Hongatar

{{short description|Deity}} {{Infobox deity | type = Finnish | name = Hongatar | deity_of = Mother of the Bear | other_names = Central Finland: Hongas, Hongotar, Tapiatar Karelia: Hongas, Honkatar, Tapiotar Ostrobothnia: Hongas, Hongotar, Höngäs, Petäjätär Savo: Hongas, Tapiotar | gender = Female | ethnic_group = Finns, Karelians }} '''Hongatar''' or '''Hongas''' is a haltija or goddess<ref name="höngäs"/> in Finnish mythology. She is known as the mother of the bear. After killing a bear, there was a ritual held called peijaiset, a funeral (sometimes staged like a wedding) for the bear where its skull was lifted on a large, straight pine tree (''honka'').<ref name="haavio">{{cite book |last=Haavio |first=Martti |date=1967 |title=Suomalainen mytologia |url= |location=Helsinki |publisher=WSOY (original), Finnish Literature Society |pages=22–26 |isbn=978-951-858-026-6 |access-date=}}</ref> Hongatar could be also imagined in bear-form, with her skull as the oldest one on the tree. She was the special, invited guest of these rituals.<ref name="sii">{{cite book |last=Siikala |first=Anna-Leena |date=2012 |title=Itämerensuomalaisten mytologia |url= |location=Helsinki |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |page=388 |isbn=978-952-222-393-7 |access-date=}}</ref>

==Name== Her name comes from ''honka'', a pine tree, the very kind of tree where bear skulls were ritualistically lifted to hang on. Martti Haavio believed the ''honka'' in her name is the very first, mythical bear skull tree. In runic songs about the origin of the bear, many other tree related female haltija names are listed: Tuometar ({{lit.|Lady bird cherry}}), Katajatar ({{lit.|Lady juniper}}), Petäjätär ({{lit.|Lady pine}}), Pihlajatar ({{lit.|Lady rowan}}), and more. Haavio also believed these to not be separate tree haltijas, like many have done, but all be referring to Hongatar. Peijaiset ritual was also called {{lang|fi|Tuomettaren juomingit, Pihlajattaren pidot}} 'Drinking party of Tuometar, feast of Pihlajatar'.<ref name="haavio"/>

If Haavio's theory, also repeated by onomatologist Sirkka Paikkala,<ref>{{cite web |last=Paikkala |first=Sirkka |date=2006 |title=Itäsuomalaisten sukunimien synty |url=https://bin.yhdistysavain.fi/1596413/5Yj5dQuQzAprgWkuDQCR0V7OWw/IT%C3%84SUOMALAISTEN%20SUKUNIMIEN%20SYNTY.pdf |location=Savonlinna |publisher=|access-date=2025-08-10}}</ref> is true, then Hongatar would gain the following alternate names: Tuometar in Kainuu, Norrbotten, North Karelia, North Savo, Olonets Karelia, Rear Bothnia and White Karelia; Tuonetar in Kainuu and Rear Bothnia; Tuomatar in Olonets Karelia; Taometar in Kainuu; Katajatar in Norrbotten, North Karelia and White Karelia; Pihlajatar in North Karelia, North Ostrobothnia and White Karelia; Putkitar ({{lit.|Lady umberfiller}}) in North Karelia; Ryöhkötär{{NoteTag|In Kaarle Krohn's opinion, from {{lang|fi|röyhelöinen}}, making it {{lang|fi|Röyhkötär}},<ref>{{cite book |last=Krohn |first=Kaarle |date=1914 |title=Suomalaisten runojen uskonto |location=Porvoo |publisher=WSOY and Finnish Literature Society |page=351 }}</ref> roughly 'Lady fluff/ruffle'}} in Kainuu and Olonets Karelia; and Varvutar ({{lit.|Lady shrub}}) in White Karelia.

The name Hongas was connected to Hongatar by Elias Lönnrot in 1874 for their similarities in sound as well as role in the runic songs.

Another name appearing as a synonym for Hongatar in runic songs is Tapiotar.

==In runic songs== It is said that bears are "of the family of Hongatar". Different names could be used to speak of the bear's parents, such as: "Hongatar is your father, / Tuometar is your mother",<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1917 |title=SKVR XII2 6521. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069188 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> or "On your father's side Hongatar, / on your mother's side Ryöhkötär"<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1828 |title=SKVR XII2 6826. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069512 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> or "from your father's side, Immitär, / from your mother's side, Hongatar".<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1832 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3385. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-038834 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> In a Kainuu song, "Ismärätär, girl of Tuoni" and Kavet are involved in the bear's creation process: Ismärätär gathered up water foam into a home made of bird cherry and cradled it, whereas Kavet gave this "child" gums and teeth from the forest trees, as well as a tooth which fell from the sky.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1831 |title=SKVR XII2 6827. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069513 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> Bear origin myths which combine Christian and ethnic tradition also combine the bear's origin in the sea and the sky.<ref name="sii"/>

One song states Mielikki brought up the bear under a spruce and then asks Tuometar and Mielikki to dull the bear's claws and cover its teeth with honey so it wouldn't hurt cattle.<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1829 |title=SKVR XII2 6481. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069141 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref>

==Epithets== {{See also|List of minor Finnish deities#Tuometar}} {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 90%; width: 100%" !Epithet !class="unsortable"|Epithet meaning !Regions |- |Hongatar, hyvä emäntä<ref name="tap">{{cite web |author= |date=1845 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3925. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-039374 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> Honkatar, hyvä emäntä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1896 |title=SKVR VII4 loitsut 1976. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-037425 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Hongatar, good mistress' |Forest Finns, Ladoga Karelia, North Karelia, North Savo, South Karelia, White Karelia |- |Hongatar, metän emäntä<ref name="luoma">{{cite web |author= |date=1818 |title=SKVR VI2 4901. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-027367 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Hongatar, mistress of the forest' |North Karelia, North Ostrobothnia, South Savo |- |Hongatar, tytär Tapion<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1838 |title=SKVR VII4 loitsut 2100. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-037549 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Hongatar, daughter of Tapio' |North Karelia |- |Honkatar salon emäntä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1828 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3848. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-039297 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Honkatar, mistress of the wilderness' |North Karelia |- |Tapiotar, vaimo tarkka<ref name="tap"/> Tapiatar tarkka vaimo<ref name="tapia">{{cite web |author= |date=1675 |title=SKVR IX4 1101. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-053264 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Tapiotar, precise woman/wife' |Central Finland, Ladoga Karelia, North Karelia, North Savo, South Karelia, White Karelia |- |Tapiotar, vaimo kaunis<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1891 |title=SKVR VII3 loitsut 316. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-035703 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Tapiotar, beautiful woman/wife' |North Karelia, White Karelia |- |Tapiolan vaimo kaunis<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1902 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3879. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-039328 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Beautiful woman/wife of Tapiola' |North Karelia |- |Hongas, ehtoisa emäntä<ref name="tapia"/> |'Hongas, generous mistress' |Central Finland |- |Hongas Pohjalan emäntä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1733 |title=SKVR VI2 5424. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-027890 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> Hongas, Pohjolan emäntä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1845 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3850. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-039299 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> Höngäs, Pohjolan emäntä<ref name="höngäs">{{cite web |author= |date=1800 |title=SKVR XII2 8695. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-071468 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-17}}</ref> |'Hongas, mistress of Pohjala' 'Hongas, mistress of Pohjola' |Ladoga Karelia, North Karelia, Ostrobothnia, South Savo Note: Christfried Ganander called her a "lady of the northern forest".<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1789 |title=SKVR XII2 6807. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069493 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |- |Katajatar, kaunis vaimo<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1888 |title=SKVR I4 1199. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-003640 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Katajatar, beautiful woman/wife' |White Karelia |- |Katajatar, neiti kaunis<ref name="pihl">{{cite web |author= |date=1846 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3852. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-039301 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Katajatar, beautiful miss' |North Karelia |- |Pihlajatar, piika pieni<ref name="pihl"/> |'Pihlajatar, little maid' |North Karelia |- |Tuometar, tytär Tapion<ref name="pihl"/> |'Tuometar, daughter of Tapio' |North Karelia, White Karelia |- |Tuometar, Tapion neiti<ref name="paiv"/> |'Tuometar, miss of Tapio' |Kainuu, Lapland |- |Tuometar, tytär typerä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1872 |title=SKVR I4 1115. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-003553 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura |access-date=2025-04-15}}</ref> |'Tuometar, foolish daughter' |White Karelia |- |Tuometar, hyvä emäntä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1819 |title=SKVR VI2 4889. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-027355 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura |access-date=2025-04-15}}</ref> |'Tuometar, good mistress' |North Savo |- |Tuometar, puhas emäntä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1815 |title=SKVR VI2 5410. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-027876 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura |access-date=2025-04-15}}</ref> |'Tuometar, pure mistress' |North Savo |- |Tuometar, Tapion tytti<ref name="varvu">{{cite web |author= |date=1839 |title=SKVR I4 1362. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-003811 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura |access-date=2025-04-15}}</ref> |'Tuometar, Tapio's girl' |White Karelia |- |(About Tuometar:) Päivälän miniä<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1829 |title=SKVR XII2 6481. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069141 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura |access-date=2025-04-15}}</ref> Päivölän miniä<ref name="paiv">{{cite web |author= |date=1800 |title=SKVR XII2 6480. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-069140 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura |access-date=2025-04-15}}</ref> |'Daughter-in-law of Päivölä' |Kainuu |- |Luomatar, metän miniä<ref name="luoma"/> |'Luomatar, daughter-in-law of the forest' |South Savo |- |Metän piika pikkuruinen<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1888 |title=SKVR VII5 loitsut 3313. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-038762 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-16}}</ref> |'Tiny maid of the forest' |North Karelia |- |Varvutar, hyvä valio<ref name="varvu"/> |'Varvutar, good elite' |White Karelia |- |Romentolan valio vaimo<ref name="romento">{{cite web |author= |date=1786 |title=SKVR XV 330. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-088232 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-17}}</ref> |'Outstanding woman/wife of Romentola' |Unknown Note: According to Ganander, ''Romentola'' means a "terrible forest".<ref>{{cite web |author= |date=1789 |title=SKVR XII2 8727. |url=http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-071500 |website=skvr.fi |location= |publisher=Finnish Literature Society |access-date=2025-04-17}}</ref> |- |Metän ehtosa emäntä<ref name="romento"/> |'Generous mistress of the forest' |Unknown |}

==Notes== {{NoteFoot}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Bear deities Category:Finnish goddesses