Sámi Gods and Mythical Creatures

The mysterious and captivating folklore of the Sámi’s and the polytheistic and animistic religion of the Indigenous people of the north.

The Sámi myths represent a far different idea of the world and its creation. In the 15th and 16th century, the ancient Sami mythology and religious beliefs almost vanished completely due to the invasion of the Christians. Many of the stories about the Sami mythical creatures and characters that appear in the rich and numerous narratives across the Sami area survived the Christianisation because the Sámis through generations were so adamant that they would keep them alive through oral storytelling. In this lecture we will dive into a fascinating world where we will meet the Akka, Stállu, Bieggolmai, Eahpáraš and get a brief but fascinating introduction to the different Sámi gods and goddesses. This lecture will be your portal into the distant past, the arctic world of mysteries and beings as dreamlike as the nature in which they were created. Bures boahtima to all.

Bio:

Lena Schattenherz Heide-Brennand is a Norwegian lecturer with a master degree in language, culture and literature from the University of Oslo and Linnaeus University. She has been lecturing and teaching various subjects since 1998. Her field of interest and main focus has always been topics that others have considered strange, eccentric and eerie, and she has specialised in a variety of dark subjects linked to folklore, mythology and Victorian traditions and medicine. Her students often point out her thorough knowledge about the subjects she is teaching, in addition to her charismatic appearance. She refers to herself as a performance lecturer and always gives her audience an outstanding experience

don’t worry if you miss it – we will send you a recording valid for two weeks the next day