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Finnish Poltergeists

by Heikki Tikkala

On these pages, 50 famous Finnish poltergeists are described. The time span of the incidents goes back to the year 1764. The material of this book is gathered mostly from the Folklore Archives of the Finnish Literature Society. I have collected a part of the material myself as a folklore student at Helsinki University in the 1970s.

This is, however, not pure folklore. Many of these stories are eye-witness reports or at least the narrator has heard the story from an eye-witness. That´s why this material is interesting also from the parapsychological point of view. All these cases have been described thoroughly enough for the characteristic traits of the poltergeist to stand out.

Sorry that I have no time or ability to translate the whole text in English. But here you have an overview and a short abstract of the most famous cases in chronological order. If you are interested in the exact details, this is your opportunity to start learning Finnish! If you´d like to get the paper copy of the book, please contact me by e-mail. I´ll also be delighted to get all kinds of feedback or comments about the poltegeist.

Overview

The profile of the poltergeist in Finland is much the same as elsewhere. Finnish ghosts move objects, knock and scratch on walls, throw stones, light fires, imitate sounds, and sometimes even speak. The trajectory of the thrown objects is often unnaturally tortuous and the objects fly unnaturally slowly. And as elsewhere, the most impressive thing about the Finnish poltergeist is, that the same unbelievable phenomena are described over and over again, although the events have no historical connection.

Knocking and moving objects is the standard procedure of the Finnish poltergeist. Some poltergeists have also special talents:

Stone-throwing poltergeists:

Kuhamäki 1908
Nikkilänmäki 1914
Halola 1936
Mäkkylä 1946

Fire-making poltergeists

Kankaanpää c. 1850
Härönen 1873 (finally burnt the house)
Väliveräjä 1883 (burnt the house)
Martin 1885
Loso 1925
Halola 1936
Mäkisalo 1936

Teleportation

Kylmänoja c. 1850 (clothes from the chest to the wood)
Väliveräjä 1883 (clothes from the attic to the wood)
Martin 1885 (papers from the locked box of the writing desk, plaster to the living room floor from nowhere)
Maironiemi 1888 (an oil bottle through the closed door to the living room)
Koprala 1901 (clothes out of the locked outbuilding)
Salminen 1913 (horse droppings from above the fireplace)
Mäkisalo 1936 (objects out of the living room through the wall)
Mäkkylä 1946 (a plug from the fuse box through a beret nailed on it)

Some Finnish poltergeists raise the question, if the poltergeist energy can materialize into visible form. In three cases, Kylmänoja c. 1850, Mäkisalo 1936 and Oijärvi 1946, the witnesses report having seen a strange moving object, like a ball of wool, whirling around during the haunting. I have not found anything quite like that in the international poltergeist literature.

Imitating poltergeists (auditory imitation)

Härönen 1873 (jesting sounds of the audience)
Salkko 1900 (chinking coins, flowing water, steps, sawing, chopping wood)
Koprala 1901 (whistling)
Mikkolanaho 1911 (violin, accordion, organ)
Myllymäki 1915 (sawing, sweeping the floor)

Speaking poltergeists

Kylmänoja c. 1850 (maybe pure folklore)
Hemmilä 1873
Raisio 1883

The poltergeist person

In two thirds of the cases, a clear central figure stands out. The poltergeist person is nearly always young, in his (or more often her´s) teens. There are only three cases (Kuokkaniemi 1893, Takala 1899, Lahti 1974) in which the poltergeist person was clearly an adult.

The poltergeist person stands out in one of the four ways: 1) The phenomena center around him. 2) He can, to a certain extent, control the phenomena. 4) He can communicate with the poltergeist. 3) He is teased by the poltergeist.

The Most Famous Finnish Poltergeists

Scene (parish, village, farm): Alajärvi, Kurejoki, Saukko
Time: 1764-1765
Duration: five months
Originator?: one of the children
Phenomena: knocking; scratching sounds; throwing of objects; hits on the face and the body of the household
Communication: answered by knocking and throwing objects
Archives stories: none
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Aspegren, Hans Henrik: Försök til en historisk, geometrisk och physico-oeconomisk beskrifning öfwer Pedersöre sokn i Österbotn. 1766.
Luukko, F.A.: Kummitus ja kalkinpoltto. Kotiseutu 1935, s. 132-134.

Scene (parish, village, farm): Tyrvää, Sammaljoki, Mustanmetsä or Mustanoja
Time: the beginning of the 19th century
Duration: many years
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: moving of objects; spoiling of food; releasing of cows
Communication: spoke to the daughter
Archives stories: 20
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: Mustanmettän Röppä. Kotikunnahilta, s. 10-15. Vammala 1925.

Scene (parish, village, farm): Kuhmoinen, Pihlajakoski, Hoppula and Koskela
Time: in the1850s
Duration: not known
Originator?: the maid
Phenomena: stone throwing; moving of objects; teasing of the maid
Communication: none
Archives stories: 17
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, farm): Loppi, Salo manor, Kylmänoja croft
Time: in the 1850s
Duration: one year
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: spoiling of food; throwing of objects and stones
Communication: possibly could speak
Archives stories: 42
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: Haavio, Martti: Aleksis Kiven suomalainen mytologia. Pilvilaiva, s. 107-110. 1947.
Haavio, Martti Suomalaiset kodinhaltiat, s.152. 1942.
Havumäki, Urho: Kylmänojan paara. Loppelainen paikallistarina. Hämeen sanomat 1950: 136, 137.
Pälsi, Sakari: Työtä ja juhlaa hämäläiskylässä, s. 154-158. 1940.
Saarimaa, E.A.: Selityksiä Aleksis Kiven teoksiin, s. 56-57. 1929.
Simonsuuri, Lauri: Piru mellastaa talossa. Kansa tarinoi, s. 44-45. 1950.
Tarkiainen, V.: "Kylmänojan lörpöttävä paara". Kirj. V.T. Virittäjä 1926:5, s. 157.

Scene (parish, farm): Pulkkila, Kankaanpää
Time: in the middle of 1800s
Duration: not known
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: throwing of objects; lighting of fire; knocking
Communication: answered by knocking
Archives stories: 28
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Saarijärvi, Lannevesi, Pohjoismäki
Time: 1870
Duration: a couple of weeks
Originator?: one of the children
Phenomena: throwing of objects; releasing of cows and horses
Communication: none
Archives stories: 26
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, farm): Sumiainen, Pyykinmäki
Time: 1870
Duration: not known
Originator?: one of the children
Phenomena: spoiling of food; teasing of cows
Communication: spoke to the children
Archives stories: 14
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Haapavesi, Ojakylä or Leskelä, Härönen
Time: 1873
Duration: not known
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: teasing of the daughter; lighting of fire; scratching sounds; throwing of objects
Communication: imitated the mockers
Archives stories: 10
Eye-witness stories: 4
Other sources: Merikallio, Lauri: Hätämaan tietäjä. Jouko 2, s. 95- 126. 1914

Scene (parish, village, farm): Parkano, Nerkoo, Hemmilä
Time: 1875
Duration: a few months
Originator?: the maid
Phenomena: throwing of stones; releasing of cows
Communication: spoke to the audience
Archives stories:
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Laaksonen, Pekka: Parkanon seudun kertomusperinnettä. Parkanon ja Kihniön kirja, s. 402-407. 1971.

Scene (parish, village, farm): Laukaa, Nurmijärvi, Nikkari
Time: 1880
Duration: a few months
Originator?: the children
Phenomena: spoiling of the cattle feed; teasing of the children
Communication: none
Archives stories: 5
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Nousiainen, Santamala or Koljola, Väliveräjä
Time: 1883
Duration: 3 weeks
Originator?: the children
Phenomena: throwing of objects; collapsing of the chimney; burning of the house
Communication: none
Archives stories: 1
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, farm): Pihlajavesi, Raisio
Time: 1883
Duration: not known
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: knocking, throwing of objects
Communication: spoke to the audience
Archives stories: 2
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Ylöjärvi, Keijärvi, Martin
Time: 12.1. - 27.1.1885
Duration: 16 days
Originator?: the maid
Phenomena: throwing of stones; sounds; teleportation
Communication: none
Archives stories: 36
Eye-witness stories: 15
Other sources:(18)

Scene (parish, village, farm): Karstula, Pääjärvi, Luksanniemi or Luksanmäki talo
Time: Easter 1886
Duration: not known
Originator?: the adoptive daughter
Phenomena: releasing of cows; teasing of the daughter
Communication: spoke to the daughter
Archives stories: 12
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: Tamminen, Jaakko J.: Luksanniemen pirusta, joka ihmeellisellä tavalla kujeili. Lauluja 1887, 58 (HYK:n arkkiveisukokoelma).

Scene (parish, village, farm): Parikkala, Maironiemi, Laurinmäki
Time: 1888
Duration: three months
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: knocking; throwing of objects; teleportation
Communication: none
Archives stories: 37
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Juutilainen, Kari: Maironiemen piru ei pelottanut Erkkiä (Erkki Paakkisen haastattelu). Etelä-Saimaa 28.11.1981.
Paakkinen, Erkki: Pirum meuhkeet. Näytelmä ihmisten epäluuloista, pelkotiloista ja taikauskosta. 1985.
Simonsuuri, Lauri: Piru mellastaa talossa. Kansa tarinoi, s. 45-46. 1950.
Tikkala, Heikki: Maironiemen piru. Etelä-Saimaa 26.2.1980.
Vilska, M.: Parikkalan historia, s. 241. 2.p. 1969.

Scene (parish, village, farm): Sortavala, Kuokkaniemi, Koipää
Time: 1893 - 1895
Duration: three years
Originator?: the master of the house
Phenomena: throwing of objects; spoiling of food; teasing of the master
Communication: not known
Archives stories: 41
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Laatokka 20.3.1895
Tikkala, Heikki: Kuokkaniemen piru. Karjala 8.1.1987
Viipuri 20.3.1895.

Scene (parish, village, farm): Toivakka, Palosenkylä, Riita-aho
Time: 1894
Duration: not known
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: teasing of the daughter; knocking; throwing of objects
Communication: answered to questions by knocking
Archives stories: 5
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Toivakan pitäjäseuran haastattelut

Scene (parish, village): Säkkijärvi, Kallola.
Time: 1896
Duration: two months
Originator?: one of the daughters
Phenomena: lifting of the floor plank
Communication: none
Archives stories: none
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: H.H.: Tarinoita: Kallolan siltapalkki. Säkkijärvi 1946: 7, s. 4

Scene (parish, village, farm): Kälviä, Passoja, Ojala
Time: 1897
Duration: one month
Originator?: the maids
Phenomena: knocking on the wall
Communication: none
Archives stories: 2
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Pusula, Hyönölä, Takala
Time: the last years of the 19th century
Duration: "all the winter"
Originator?: the housewife
Phenomena: moving of objects; knocking on windows and doors
Communication: not known
Archives stories: 11
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, farm): Ilmajoki, Ala-Könni
Time: 1900
Duration: five months
Originator?: the maid
Phenomena: throwing of objects; teasing of the maid
Communication: not known
Archives stories:18
Eye-witness stories:1
Other sources:Alamäki, Hessa: Könnim pirut ja Poika-Juusee. Asioota Ilimajoelta, s. 5-14. 1932
Alanen, Aulis J.: Ilmajoki vuoden 1809 jälkeen, s. 386-387. 1953

Scene (parish, village, farm): Inari, Lisma, the farm of Niila Länsman
Time: 1900-1902
Duration: two years
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: moving of objects; imitating of sounds; knocking; light phenomena
Communication: answered by auditory imitating asked activities
Archives stories: 25
Eye-witness stories: 6
Other sources:Paulaharju, Samuli: Lapin muisteluksia, s. 148-156. 1922

Scene (parish, village, farm): Heinjoki, Koprala, Taponen
Time: 1901
Duration: from august to november
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: whistling; throwing of objects and stones; teleportation
Communication: imitated by whistling
Archives stories:31
Eye-witness stories:3
Other sources: "Kopralan kummitus". Heinjoki: kertomuksia ja kuvia Heinjoen pitäjästä, s. 471-472. 1955
Näkymätön vihollinen. Henkimaailman salaisuuksia I, s. 12-15. 1904
Ruuttu, Maija: Kansantapoja ja -uskomuksia Karjalan kannaksen itäosissa, s. 20. 1931
Tikkala, Heikki ja Anneli: Kopralan piru. Karjala 1984:3

Scene (parish, village, farm): Hämeenkyrö, Mahnala, Turva
Time: 1903-1904
Duration: half a year
Originator?: the son
Phenomena: knocking; throwing of objects
Communication: not known
Archives stories: 17
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Leppävirta, Kuhamäki, Pekkala
Time: 1907 or 1908
Duration: two weeks
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: throwing of stones; knocking; making of the bed
Communication: knocked when asked
Archives stories:70
Eye-witness stories:10
Other sources: Simonsuuri, Lauri: Kansa tarinoi, s. 47. 1950 Tikkala, Anneli ja Heikki: Kuhamäen piru. Soisalon seutu 12.6.1984, n:o 46
Tikkala, Heikki: Kuhamäen piru. Esitelmä suomalaisen ja vertailevan kansanrunoudentutkimuksen proseminaarissa 11.12.1973. Helsingin yliopisto
Tikkala, Heikki: Poltergeist kognitiivisen dissonanssin aiheuttajana. Tutkimus Vaimosniemen kummituksesta ja Kuhamäen pirusta. Uskontotieteen pro gradu 1976. Helsingin yliopisto

Scene (parish, village, farm):Saarijärvi, Kalmari, Mikkolanaho
Time: 1911
Duration: half a year
Originator?: the farm-hand
Phenomena: releasing of cows; imitation of sounds
Communication: imitated when asked
Archives stories:28
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: Haavio, Heikki: Saarijärven kansantietoutta. Keski- Suomi I, s. 140. 1935

Scene (parish, village, farm): Leppävirta, Nikkilänmäki, Itkola
Time: 1914
Duration: two weeks
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: throwing of stones
Communication: none
Archives stories: 7
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Mynämäki, Kilanmäki, Salminen
Time: 1913
Duration: a couple of weeks
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: moving of objects
Communication: none
Archives stories: 1
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Koivisto, Humaljoki, Myllymäki
Time: 1915
Duration: one month
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: knocking; imitation of sounds
Communication: answered by knocking
Archives stories: 6
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Koivisto. Sen vaiheista, asukkaista ja elinkeinoista, s. 375. 1953

Scene (parish, farm): Isojoki, Hautala
Time: 1915-1917
Duration: one year and a half
Originator?: maybe the daughter
Phenomena: knocking; releasing of cows; moving of objects; teasing of the women
Communication: answered by knocking
Archives stories: 3
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Pihlaja, Mirjami: Isojoen pitäjän kirja, s. 406-407. 1984
Rienaajaa nolattu. Suupohjan Kaiku 3.3.1917

Scene (parish, farm): Lehtimäki, Pellosmaa
Time: 1915-1916 tai 1917-1918
Duration: nine months
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: releasing of cows; throwing of objects and stones
Communication: spoke to the daughter
Archives stories: 3
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: Arola, Herman: Lehtimäen asukkaita, s. 185-191. 2.p. 1965

Scene (parish, village, farm): Mäntyharju, Valtola, Kiesi
Time: 1923
Duration: a couple of weeks
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: knocking; collapsing of the fireplace
Communication: none
Archives stories: 5
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: Tiitus: Mäntyharjun kummitus. Suuri pakinakirja, s.722- 725. 1950

Scene (parish, farm): Ristijärvi, Loso
Time: 1925
Duration: a couple of weeks
Originator?: the daughter
Phenomena: making of fire; cutting of threes
Communication: not known
Archives stories: 2
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Uusikirkko Vpl., Halola, Sirkiä
Time: 1936
Duration: not known
Originator?: the son
Phenomena: throwing of stones; making of fire
Communication: not known
Archives stories: 3
Eye-witness stories: none
Other sources: none

Scene (parish, village, farm): Isojoki, Leppikylä, Mäkisalo
Time: winter 1936
Duration: a few weeks
Originator?: the son
Phenomena: throwing of objects; knocking; making of fire; releasing of cows; teleportation; hitting of mockers
Communication: spoke to the son
Archives stories: 3
Eye-witness stories: 1
Other sources: Pihlaja, Mirjami: Isojoen pitäjän kirja, s. 407. 1984

Scene (parish, village): Pitäjänmäki, Mäkkylä
Time: october 1946
Duration: one month
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: throwing of stones and other objects; breaking of furniture; light phenomena
Communication: none
Archives stories: none
Eye-witness stories: 5
Other sources: See references (4) and (5)

Scene (parish, village): Kuivaniemi, Oijärvi
Time: november 1946
Duration: one month
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: knocking; throwing of objects; teasing of children
Communication: answered by knocking
Archives stories: 3
Eye-witness stories: 3
Other sources: See references (6), (7) and (8)

Scene (parish, village, farm): Kangasniemi, Vaimosniemi, Pulkkinen
Time: august 1947
Duration: three weeks
Originator?: one of the children
Phenomena: knocking in the outbuilding
Communication: none
Archives stories: 20
Eye-witness stories: 6
Other sources: Länsi-Savo 20.8.1947.
Tikkala, Heikki: Poltergeist kognitiivisen dissonanssin aiheuttajana : tutkimus Vaimosniemen kummituksesta ja Kuhamäen pirusta. Uskontotieteen pro gradu. Helsingin yliopisto 1976.

 

Scene (city): Jyväskylä
Time: september - october 1954
Duration: three weeks
Originator?: not known
Phenomena: throwing of stones; whistling; moving of objects
Communication: none
Archives stories: 1
Eye-witness stories: 2
Other sources: See references (10) - (19)

Scene (city): Lahti
Time: spring 1974
Duration: half a year
Originator?: the housewife
Phenomena: knocking on the window; throwing of objects; sounds
Communication: none
Archives stories: 3
Eye-witness stories: 3
Other sources: See reference (20)