Kalevala | Vainamoinen

Vainamoinen is the central character of the Kalevala. He is born from the sea at the beginning of the world. In oral tradition he is often depicted as a god, but in the Kalevala he is a great shaman and singer, an "Eternal Sage" and prophet who prays to Ukko. Shamans are magician/priests able to achieve trance states in which they leave their bodies and travel in the spirit world, to see into the future, prophesy, and commune with the gods. Vainamoinen's visits to Antero Vipunen and Tuonela in search of knowledge can be read as the dream--or trance--journey of a shaman....

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