| Sampsa Pellervoinen | |
|---|---|
Haltija of vegetation | |
 | |
| Other names | Forest Finns: Ämssä Ingria: Pellervo, Pellervoi, Sämpsä, Sämpsö, Sämpsöi Kainuu: Samsa, Sämpsä Karelia: Ahti, Antti, Lellervoinen, Pellervo, Pellervö, Pekka, Pervetsoinen, Saksa, Samppo, Sampsa, Sampsan, Sampso, Šampšo, Sampu, Samsa, Sapsu, Sellervoinen, Sempsä, Sempsen, Simpsan, Sämpsä, Sämpsermöine, Sämsä Ostrobothnia: Seutervoinen, Sentervoinen, Sämpsä, Sämsä Savonia: Pellermöinen, Pellervo, Samps', Sompsa, Sämse, Sämsä |
| Abode | Earth |
| Animals | Vennon härkä Uljamoinen (ox) |
| Gender | Male |
| Ethnic group | Finns,Karelians |
Sampsa orSämpsä Pellervoinen is ahaltija of vegetation inFinnish mythology. He sows all vegetation on earth, all the forests, swamps, meadows, and rock lands too. He appears as a god of fertility who has to be ritually awakened every summer in some regions.
In theKarelian Isthmus,sämpsykkä means a plant. InIngria,sämpsykkä orsämpsä-heinä means theScirpus sylvaticus. It could be a loan from Germanic: GermanSimse means a bulrush. Pellervo could be a reference to eitherpellava ("flax") orpelto ("field").[1]Martti Haavio thought Pellervo comes frompellet ("ground; humus").[2] According toHeikki Kirkinen Sampsa's name could be derived fromSaint Sampson the Hospitable, a saint of the Eastern Churches.[3]
He was first mentioned byChristfried Ganander in 1789 as Sämsä or Sämpsä, a faun, a son of Pellervoinen and the planter of trees.[4] His helper was the strong draft ox named Vennon härkä Uljamoinen.[5] Ganander also wrote down a rarerunic song where Sämsä poika Sentervoinen prepares his boat in order to go sailing.[6]
In Eastern Finland, Sampsa is primarily known in therunic song describing theorigin of trees. Despite this, it seems likely that his original role was as a protector of field crops. The most comprehensive story of the awakening of Sampsa describes how the wealthy land owner Ahti tries to get someone to awaken Sampsa. A wolf tries to do so, hoping to get a hefty reward, but fails. Summer boy, who doesn't think of a reward, goes to awaken Sampsa and is successful. Sampsa then proceeds to sow all vegetation. In some versions, it is winter boy who first fails to awaken Sampsa. The place where Sampsa is sleeping is described as an island without trees.[1][7] This story includes the line:Ennen Ahti maita puuttu, / Ennenkun Sämpsä siemeniä ("Ahti would sooner run out of land than Sämpsä out of seeds").[8]
In some versions of these poems he inseminates either his sister or his mother to be able to provide fertility for fields and orchards. The incest version is likely born out of foreign influence, as a fertility god mates with an earth mother in multiple religions.[1] Runic songs also refer toMaaemä ("earth mother"),Maatar orMannutar, the mother in earth. According toUno Harva, when some runic songs mention that Sampsa "laid with his mother", the mother in question is Maaemä.[7] The parts referring to the shame of incest are likely taken fromKullervo's story and only later attached to Sampsa.[1]
TheForest Finns knew of Ämssä who lived in a tussock, which Harva has connected to Sampsa, for the Ingrians knew the concept of Sämpsä's tussock. It could've been the first tuft with green grass, the first place where the vegetation haltija shows signs of waking up.[7]
In Ingria, the song of Sampsa has been traditionally sung during festivities forUkko on June 29 in connection withvakkue.[7]
In somerunic songs, the sowing is done with the help of small pieces ofsampo. In theKalevala,Elias Lönnrot changed the order of things so that the sowing happens before the forging of sampo, in the second poem of theKalevala during the land's creation. Sampsa is commonly described as a slender youth carrying either a bag or a basket around his neck.
Kaarle Krohn compared Sampsa to Scandinavian fertility deitiesFreyr andNjord.[9]Raymond Chambers has called attention to the possible connection between Sampsa andScyld Scefing from theBeowulf.
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