Totem of the Kalevala

Each figure of the totem pole is from the epic poem, The Kalevala. Vainamoinen portrayed at the base of the totem pole, symbolized power and knowledge. He taught that good triumphs over evil, especially in Kaleva, "the land of the good". The Moon and Sun represented day and night, and the cycle that brought each year. The duck is the Messenger that helps Vainamoinen discover his true powers. The Wolf symbolized war and the harshness of survival in Arctic Finland. The Owl, Reindeer and Bear represented animals, which the Finns treasured and respected. The totem pole was repainted in 2006 and moved to east side of the Bottle House Museum.