Hello. It is Niina and you are watching Fairychamber Channel.
In Finnish mythology and folklore there is
many stories and superstitions related to different plants and
trees.
In Finland worshiping trees has been very common.
Not just among
different Finno-Ugric tribes but
it can be found around the world.
Unfortunately it
doesn´t really exist anymore in our
modern world but
with these myths and folk beliefs we can try to understand the
worldview of the ancient people
bit better.
In Finland trees were
worshiped because
they were very closely connected to the well being of humans.
The forest
has offered berries, mushrooms and
and game.
Trees were used as building material
for boats,
saunas,
buildings, houses and
furnitures. Forest offered
herbs, birds eggs and
fishes in the lakes and streams.
In Finland people worshiped so called "haltijapuu" the fairy trees
also known as sacrificing trees.
All trees are
of course living creatures. All plants are
living creatures
in away.
Different way as humans but still they are living creatures.
It was believed that
there was a fairy tree near
each living habitation.
Fairy tree was a special
tree because it was believed that
there lived a spirit inside it.
Some kind of a fairy an elf
or a nature spirit
lived inside the tree.
There was also sacred grove.
Grove however
was a different kind of place, because
grow was in the forest.
Grow was an area in wild nature dedicated
for a specific deity.
For example Tapio or Mielikki
or for the forest spirits.
Usually there was
an altar in the grove.
There could have been some kind of
wood engraving
to represent the deity.
Or a sacrificing stone where
people sacrificed gifts for the deity (or deities).
Grove is not the same as the fairy tree.
Fairy tree was near the habitation.
It was in the yard
and grove was further in the forest
or in a meadow.
Later on in Finland
people build churches to the sacred groves.
When early Christians tried to convert forest pagan tribes
into christianity
and
that is why in Finland there isn´t that many
sacred groves left. But fairy trees have been better reserved.
Fairy trees were usually near the
habitation same way
there was a house elf who guarded the habitation
fairy tree was also a guardian.
Good fortune of people and animals and the farm
they were all dependable on these
elves, fairies and spirits who lived in the habitation.
In the houses, saunas and tables.
Finnish mythology it is filled with
these invisible spirits.
Fairy tree it is heavily connected to the
world tree. In Finnish mythology
world tree is the tree that
holds the world together.
It is an invisible tree that is connected to the northern star.
You can
find world tree from several different mythologies around the world.
It can be found from Native American myths
also from
Celtic myths. In Wales
world tree is Mabignon.
In Scandinavian mythology world tree is
Yggdrasil, which has nine layers.
In Finnish and in Saami myths
and
in the mythologies among different
Finno-Ugric tribes the world tree is
usually a pine tree and
it has tree layers.
Fairy tree in the yard was the
symbol of the world tree.
It was believed that the world tree had tree layers.
Those were Keskinen (the middle world) Where humans,
animals and
different nature spirits lived. Then there was Ylinen (the upper world)
where all the most respected deities lived
like the Bear and Ukko and so on.
Then there was Alinen (the under world) where
people believe Tuonela (Finnish version of Hades) to be. But that depends
on the time period.
Is it Tuonela that is similar to Hell? Idea that was introduced when Christianity arrived.
Or is it a waiting place
for the spirits
expecting to be reborn?
It all depends on the time period.
There was different nicknames for the fairy tree
such as: elättipuu
lyylipuu, tonttipuu and tonttupuu.
Jumalpuu, pitämyspuu, kotipuu and
pitemyspuu. These names varied
a lot.
Most of the time
fairy tree was deciduous tree.
But there was also exceptions to that. Fairy tree could have also been a spruce tree or
a pine tree.
Most common fairy trees were rowan tree
and birch trees.
Also oak trees in southern Finland because oaks
don´t otherwise grow in Finland.
Fairy tree could also be larch tree.
Most of the time
the fairy tree
was...
planted
when
the family started to build the house.
Fairy tree it grew
together
with the family.
Belief for the spirit living in the tree was very powerful.
It was also believed if the fairy tree
got sick that might bring bad
fortune to the entire family.
Crop would go bad or
food would ran out and people would die.
Worst course would come to the person who
knowingly chopped the fairy tree.
Especially if it was that kind of a tree that was planted
when the family build the house and moved in.
That is when the tree had been part of the
family´s life since the beginning.
It was forbidden to cut the fairy tree.
That would bring great misfortune.
If the tree got sick it was believed that the
spirit inside the tree would leave the family
for some reason.
If that would happen the spirit was no longer
favoring the family so all kinds of bad things
could happen.
I don´t personally have lots of experiences from fairy trees.
I do enjoy the stories around them. I find them very interesting.
In Finland nobody really practice this
custom anymore.
Maybe some
random pagans have fairy trees
but not otherwise.
People used hang ribbons and coins to the fairy trees but I always get a feeling
if I want to hang something to the tree branches
I am trashing nature.
Maybe it is more respectful if I choose not to do that.
Just talk to the tree
if I feel like it.
Not here in Finland but
in my British apartment. There is fine tree
in my yard that you might have seen in my YouTube videos.
I guess that is my fairy tree.
If you have a tree near the place you live that
you really like. I guess you can call that
to your own fairy tree and
you can talk to it
and you can pray it
if you feel like it.
I hope you enjoyed this video. I will see you on my next one.
Bye Bye )O(
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