The Joulogadze of Norway: A Mini-Essay

     In the Norwegian Lappmarken, Christmas Eve, known as ruotta-evening, is busied with a whirlwind of arrangements. While much of the world spends the day readying itself for Christmas, the Finns make preparations for the joulogadze (evil spirits). For the people of Lappmarken, ruotta-evening is perceived as the grimmest time of the year, when the joulogadze freely roam the earth and wreak havoc on the living.[1] It is a longstanding fear and, as Reidar Christiansen reveals, it has been mentioned as early as the seventeenth century in Reverend Petter Dass' Nordlands Trumpet.[2] According to popular lore, these malicious entities spend the night terrorizing churches and other holy places in retaliation of ruottabaeive (Christmas Day), which marks the anniversary of Jesus’ birth.[3] Indeed, as legend maintains, a Norwegian soldier once challenged the joulogadze and, in an attempt to prove his bravery, visited the Leon Church on ruotta-evening. Driven from the building in fright, he fell upon his sword and was instantaneously killed.[4] To prevent unwanted visitations, the Finns hide their brooms, which they believe the joulogadze steal and ride throughout the night, and place brass, flint, or steel into fountains and wells to prevent the spirits from urinating into fresh drinking water.[5]

Works Referenced

Christiansen, Reidar, ed. Folktales of Norway. Trans. Pat Shaw Iversen. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1964.

Emery, Mabel. Norway Through the Steroscope: Notes on a Journey Through the Land of the Vikings. New York: Underwood and Underwood, 1907.

Karsten, Rafael. The Religion of the Samek: Ancient Beliefs and Cults of the Scandinavian and Finnish Lapps. Netherland, E.J. Brill, 1955.
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[1] Karsten, 52.
[2] Christiansen, 33.
[3] Emery, 190.  
[4] Emery, 190.
[5] Karsten, 52.