Yesterday was Kalevala Day in Finland

The Kalevala is an epic poem by Elias Lönnrot who compiled Karelian and Finnish myths into one book, first published in 1835. It helps the establishment of the Finnish national culture in the context of the rise of European national identities.

Since its publication, the book and Finnish culture are celebrated on every 28th of February.

A Faroese Post's postcard from a stamp design by Anker Eli Petersen, 2001.

This blog already spoke of the Kalevala in my Don Rosa open class collection, when the Duck Artist honored his huge Finnish fan base with a story during which Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge confronted the heroes of the Finnish traditions.

While browsing my stock of postcards for new Postcrossing exchanges, I found a series reproducing the designs of a stamp series from the Faroe Islands' post office. In 2001 artist Anker Eli Petersen represented a handful myths of Nordic countries, including the Sampo, a forge of wealth, broken during the fight between hero Väinämöinen and the witch Louhi.

Note: I discover that Postverk Føroya, founded in 1976 with the autonomy of the Danish archipelago, became a public joint stock company in 2005 and changed name for Posta in 2009.