Kven People of Norway Episode
- Midnight Starr
- 32 minutes ago
- 7 min read
What it's All About:
In this episode, I take you way up to Northern Norway to look into the story of the Kven people. They are often referred to as the forgotten minority of the Arctic. This is understandable when considering how little they are mentioned in history books. These people are descendants of Finnish migrants who built their lives in a pretty unforgiving landscape. They shared the land with both Norwegians and Sámi. It makes you wonder how that history shaped them and what it truly feels like to belong to a community so far away from the homeland. This is a story of survival.
There also appears to be a bit of a cultural renaissance happening for the Kven right now. It is fascinating to see how things like traditional woodcraft or community storytelling are being brought back to life with this renewed energy. The path to recognition isn't always easy, but there is a real push now to honor these Arctic roots. This episode highlights a side of Nordic heritage that many people have likely never even heard of. If you like uncovering these kinds of stories, go ahead and subscribe or leave a review.
Songs Featured:
Spirit Guide Background Music by Artem Hramushkin from Pixabay
Dream Symbol Background Music by Joel Fazhari from Pixabay
Meditation Background Music by Universfield from Pixabay
Links Mentioned:
Get in Touch Through Social Media:
Spirit Guide of the Week:
Ukko
Dream Symbol:
Vampire
Transcript:
(05:40)
Welcome to another episode of the Music from the Goddess’ Vault Podcast. I am your host Midnight Starr. You just heard Gibu by Wardruna
The topic of today’s show is all about the Kven people of Norway.
I’m looking to build on some future episodes, and I need your help choosing what's next. Do you have a new pagan topic in mind? A weird dream symbol? Maybe a spirit guide you've just noticed? Whatever it is, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I'm easy to find if you want to contact me. I’m mostly on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Blue Sky and Mastodon. Or you can check out my blog at goddessvault1.wixsite.com/home.
For those who want to stay in the loop, I have a free newsletter at musicgoddessvault.substack.com. You can also become a paid member for $7 a month or $70 a year.
Now for the topic: the Kven of Norway. They are another indigenous group from the region. Like you, I am interested in learning more about them, and this podcast is a perfect way to do that. But first, let us hear another song: Winter Mullein, by Willow Wynd
(09:07)
When people picture the far north of Norway, their mind usually goes straight to the Vikings. But there’s another group you should know about, the Kven. They’ve been part of the Arctic coast for centuries.
Technically, they’re a Baltic-Finnic ethnic minority. If you look at the official records, their history in Norway seems to start around the 1700s. But that’s just the paperwork. Their roots actually go back much further than the records show. Archaeology suggests they were there long before the modern borders were even drawn.
So, where did they actually come from? Most Kven families trace back to Northern Finland and the Torne Valley in Sweden. They moved toward the Arctic Ocean, maybe following the fish, or perhaps just looking for a bit of space.
Things really picked up in the 1700s and 1800s. The Kven They were building lives in places like Troms and Finnmark. The way they survived out there was actually pretty incredible. They were master fishermen on the coast, but they were also dedicated farmers. They had to be tough. To even start a farm, they’d spend weeks hauling heavy stones out of the dirt just to clear a single field. You have to wonder if anyone else would have even bothered. Without that persistence, these northern regions might have stayed empty.
But, as is often the case, that success eventually ran into a wall. By the late 1800s, things changed. Norway was building a new national identity, and the government started seeing the Kven culture as a threat to that vision. This led to a policy called "Norwegianization." It was a pretty blunt attempt to scrub away the culture. Kven was banned in schools. Even worse, the government made it nearly impossible to buy land. You had to have a Norwegian name and speak the language perfectly just to own a farm. It must have been an incredible amount of pressure to just "blend in" and let the old ways go.
Yet, looking at the North today, you see things are shifting. The language was certainly pushed to the edge, but the Kven identity never really disappeared. It just went quiet for a while.
I'm going to take a quick break for some music. Have a listen to this song by FAUN is translated to mean “This Cold Night”, and I’ll be back in a moment.
(14:12)
Time for another Spirit Guide of the Week.
Today, I am going to Finland to talk about the deity Ukko.
He is the god of Thunder. But he’s also the spirit of abundance, healing, prosperity, and fertility.
Ukko is the most important deity in the Finnish pantheon.
His name literally translates to 'Old Man.”
You can say that he most like resembles Odin and Thor in mythology. But he is most closely linked to the Bulkan deity Perkunas.
Ukkos also has a wife named Akka who is the goddess of the Earth.
There was a tradition called Ukon Vakat where you can give a toast or drink in his honor. He was also once a celebrated god during Midsummer celabrations in ancient Finland.
Ukko is depicted with a grey beard and a blue cloak. He carries golden weapons like hammers, axes, and swords. These are his symbols for lightning. Striking them against the sky creates sparks that become lightning bolts.
You can invoke Ukko if you need rain in your garden, healing, luck for the hunt, or a safe childbirth.
If you like, you can even give a toast or drink in his honor.
That is it for now. Stay tuned for another spirit guide of the week.
(19:47)
That was the band Crow Women performing their song "Bring the Rain."
Now, let’s talk about where the Kven people are today. For a long time, their identity was kept a secret, but that changed in 2005. That was the year Norway formally acknowledged the Kven as a national minority.
Because of this, the Kven language (which sounds a lot like Finnish but is its own unique language), is now a recognized minority language. There is a lot of pressure to save it. The Kvensk Institutt and schools are working hard to make sure that the future generation speaks it.
The Kven Flag is a good picture of this resurgence. There is a yellow and red sun-rose, or sun-wheel, in the middle of a deep blue landscape. It shows their old roots and the history of their profession. They were well-known blacksmiths and cloth weavers, and you can still sense that "maker" attitude in their culture today.
You may see this history in person at the Ruija Kven Museum. They have written down everything from the first migrations to how families lived on the coast.
What’s most exciting is the present-day identity. Now it's more than simply a museum item. Young Kven people are reconnecting with their roots through the internet and groups like NKF. They are showing that being Kven isn't just about the past; it's a culture that is still alive and well today.
To learn more, head over to kvener.no or check out the Varanger Museum website.
Now it’s time for a break. Let’s listen to On the Pride of Champions by Leslie Hudson.
(23:52)
Here's another dream symbol to interpret.
These are the three: Vampire, Vegetables, and Venus Flytrap.
First up, the Vampire.
Seeing a vampire in your dreams can mean fear or death, but also allure and passion. It often shows someone in your waking life whose appeal could end up hurting you.
Vampires in dreams can also be connected to choices regarding sex and your first intimate encounter.
If you see a vampire in your dream, it also means you are tired or worn out in some way.
Dreaming that you see a vampire could also stand for someone who is hooked to drugs or someone who is in a relationship that is too strong.
If you dream that you’re the vampire, it suggests you’re draining other people’s energy for your own gain.
Next is Vegetables.
Seeing veggies in your dream means you need spiritual sustenance.
If you dream about seeing wilted veggies, it means you're depressed.
And finally the Venus Flytrap.
Seeing a Venus flytrap in your dream means that there is a strong or controlling lady in your life.
And if you dream that a Venus flytrap is eating you, it means that a strong woman in your real life is controlling your every move.
If you want a dream symbol to interpret and maybe have a dream symbol featured, I will mention the contact information at the end of this show. So keep dreaming.
(29:37)
Again, if you are listening to this podcast in a moving vehicle, please skip ahead. This next meditation comes from the album Loving Awareness - A Collection of Guided Meditation by Grace Wells and Enda Gallery. This track is called I Am Loving Awareness.
(39:24)
Before the meditation you heard Vampire Girl from Orn by Emerald Rose.
Okay, that's all I have time for today. My name is Midnight Starr, and thanks for hanging out with me.
Now, before you leave, I need your help! What do you want me to talk about next? Do you want to know more about certain topic, spirit guides, or dream symbols? Send me a message. I'm online everywhere! You can find me on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Blue Sky, and Mastodon. You can also visit my blog at goddessvault1.wixsite.com/home.
And don't miss a thing! Sign up for my free newsletter at musicgoddessvault.substack.com.
I have one last song to play for you today. It is Pagan Revolution by Elvenking.
Blessed Be.
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