Beiwe

Beiwe is the spring and sun goddess of fertility and sanity worshipped by the Sami, the indigenous people of Finland.

In Sami myth, she travels with her daughter Beiwe-Neia through the sky in an enclosure covered by reindeer bones, bringing green plants back to the winter earth for the reindeer to eat. She was also called upon to restore the mental health of those who went insane because of the continual darkness of the long winter.

Worshippers of Beiwe sacrifice white female animals, and with the meat, thread and sticks, bed into rings with ribbons. They also cover their doorposts with butter so Beiwe can eat it and begin her journey once again. This is called the Festival of Beiwe.

She is associated with the fertility of plants and animals, in particular reindeer.

References

* [http://www.pantheon.org Encyclopedia Mythica]
* [http://www.schooloftheseasons.com/decdays2.html December 2003 Holidays- School of Seasons]
* [http://www.whisperingwood.homestead.com/NordicDeity.html NordicDeity]
* [http://www.areclinic.org/articles.asp?ArticleID=67&src= A.R.E. Clinic - A perspective]