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Väki is a supernatural power in Finnish mythology. It was believed by Baltic Finns that väki resided in natural sites, objects, and animals. [1] Väki has been compared to mana. However, according to Laura Stark, väki is about an impersonal power rather than a universal force. [2] Väki has also been compared to orenda. [3]
Some folklorists have stated väki are in objects, especially ones connected to the world of the supernatural. [4] The concept of väki was first documented in the 18th century by Christfrid Ganander in his book Mythologia Fennica. [5]
According to K. Krohn, väki originated from animistic beliefs. [6] There is a lack of information regarding how most kinds of väki were used by tietäjä. [7]
The word väki is polysemic with two interrelated meanings: a) strength or power, and b) a troop. In modern Finnish, väki means a crowd of people or inhabitants of a home or location. The word could also be translated to mean folk or people. [8] The word väki also has a meaning of "strength, power", [9] although in modern usage it mainly occurs as a modifier as in väkiviina "strong liquor". The term refers to both physical and magical power. The term väki is also used for a haltija [10] or a group of them. This article discusses the meaning "magical or supernatural power".
![]() | You can help expand this article with text translated from
the corresponding article in Finnish. (October 2021) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Väki is a supernatural power in Finnish mythology. It was believed by Baltic Finns that väki resided in natural sites, objects, and animals. [1] Väki has been compared to mana. However, according to Laura Stark, väki is about an impersonal power rather than a universal force. [2] Väki has also been compared to orenda. [3]
Some folklorists have stated väki are in objects, especially ones connected to the world of the supernatural. [4] The concept of väki was first documented in the 18th century by Christfrid Ganander in his book Mythologia Fennica. [5]
According to K. Krohn, väki originated from animistic beliefs. [6] There is a lack of information regarding how most kinds of väki were used by tietäjä. [7]
The word väki is polysemic with two interrelated meanings: a) strength or power, and b) a troop. In modern Finnish, väki means a crowd of people or inhabitants of a home or location. The word could also be translated to mean folk or people. [8] The word väki also has a meaning of "strength, power", [9] although in modern usage it mainly occurs as a modifier as in väkiviina "strong liquor". The term refers to both physical and magical power. The term väki is also used for a haltija [10] or a group of them. This article discusses the meaning "magical or supernatural power".