Review by Frank Plowright
It’s difficult to overstate the importance of Kalevala to Finnish literature and sense of national identity. It consists of historical myths passed down by oral tradition, both spoken and sung, until codified into a singular form by Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century. That version is known to every Finnish person and here adapted by Sami Makkonen.
Kalevala begins with the seven hundred year gestation of Väinämöinen until dropping from his mother’s womb into the sea where he spends a further eight years before setting foot on land. This sets an epic quality from the start, but as with all ancient folklore it also demands an acceptance of what is not of our world. Stories passed down generation by generation foster many intentions, and for centuries entertainment wasn’t the only purpose. They might be instructional, warnings or exhortations of respect for higher powers. They’re also generally very straightforward accounts without explanations. Things happen, but there’s no building of plotlines. People are who they are, sometimes heroic and sometimes falling short of that standard, and what would be given reasoning in modern fiction just has to be accepted. There’s an instinctive knowledge of potential magical devices, for instance, with everyone knowing of the sampo and what it can potentially do, yet the device hasn’t actually been constructed.
Makkonen’s approach is widescreen to accentuate the wonder. People are seen from distance in vast landscapes emphasising both the beauty and the harshness of nature in dark scenes forged from scratchy lines to which limited colour is applied. The visuals are bleak and impressive, highlighting perpetual cold and people adapted to the conditions, his combat scenes are appropriately brutal with no quarter given and he draws uninhibited celebrations. Wherever possible the illustrations are unaccompanied by words. However, as seen on the sample art, certain dialogue, mostly involving some form of magic or pleas to gods, is supplied in a very distinctive Nordic font that’s extremely difficult to read. Because events conform to no version of present day logic, choosing to increase the difficulty of comprehension is strange.
Väinämöinen’s exploits are coupled with those of his brother Lemminkäinen, almost as mighty, but far more impulsive, prone to antagonising people and unable to keep his dick in his furs. The suspicion is that the tales were passed down through men, as women are rarely anything other than compliant sex partners when they see the hairy brute.
Work through the challenges and Kalevala is gloriously imaginative. At one point Väinämöinen is told he has to travel long on the points of sharpened needles, then further on the edges of broadswords and further still on the edges of hatchets. Sadly, it’s not shown, seemingly taken for granted after Väinämöinen has ordered some metal shoes and gloves. Whether due to the original text or Makkonen’s interpretation, too often the immensity of tasks such as ploughing a field of vipers is almost presented in passing when the visual possibilities offer more. When Makkonen slips into gear, though, such as a challenge of catching a pike without a rod, the results are spectacular.
Outside Finland few are familiar with Kalevala, and anyone who loves to read about incredible feats in days gone by will exalt in the discovery of the epic scope and Makkonen’s impressive interpretation.
