Holidays in Finland - Kalevala Day

February 28th is a special day for Finland. This is the date of celebration in honor of the Karelian-Finnish folk epic "Kalevala". Ancient tales were recreated in the 19th century by the scientist Elias Lönrot from 50 songs, preserved in the peasant environment of Karelia. The content of the poem does not have a clear connected plot, characteristic of the world epic. There is also no connection between the Kalevala narrative and any historical events or personalities. The main characters of the poem act according to the laws of fairy tales and legends, where several storylines are intertwined according to Lönrot’s poetic plan. The first parts of the poem talk about the creation of the sky, luminaries and earth. Next, the airy maiden gives birth to a son, Vainamöinen, who is destined to become the main folk character of the Karelians. As befits a culture hero, Väinomöinen sows the land with barley and goes on incredible adventures. Carrying out an order from the beautiful maiden of the North, the hero meets the hero Ilmarinen, who is forging the magic mill Sampo. Another main character in the poem is the daring and brave sorcerer Lemminkäinen. Heroes obtain treasures, win the favor of beauties and fight monsters. The last song of the Kalevala tells about the birth of a miracle child to the virgin Maryatta. The boy is destined to become the Savior and surpass Väinömöinen in glory. A recognized hero says that the baby must be killed before the prophecy gains strength. But the newborn shames the hero, and Väinomöinen has to sail away in his shuttle, singing the last song. So the ancient heroes gave way to the new ruler of Karelia. Kalevala Day has a bright patriotic overtones, because it is combined with a celebration in honor of the Finnish flag. It was decided to hold the first holiday in 1860. Today is the official Day of Karelian and Finnish Cultures, which is accompanied by a costumed carnival procession. Heroes of the epic appear on the streets, sing songs, dance and act out stories from their glorious past.