Table of Contents
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Mythologia Fennica Tarot is a representation of Finnish mythology in a new form. It contains a wide range of mythological beings, deities, nature spirits, events of Finnish national epic Kalevala and aspects of traditional Finnish world view. It also contains shamanistic themes and beliefs of other Finno-Ugric peoples.
Product description from the publisher
Last spring, my family and I visited Turku Castle, which is quite close to our home. Towards the end of the tour, there was a gift shop in the castle, which, of course, we had to let our older child explore. At the same time, I had some time to check out the books they had on offer. I was astonished to see that among the history books, there was a Kalevala-themed tarot deck. Obviously, I had to buy it and take a closer look.
The Kalevala is the national epic of Karelia and Finland. The 50 poems in it were compiled in the 19th century by Elias Lönnrot, and it contains oral folklore and mythology of the Finnish people. The Kalevala tells the story of the world’s creation, the adventures of the hero Väinämöinen, the young impetuous Joukahainen, and the quest to recover the Sampo, a magical artefact.
In this review, I am dealing with the first edition of Mythologia Fennica Tarot. I understand that a second edition is coming later, which seems to include, among other things, an updated deck box.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Strong connection to Finnish mythology + The guidebook is high quality and has a lot of information + The art style fits the theme well | – The guidebook is sold separately – Flimsy deck box |
About the Creator
Susanna Salo became interested in tarot cards at a young age. Her first contact with the world of tarot cards was as a child when her grandmother taught her how to tell fortunes using her hand and ordinary playing cards, among other things. The dream world has also been important to Salo. In fact, it is one of the places where she draws inspiration for his art.
The Kalevala, a cornerstone of Finnish culture, serves as the thematic foundation of Salo’s tarot deck. This epic poem collection has long intrigued Salo, who has studied its depths through the archives of Finnish libraries. Notably, she draws inspiration from Alpo Sailo, a renowned Finnish sculptor and painter, in her exploration of the Kalevala’s rich world.
Cards and the Artwork
Mythologia Fennica Tarot consists of a large arcana with 22 cards, 16 court cards and 40 small arcana cards. What makes this deck special is that the minor arcana cards are not divided into traditional suits. Instead, they have been divided into fire, water, air and earth to fit more thematically into the world of the Kalevala. The difference is not big, as the elements mentioned correspond to those of more traditional decks, but in terms of atmosphere, the difference is big.
I like the way the characters from Finnish mythology have been used in the themes of the cards, especially in the names. For example, instead of the traditional Narri, the first card is Beginning, which describes the birth of the world. Unlike many heavily theme-based decks, the little arcana has not been ignored. For example, instead of the King of Swords, the deck features Ukko, the ancient Finnish and Karelian god of weather, rain and thunder. I have to give that a big plus. According to the deck’s author, the connection with the more traditional interpretations of the decks is mainly coincidental, as the cards’ meanings are more from the Kalevala.
The art on the cards looks like a painting, which fits well with the theme of the deck. It brings to the cards the dream world that has been an important source of inspiration for Salo. The cards have a white border on both the back and front, which act as frames for the painting. At the bottom of the card is the name of the card and a tag to identify the country and number of the card.
If the deck is unfamiliar, court cards, in particular, can be difficult to identify. On the other hand, if you let go of the search for traditional meanings and look at the deck more as a mixture of an oracle deck and a tarot deck, the card’s correspondence is irrelevant.
The Guidebook of Mythologia Fennica Tarot
Mythologia Fennica Tarot’s guidebook is sold separately, which is unfortunate. But there is a silver lining for a couple of reasons. The first is that more effort has been put into the guidebook. It is hardback and uses good-quality paper. You can see from the illustrations and everything else that there has been an investment in quality. Another good thing about selling the guidebook separately is that it contains so much information about Finnish mythology that it is a good buy, even if you are not interested in tarot.
The guidebook starts with a foreword, giving the reader the background and inspiration behind the kit. It also gives an overview of how to use the cards, including in the form of spreads. The guide is comprehensive and will help you get started even if you are not an experienced reader.
Each card has 2-3 pages of information. The book gives keywords, background information on the character in the card, and what can be inferred from the card. There are poems interspersed throughout to add to the atmosphere. Here again, you can see that a lot of effort has gone into the making of the book. If it is not otherwise obvious, it is at least obvious in the fact that dozens of sources are listed at the end of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Finnish mythology.
Conclusion
Mythologia Fennica Tarot offers a unique and immersive experience for those interested in Finnish mythology and tarot. The deck’s strong connection to Finnish folklore, high-quality artwork, and comprehensive guidebook make it a valuable addition to any tarot enthusiast’s collection. While the flimsy deck box and the separate sale of the guidebook are minor drawbacks, this tarot deck’s overall depth and richness make it a worthwhile investment for those intrigued by the world of Finnish mythology.
