Finnish mythology in the context of Robert Wilhelm Ekman

Finnic mythologies are the mythologies of the various Finnic peoples:

• Finnish mythology
• Estonian mythology
• Komi mythology
• Mari mythology
• Sámi shamanism

The Kalevala (IPA: [ˈkɑleʋɑlɑ]) is a 19th-century compilation of epic poetry, compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish, Karelian and Ingrian folklore and mythology, telling a story about the Creation of the Earth, describing the controversies and retaliatory voyages between the peoples of the land of Kalevala called Väinölä and the land of Pohjola and their various protagonists and antagonists, as well as the construction and robbery of the mythical wealth-making machine Sampo.

The Kalevala is regarded as the national epic of Finland and Karelia, and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature along with J. L. Runeberg's The Tales of Ensign Stål and Aleksis Kivi's The Seven Brothers. The Kalevala was instrumental in the development of the Finnish national identity and the intensification of Finland's language strife that ultimately led to Finland's independence from Russia in 1917. The work is known internationally and has partly influenced, for example, J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium (i.e. Middle-earth mythology, especially The Children of Húrin).

The world tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European, Siberian, and Native American religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereby connecting the heavens, the terrestrial world, and, through its roots, the underworld. It may also be strongly connected to the motif of the tree of life, but it is the source of wisdom of the ages.

Specific world trees include Égig érő fa in Hungarian mythology, Ağaç Ana in Turkic mythology, Kenac' Car in Armenian mythology, Modun in Mongol mythology, Yggdrasil in Norse mythology, Irminsul in Germanic mythology, the oak in Slavic, Finnish and Baltic, Jianmu (Chinese: 建木; pinyin: jiànmù) in Chinese mythology, and in Hindu mythology the Ashvattha (a Ficus religiosa).

Ukko (Finnish: [ˈukːo]), is a thunder and weather god in Finnish mythology, whose vital role is fertilizing fields with his thunder and rain.

Unto Salo [fi] believes that Ilmari, the Finnic sky god, is the origin of Ukko, but that as Ukko Ilmari experienced very significant, although far from total, influence from the Indo-European sky god especially in the form of Thor. Eemil Nestor Setälä also stated that Ukko can't be a very old name for a god and that the thunder god cult among Finns was of Germanic origin. According to Martti Haavio, the name Ukko was sometimes used as a common noun or generalised epithet for multiple deities instead of denoting a specific god. In 1789, Christfried Ganander wrote that the forest god Tapio was sometimes honoured with the name Ukko.

Ahti is a water god in Finnish mythology.

In the Kalevala, he is referred to with the name Ahto in order to not confuse him with the separate character Ahti Saarelainen.

Tapio (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈtɑpio]), Kuippana or Hippa is a Finnish forest spirit or god in Finnish mythology. He is called the King of the Forest (Metsän kuningas). Hunters prayed to him before a hunt. His wife is the goddess of the forest, Mielikki. He is the father of Tellervo, Tuulikki and Nyyrikki (Pinneus). Fitting the Green Man archetype, Tapio has a beard of lichen and eyebrows of moss.

In runic songs, the name Tapio often refers to the feminine ruler of the forest, Mielikki (as well as the feminized version of the name, Tapiotar), or appears as a synonym for the word metsä 'forest'.

Louhi (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈlou̯hi]; alternate names include Loviatar (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈloʋiɑtɑr]), Loveatar, Lovetar, Lovehetar, Louhetar and Louhiatar) is the ruler of Pohjola in Finnish mythology. She is regarded as a goddess of death and disease. She is also the mother of wolves. Her original role was likely as the ruler of the underworld.

In Kalevala, Elias Lönnrot split Louhi into two different characters, Louhi and Loviatar, describing Louhi as a wicked queen of Pohjola and Loviatar as a blind daughter of Tuoni. In Runo 45 of the Kalevala, Loviatar is impregnated by a great wind and gives birth to nine sons, the Nine diseases.

In Finnish mythology, the Sampo (pronounced [ˈsɑmpo]) or Sammas (pronounced [ˈsɑmːɑs]) is a magical device or object described in many different ways, constructed by the blacksmith, inventor and originally the sky god Ilmarinen, and which brings riches and good fortune to its holder, akin to the horn of plenty (cornucopia) of Greek mythology. A central myth in Finnish mythology is the idea that the sampo was once in Pohjola but a group of heroes attempt to steal it. Sammas, as something at the center of the world, also exists in Estonian mythology.

The Sampo or Sammas has multiple other names in runic songs as well, including Samppu, Samppi and Kirjokansi (pronounced [ˈkirjoˌkɑnsi]).

Pohjola (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈpohjolɑ]; from pohja 'base, bottom', but used in derived forms like pohjois- to mean 'north' + -la 'place'), sometimes just Pohja (pronounced [ˈpohjɑ]), is a location in Finnish mythology. It is one of the two main polarities in the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, along with Kalevala or Väinölä.

Finnish runic songs include multiple different concepts of Pohjola. Many depictions line with Pohjola being the realm of the dead, synonymous with Tuonela. On the other hand, mythic stories of heroes include a Pohjola which is more akin to a distant, wealthy kingdom to be raided. Anna-Leena Siikala drew a connection to Norwegians' raiding trips across Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) in the 9th century. Mythical parallel names for Pohjola include Tuonela, Hiitola, Vuojola and Päivölä, while geographic equivalents include Lappi (Lapland), Turja (Kola Peninsula) and Rutja (Finnmark).