Ukko

Ukko, also known as Äijä, Äijö or Uku, is the god of the sky, weather, harvest and thunder in Finnish and Estonian mythology, who was also seen as a chief god.

Overview[]

Ukko's domain and court was in the heavens, where he ruled with his wife Akka, and held the epithets Ylijumala (Supereme God) and Pauanne (Thunder). He also reigned over lesser spirits of his domain, similarly to the sea-god Ahto, the forest-god Tapio and the underworld-god Tuoni.

As the god of the sky, he controlled the weather and all it's phenomena, such as rain, storm and lighting. The god was known to use thunderbolts as weapons, which known as either the Ukon vaaja (bolt of Ukko) or the Ukon nuoli (arrow of Ukko). Other weapons he used was the Ukonvasara (a hammer or axe which could generate lighting) and a flaming sword.

Ukko was worshipped as god of weather and fertility, and received sacrifices in the form sheep-meat which was placed in a birch-bark chest, which in turn was placed at a holy site. The god would eat his share of the sacrifice at night, while the people eat what remains the next day. Warriors also prayed to him, hoping he would drop an Umpiputki, a magic charm which could protect the them during battle.

Christianity[]

When Christianity arrived to Finland, Ukko was demonized by Christians, even was seen as the self-devil, Ukko was then more known by his other name Perkele that now means evil spirit in Finnish, curiously the name Perkele come from the Proto-Indo-European word *Perkʷūnos that mean thunder in modern Indo-European languages.

In Estonia the prophet Elijah is considered to be the successor to Ukko, the ancient spirit of lightning. Similarly, the prophet Elijah replaces Elwa in Georgia and Zeus in Greece.

Ukko

Contents

Overview[]

Christianity[]

Gallery[]

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