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Hongatar

Hongatar or Hongas is a haltija or goddess in Finnish mythology. She is known as the mother of the bear. After killing a bear, there was a ritual held called peijaiset, a funeral for the bear where its skull was lifted on a large, straight pine tree (honka). Hongatar could be also imagined in bear-form, with her skull as the oldest one on the tree. She was the special, invited guest of these rituals.

Name
Her name comes from honka, a pine tree, the very kind of tree where bear skulls were ritualistically lifted to hang on. Martti Haavio believed the honka in her name is the very first, mythical bear skull tree. In runic songs about the origin of the bear, many other tree related female haltija names are listed: Tuometar (), Katajatar (), Petäjätär (), Pihlajatar (), and more. Haavio also believed these to not be separate tree haltijas, like many have done, but all be referring to Hongatar. Peijaiset ritual was also called 'Drinking party of Tuometar, feast of Pihlajatar'. is true, then Hongatar would gain the following alternate names: Tuometar in Kainuu, Norrbotten, North Karelia, North Savo, Olonets Karelia, Rear Bothnia and White Karelia; Tuonetar in Kainuu and Rear Bothnia; Tuomatar in Olonets Karelia; Taometar in Kainuu; Katajatar in Norrbotten, North Karelia and White Karelia; Pihlajatar in North Karelia, North Ostrobothnia and White Karelia; Putkitar () in North Karelia; Ryöhkötär in Kainuu and Olonets Karelia; and Varvutar () in White Karelia. The name Hongas was connected to Hongatar by Elias Lönnrot in 1874 for their similarities in sound as well as role in the runic songs. Another name appearing as a synonym for Hongatar in runic songs is Tapiotar. ==In runic songs==
In runic songs
It is said that bears are "of the family of Hongatar". Different names could be used to speak of the bear's parents, such as: "Hongatar is your father, / Tuometar is your mother", or "On your father's side Hongatar, / on your mother's side Ryöhkötär" or "from your father's side, Immitär, / from your mother's side, Hongatar". In a Kainuu song, "Ismärätär, girl of Tuoni" and Kavet are involved in the bear's creation process: Ismärätär gathered up water foam into a home made of bird cherry and cradled it, whereas Kavet gave this "child" gums and teeth from the forest trees, as well as a tooth which fell from the sky. Bear origin myths which combine Christian and ethnic tradition also combine the bear's origin in the sea and the sky. ==Epithets==
Source: Wikipedia ↗
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