The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon that has fascinated man for centuries, if not millennia. The history that led to its correct definition in scientific terms lasted 25 centuries, a very long period of time during which many traditional stories and legends arose.
The term Northern Lights derives from Aurora Borealis and was coined by Galileo Galilei in 1619, combining the name of the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the word borealis, meaning Nordic.
For centuries, Vikings, Inuit and Eskimos have considered the auroras in the most varied ways. In Norwegian folklore, the lights represented the spirits of the tribe's wise old women dancing in the sky and waving, while in Scotland, which was settled by the Vikings, the auroras are sometimes called "the merry dancers".
Some Eskimo tribes also connect the auroras with dancing. The Eskimos of eastern Greenland attributed the Aurora Borealis to the spirits of children who died at birth; their dancing in the sky, according to tradition, gave rise to the dancing lights.
The Salteaus Indians of eastern Canada and the Kwakiutl and Tlingit of southeastern Alaska also believed the lights were human spirits, while an Eskimo tribe living on the Yukon River believed the dancing lights were the spirits of animals.
Young men among the Labrador Eskimos, who believed that the Aurora Borealis were torches lit by the dead playing ball in the heavens with a walrus skull, also danced in honor of the aurora.
As for written records, the belief that the Northern Lights were caused by ancient heroes fighting in the skies can be found in various texts up to Pliny. The belief that the Aurora Borealis brought war and disease is found in Greek writings; one can imagine how these mysterious lights could appear frightening in places where they only rarely occurred.
Tacitus noted in his description of Germany the belief that the fires were Valkyries riding through the air. Descriptions of the aurora are also present in other texts of ancient Mediterranean civilizations, as can be read in the Bible in the book of Ezekiel, cited at the beginning.
In the Americas, the Fox Indians of Wisconsin also believed that the lights were an omen of ill omen. In fact, they believed that the lights were the ghosts of slain enemies waiting for revenge.
Perhaps the most beautiful of beliefs comes from the Algonquin Indians who believed that Nanahbozho the Creator, after finishing creating the earth, moved to the far North, where even today he lights fires that reflect to the south to always remind those he created of his undying love.
In the following lines we will tell you some of the most mysterious and intriguing legends, so you too can find out if you believe in some of them and who knows, the next time you see the aurora dancing in the sky you might remember these stories and recall the same myths… the only limit is your imagination!
Foxes and Mountains
In Finnish, the Northern Lights are called revontulet, which literally translates to fox fires. The name comes from an ancient myth that the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis, as they are commonly called in Northern Europe) were actually caused by a magical fox.
According to the ancient story, the fox was running terribly late for the annual winter festival, and was running fast across the snow-covered mountains when it suddenly got tired of holding its tail up. As it did so, the fox’s tail hit the snow, causing sparks to fly up into the sky, creating the Northern Lights, or rather, the fox fires!
Another legend instead starts from the Moon who, realizing that she couldn't light up the long Scandinavian nights on her own, thought of asking the animals of the forest for help. A bear, an eagle, a ram and many others came running to her call and were transformed into constellations.
Even a little fox wanted to join the group but, alas, there was no more room in the sky. Dejected, he was about to return to his den when the Moon called him to her: she had a special task in store for him. Unlike his friends, the fox was not assigned a portion of the firmament but was left free to run. Every time he moved, he left behind a trail of light so strong that it lit up the entire region: it was the aurora.
Applause and Whistles
Another ancient Sami belief says that it is strictly forbidden to whistle, clap or otherwise attract the attention of the Northern Lights when they dance in the sky. Making too much noise can attract the attention of spirits who may descend from the sky and kidnap those who violate the ban.
Although no one believes this legend anymore, you will notice that even today people rarely clap their hands under the Northern Lights.
When the fires appeared in the skies, people would assume a solemn attitude and children were commanded to remain calm and be respectful towards the lights. It was believed that anyone who did not respect the lights could fall into disgrace, resulting in illness and even death.
Could there be a grain of truth in this legend? Would you be willing to tempt fate the next time you see the Northern Lights dancing in the northern skies?
Fertility and Good Luck
In some cultures, the Northern Lights are also linked to the myth of fertility. Even today, there are populations who believe that a child conceived under the Northern Lights will forever be blessed with good fortune and luck. What do you say? In these times, a little luck wouldn't hurt, right?
Lapp shaman drums often have runes depicting the lights, to collect their energy. It is also believed that the lights had a calming effect on the population in various circumstances and that the time of the lights was favorable for resolving conflicts.
Football Match in the Nordic Skies
The Lapps or Saami who live in Lapland, which is north of the Arctic Circle in what is officially Finland, Sweden and Northern Norway, have traditionally believed that the lights were the visible expression of energy released by the souls of the deceased on their way to the afterlife.
The Sami, the spirits and the whales The Sami, the native populations of Lapland, call it guovssahas. In addition to indicating the Northern Lights, this term has other meanings. It can be translated as light that can be heard and it is also the name of a bird, the Siberian jay, a lively specimen with colorful feathers, already a protagonist of Nordic folklore.
In fact, it was said that the jay was the guardian of the souls of hunters and killing one - by mistake or on purpose - was a harbinger of misfortune.
But Lapland is large - it extends over four states! - and among other Sami tribes we find different beliefs: there are those who claim that the lights were sea foam blown by whales; those who thought they were the wounds of those who, having been murdered, continue to bleed even in the sky and, finally, those who saw in the arches drawn by the aurora the gates of a mythical region of the North.
Many Eskimo populations, however, believe in the myth according to which the Northern Lights are caused by the spirits of the dead playing ball in the sky with the head or skull of a walrus.
The myths handed down by the Inuit populations exemplify very well that sense of wonder mixed with dismay that the aurora borealis is able to arouse. At certain latitudes, in fact, there was a sort of reverential fear towards them because they were considered strictly connected to the world of the dead.
The Canadian Inuit in particular believed that the aurora was a sort of bridge between dimensions: according to their mythology, the earth was a wide strip covered by a dome full of holes (the sky and the stars) and, at the moment of passing, souls were led to the afterlife by creatures who lit the path with bright torches (the aurora).
War and Blood
In Central European histories, the Northern Lights are associated with bloodshed. This is because on the rare occasions when the Northern Lights are visible in these places, they usually take on shades of red. These rare and terrifying sightings were popularly interpreted as a bad omen of an upcoming war with bloodshed.
In fact, a few weeks before the outbreak of the French Revolution, several red Northern Lights were seen in both Scotland and England, and many people reported seeing and hearing massive armies fighting in the sky.
The Vikings of Norway
The aurora as a bridge between man and god Norway and Iceland contextualize the phenomenon in the context of Viking mythology, identifying the aurora with the reflection of the sun on the shields of the Valkyries. The warrior virgins were sent to Earth by Odin to choose the Einheriar, or heroes destined to die in battle and then continue their deeds in Valhalla, the afterlife.
The appearance of the aurora in the sky therefore indicated that a war was underway somewhere and that someone would soon die. Another legend – less bloody – tells instead that Ullr, Thor's stepson and god of winter and hunting, created the aurora borealis to illuminate the longest nights of the year and that, from it, the reindeer were born.
The Animals of Sweden, Denmark, Estonia
According to another Lappish myth, the Northern Lights were a spray of water expelled by whales swimming in the Arctic Sea.
Many people have resorted to metaphors from the animal world: Swedish fishermen saw in the play of light the reflection of large schools of herring and, therefore, the hope of abundant fishing. Denmark instead tells of a group of swans - an animal very present in literature, just think of the beautiful tale by Andersen - who, flying north, remained trapped in a frozen lake.
According to this belief, the lights of the aurora would be produced by the movements of the wings, repeatedly flapped in a desperate attempt to free themselves. Estonia instead uses horses: proud and beautiful, they pull the carriages of the guests at a celestial wedding into the sky, leaving behind bright and colorful trails.
Native Americans and Harmony of Creation
There are still many legends spread about the American Rocky Mountains. The Algonquin Indians, the most populous group of tribes on the American continent, say that the Creator, after completing the Earth, moved to the deep North to rest.
Alone and surrounded by ice, he usually lights a fire to remind his creatures of his presence and his affection; the flashes of that bonfire are the lights of the aurora. Other natives say that, somewhere in the north, lived the Manabai’wok, a mythical tribe of giants who, every time they go out hunting or fishing, light their path with torches.
Wherever the sky shines, that’s where they are. Only the Fox Indians of Wisconsin distance themselves from this peaceful imagery. In the reflections of the aurora they see the ghosts of their enemies ready to take revenge.
Daughter of the Moon
An old Sami legend that tells the love story between Niekija, the daughter of the moon, and the Northern Lights. The Sun, Beaivvás, hearing of Niekija's beauty, wanted his son Peivalken to ask her to marry him but Niekija refused and hid herself waiting for Mánnu, the Moon, to reappear in the sky.
As soon as he saw her, Mánnu took her to an island where there was a goathi, a typical Sami hut, to let her rest. At midnight, Náinnas, the Northern Lights, entered the hut and the two met for the first time, falling madly in love with each other.
Unfortunately, life with Náinnas was lonely for Niekija because the Northern Lights had to go outside often. Niekija embroidered a blanket with the Milky Way and other stars, which she placed on the roof of the hut so she could watch the stars twinkle in the dark sky. The next morning Náinnas lay in bed stargazing without realizing that it was time to go out.
Niekija, who went out early that morning, forgot to close the door of the hut: the Sun reached the goathi and woke Náinnas, taking advantage of the opportunity to harm him. Niekija managed to save him but the Sun grabbed her hair and tried to force her to marry his son Peivalken. Niekija refused and the Sun banished her from Mánnu, the Moon, her mother, who continued to protect her.
Since then Niekija continues to look at the sky and the Northern Lights without ever taking her eyes off Náinnas.
Beautiful!
Kay Ellen