Uksáhkká (also Uksakka, Oksaahka ) 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 ...

related to childbirth. She is one of the daughters of Máttaráhkká along with

Sáráhkká Sáráhkká (also Sarakka, Saaraahka, Sadsla-akka and Saredne) is a goddess in Sámi shamanism connected to childbirth. She is one of the daughters of Máttaráhkká along with Juoksáhkká and Uksáhkká. After Radien-attje hands a fetus to M� ...

and

Juoksáhkká Juoksáhkká (also Juksakka, Joeksaahka ; Stäukedne ) is a goddess in Sámi shamanism related to childbirth. She is one of the daughters of Máttaráhkká along with Sáráhkká and Uksáhkká and lived in the ground under the goahti, at the bac ...

and lived in the ground under the

goahti A goahti (Northern Sámi), goahte (Lule Sámi), gåhte (Pite Sámi), gåhtie (Ume Sámi) or gåetie (Southern Sámi), (also ''gábma''), (Norwegian language, Norwegian: ''gamme'', Finnish language, Finnish: ''kota'', Swedish language, Swedish: ...

, below the door specifically. 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 ...

Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...

n parts of

Sápmi is the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people. Sápmi includes the northern parts of Fennoscandia, stretching over four countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Most of Sápmi lies north of the Arctic Circle, boun ...

but not, for example, in the area of modern day

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

. Uksáhkká protected people when they stepped in or out of the goahti. In childbirth, her role was to receive the child into the world. She also protected the child later, especially when learning to walk so the child wouldn't hurt themself. She also made sure a child wouldn't get lost from the goahti. She was offered drinks poured to her home, under the goahti's door. Christfried Ganander gave many of Juoksáhkká's features to Uksáhkká and vice versa, claiming that Uksáhkká could turn daughters into sons in the womb, typically Juoksáhkká's role. Uksáhkká would then also help women 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 ...

, a role Ganander gives to Juoksáhkká. In

Salten Salten is a traditional district in Nordland county, Norway. It includes the municipalities of Gildeskål, Bodø, Beiarn, Saltdal, Fauske, Sørfold, Steigen, and Hamarøy. Salten covers an area of about and has a population (2016) of about ...

, ''Jiukom-akka'' ("carer woman") refers to either Juoksáhkká or Uksáhkká. Some researchers have considered the two the same being, but this is not the case according to Uno Holmberg. Holmberg compared Uksáhkká to the Swedish door rå, ''dörrkäring'' "door's old woman". Due to

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

influence, Uksáhkká was later equated with

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 ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uksahkka Sámi goddesses Fertility goddesses Liminal deities