Beaivi

Beaivi, cried Beiwe, Bievve, Beivve an Biejje an aw, is the Sami name o the Sun or might refer tae the Sami Sun-deity. The Sami Sun-deity is maistly depicted as female but whiles as male an aw. In Sápmi, north o the Polar circle, whaur the Sun during the winter-period, daes nae even reach the horizon, it is nae haurd tae believe, that the Sun wis appreciated an played a major role in the cultic coherence. Buorre beaivi means guid day in Northren Sámi but disna hae tae associate wi the Sun-deity.

Beivve Sami Sun seembol

Beaivi is the ware an sun goddess o growthiness an sanity wis worshippit bi the Sami, ane o the indigenous fowks o Fennoscandie.

At Winter solstice a white female reindeer wis sacrificit in honour o Beivve, tae ensure that she returned tae the Warld an pit an end tae the lang winter season. At the time o the year whan the Sun wis returnin, butter (whilk melts in the sunshine) wis smeared on the doorposts, as a sacrifice tae Beivve, sae that she coud gain strenth throu her convalescence an gang heicher an heicher in the sky. At Simmer solstice, fowk made sun-rings oot o leaves an pinned thaim up in her honour. At thir occasions, thay ett butter as a sacral meal an aw.

Beivve wis aften accompanee'd bi her dochter, Beaivi-nieida (the sun maiden) in an enclosur o reindeer antlers.

Beivve brocht growthiness back tae the Arctic region, she made the plants grow, sae that the reindeer flourisht an reproducit, an brocht walth an prosperity tae the humans.

At the time o the year whan Beivve returned, prayers wis made for the fowk wha wis mentally ill. The Sami considered - correct lik - that madness in the shape o psychoses an depressions wis provokit bi the lack o sunshine an licht in the dark winter-saison.

In Sami meeth, she traivels wi her dochter Beaivi-nieida throu the sky in an enclosur covered bi reindeer bones, bringin green plants back tae the winter yird for the reindeer tae eat. She wis cried upon tae restore the mental halth o those who went insane acause o the continual darkness o the lang winter.

Worshippers o Beaivi uised tae sacrifice white female ainimals, an thread the meat ontae sticks whilk thay bend intae rings an tee wi bricht ribbons. Thay kiver thair doorposts wi butter sae Beaivi can eat it an begin her journey ance again an aw. This is cried the Festival o Beaivi.

She is associate wi the growthiness o plants an ainimals, in pairticular reindeer.

See an aw

• Sami shamanism

Freemit airtins

• December 2003 Holidays- School of Seasons Archived 2012-12-28 at the Wayback Machine