Sáráhkká (also Sarakka, Saaraahka, Sadsla-akka and Saredne) is a goddess in

Sámi shamanism Traditional Sámi spiritual practices and beliefs are based on a type of animism, polytheism, and what anthropologists may consider shamanism. The religious traditions can vary considerably from region to region within Sápmi. Traditional Sá ...

connected to childbirth. She is one of the daughters of Máttaráhkká along with Juoksáhkká and Uksáhkká. After Radien-attje hands a fetus to Máttaráhkká who gives it life, she hands it over to Sáráhkká who puts it in the woman's womb and gives the fetus a body.. She lived in ground under the goahti with her mother and sisters. She was only known to

Sámi Acronyms * SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft * Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company * South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise ...

in modern day

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and

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, not in

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. She is the most important and worshipped out of the Sámi goddesses of childbirth. She protected and eased with the birthing pains of not only humans but

reindeer The reindeer or caribou (''Rangifer tarandus'') is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, taiga, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. It is the only re ...

as well. She also felt the same pains as a woman giving birth, and she was very important for Sámi women. Before labour, the woman drank "Sáráhkká's booze" and after, she ate "Sáráhkká's porridge". She was also worshipped during

menstruation Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and Mucous membrane, mucosal tissue from the endometrium, inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized ...

, when women had to take off their collars and belts for Sáráhkká. A menstruating woman was not allowed to step over a man's foot or gun nor go too close to the coastline where fishermen threw their fish from the boats, nor milk cows. After period, a woman baked a pastry only the women were allowed to eat. Her name has been connected to the word ''sárrit'' ("to split"). Wood was split into two for Sáráhkká in order to make childbirth easier. These pieces of wood were considered so scared one was not permitted to even touch them. Spring water was also poured on the ground for Sáráhkká. Animals were also sacrificed: when a woman felt she was going to be a mother, she got a dog and kept it until it was time for labour. Then she'd bury the dog alive so the gods would help her. After a successful birth, a reindeer or other domesticated animal was sacrificed. Only female animals were sacrificed with the exception of roosters. Some pregnant women offered Sáráhkká alcohol, meat and cheese, usually in the fireplace; she lived below the hearth.

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

had an effect on the cult of Sáráhkká. There were baptisms (''laugo'') where a child was given the name of an ancestor and devoted to Sáráhkká. Before or after going to church, people held events were they consumed the "flesh and blood of Sáráhkká", and this was also held for other gods so they wouldn't be angry with the Sámi when they were forced to go for the

Eucharist The Eucharist ( ; from , ), also called Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament or the Lord's Supper, is a Christianity, Christian Rite (Christianity), rite, considered a sacrament in most churches and an Ordinance (Christianity), ordinance in ...

by priests. Later,

Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...

replaced Sáráhkká. The Sáráhkká cult developed so she was worshipped not only by women but men as well. The modern Sámi women's organisation The Sarahkka formed in 1988 is named in honor of her.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarahkka Sámi goddesses Fertility goddesses Sámi feminism