Syntymä, lapsuus ja kuolema: Vienan Karjalan tapoja ja uskomuksia

A vivid portrait of a remote corner of Karelia unfolds through the eyes of Anni Lehtonen, a lifelong keeper of her community’s songs, sayings and rites. Drawing on the author’s 1915 field notes, the work weaves together the everyday rituals that mark a child’s arrival, the careful observances of “pesemiset” and the subtle rules governing gender relations. Listeners will hear how simple acts—such as the timing of tea or the handling of water during menstruation—are imbued with protective magic and communal belief.

The second half turns to the customs surrounding death, from the handling of a corpse to the lingering presence of the “kalma” that haunts graves. Detailed descriptions of burial preparations, mourning meals and the whispered charms used to keep the departed at peace reveal a worldview where the living and the dead are constantly intertwined. The narrative remains grounded in personal anecdotes and rich oral material, offering an intimate glimpse into a culture that preserves its past through rhythm, rhyme and ritual.