Goahti
Gods & Goddesses
In the Sámi world view, the world was divided into three spheres: the celestial world, the real world and the underworld. All three were populated by gods and divine spirits. Human beings and animals also inhabited the earthly world and the dead inhabited the underworld.
The highest gods The highest gods, who had created the world, lived in the celestial world: Rádienáhttje, who is also known as Värálda ráde, and his wife Rádienáhkká and their son. Rádienáhttje was the creator of the human child's soul, which he then gave to Máttaráhkká, the first ancestress. An offering post was raised every autumn in Rádienáhttje's honour. This symbolized the world pillar, which was believed to stretch up from the earth to the pole star and hold up the sky.
The Sun and Thunder Various natural phenomena were also considered to be divine, such as the sun, the moon, thunder and the wind. These were life-giving and had both a good and an evil side. The sun, Biejvve, was a central goddess who gave life to all creatures. She provided light, warmth and vegetation. The thunder, Horagalles or Dierpmis, gave rain which caused the ground to turn green, and with his bow, the Rainbow, he drove away evil spirits and trolls. The thunder could also rage and be dangerous to people and animals. The Sámi prayed to him so that he would not cause forest fires or harm people or reindeer.
Goddesses The goddesses of the home were the first ancestress, Máttaráhkká, and her three daughters: Sáráhkká, Uksáhkká and Juoksáhkká. They lived with the people in their huts. The goddesses had important duties during pregnancy and childbirth. Máttaráhkká received the child's soul from Rádienáhttje and passed it on to Sáráhkká, who placed it in the womb. Sáráhkká protected the women during pregnancy and helped during childbirth. She also protected the reindeer cows during calving. Sáráhkká was the best loved of all the gods, and was worshipped by both men and women. She was the protectress of the home and lived in the fireplace.
People made an offering to Juoksáhkká if they wanted to have a boy. This is because the Sámi believed that all foetuses started out as girls. Juoksáhkká lived furthest into the hut, where the drum and the hunting weapons were stored. Uksáhkká received the child at birth and protected the child when it took its first steps, so that it did not fall and hurt itself. She lived under the hut door and protected the people as they went in or out.
Gods of the wilderness The god of hunting, Liejbbeålmåj (the god of blood or alder), ruled over the wild animals in the forest. The Sámi made offerings to him so that they would have good luck when hunting. Tjáhtjeålmåj (the god of water) ruled over water and lakes and gave luck when fishing.
Source courtesy of: eng.samer.se/servlet/GetDoc?meta_id=1140
