Juksáhkku and Uksáhkku. Has a part in the creation of children.
Naaidegazzi / saivugázzi (ns), noaidegadze / saivogadze (gs): Spirit allie . They can look like little people dressed in colorful Sami clothes. They can be ancestors. They can choose people they teach to become shamans and follow them for the rest of their lives, including on soul journeys. Gazzi can also be inherited or accompany as a dowry.
Noidae / saivoloddi, noaideguolli / saivoguolli and noaide heritage / saivosuvari (ns): The shamans can have spirit allies in the form of animals. These can be birds (noidae / saivoloddi), fish (n oaideguolli / saivoguolli) or a reindeer bull (noaidesarvvis / saivosuvari). The strongest shamans have reindeer bulls as spirit allies.
Saajve / saajveolmai (ss), sáivo / sáivo-olmai (gs): spirits associated with sacred lakes or mountains also known as saajve (sáivo). Anyone who are connected to saajve has spirit allies in the form of animals at his service, see below.
Rohttu (ns): The god of sickness and death. Stays in a gloomy dead kingdom, Rohttuaibmu.
Ruđot (ns): Female gázzi beings.
Stállu (ns): Giant or troll-like figure. Children are scared with Stállu as part of the child rearing.
Joeksaáhka (ss) / Juksáhkku (ns / ls): «The goddess of hunting. Living in boaššu, the sacred part of the lávvu (tipi) behind the fireplace. Has a part in the creation of children. Can transform an unborn child into a boy.
Oksaahka (ss) / Uhksáhkku (ns / ls): “The door goddess”. Lives under the doorstep and guards the home against all evil. Watches out for children during their first years of life, especially when they learn to walk.
Saaraahka (ss) / Sáráhkku (ns / ls): Important goddess in southern Sami areas. Lives under the fireplace. Recives sacrifices of all that can be drunk. Important in the creation of children. Helps women in menstruation and when giving births. Children were baptized in the name of Sarahkku.
Tiermes (gs) / Dierpmis (ns) / Bajánolmmái (ns) / Aijeke (gs) / Atjek (ls) / Horagálles (gs) / Hovrengaellies (ss) / Thor: Various names for the thunder god.