The Witchbirds of Lapland Folklore.
Witchbird or “saiwo loddeh” are mythical birds of Lapland.
The Witch Bird in Lapland’s Folklore may appear as a regular white bird, yet they are part spirit and originated from the underworld.
In Lapland, and specifically witches in Lapland, had their own special witchbird “saiwo loddeh”.
Saiwo-olmah lived like the Irish Sidhe folk. A person was considered fortunate if they befriended or if they traded with them. Their magical familiars were passed down through families as inheritances.
Saiwo-loddeh were magic birds employed by the noaidi.
Noaidi are shaman. Noiadi were known to conduct healing rituals, prophecied, forecast the weather, retrieve lost souls (in Sami lore each person has a body soul and a free soul that roams when the body is unconscious), and beat a ritual drum decorated with sacred art.
According to Sami lore, birds came from the spirit world and they were companions of the witches. Witchbirds, enabled witches to see the future, and find their way in nature, these birds also helped care for their reindeer.
Witchbirds could also cause evil and harm for others or protect their owner from the curses, so they were to be feared. Witches could communicate with birds by jojking/singing.
Photo: uncredited public domain
Source & Reference:
The book of mythical birds of Finland (Suomen myyttiset linnut)
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