KARELIA, The Songsingers' Land and the Land of Mary's Song: An Introduction to, and Meditation on, Karelian Orthodox Culture

Barely two hundred years ago when Finland began to emerge as a modern nation state, distinct from Swedish dominance in the West and Russian influence in the East, the roots of the Finnish tribes were found, not in written form, but in epic songs sung by a revered caste of songsingers found primarily in the deep forests of Karelia, or eastern Finland. These pages introduce the story of these songs, their spirituality, and the modern Karelian culture they are giving birth to.