SyndicationJan/04/2011
Back to work + Kalevala
Today I was finally able to go back to work, I had been sick for two weeks (everyone said it is only normal to get sick in a foreign country).
This morning as I was going to work, I noticed that I've gotten very used to riding the subway, it's starting to become a part of my routine, I hope my confidence won't make me get lost.
. . . .
Today I will start putting up illustrations of the epic Finnish Kalevala, our national treasure in every sense.
Kalevala has been a great influence in our sense of self, Finnish literature, nationality and customs, it is a part of every finnish persons life whether they have read The Kalevala or not!
Here is the central character of The Kalevala, Väinämöinen. A shamanistic man with magical powers of song and music, he is born from Ilmatar as an ancient and contributes to the origins of Earth. Väinämöinen goes on many journeys, one of them for example to meet the giant Antero Vipunen, as to aquire the songs of boat building.
Väinämöinen created and plays the kantele, a Finnish stringed instrument that remebles the Japanese koto. The kantele is very important in Finnish folk music and myth, Väinämöinen uses his kantele to aid him in his magic.
Väinämöinen also leads the group who goes on to steal the maical mill Sampo from the people of Pohjola.
here is a link to a Japanese site on Kalevala----->
