Kalevala Manifesto

Kalevala dead or alive

The Kalevala epic is an expression of a wonderful human achievement far grander and more momentous than the pyramids or the Great Wall of China. It reflects the very essence of the intangible, philosophical, erotic, humorous and thrilling heritage of the greater Finno-Baltic community that has evolved over millennia, a creative endeavour involving every member of the culture from which it stems, a song of songs.

An echo of this mythical world was saved in the nick of time and is today enshrined in the 1.27 million recorded verses of the ancient poems of the Finnish people and the Kalevala as it was compiled by Elias Lönnrot. It is of and for all of humanity and therefore of immeasurable value.

The Kalevala has been translated into 65 languages, including Urdu and Udmurt, and into English no less than five times. It is an international brand that lends itself to cultural and commercial use, even on a global scale. That, however, calls for expertise and daring, flights of fancy, witty and wacky humour, excesses, provocative transgression and expansion.

The heritage of the Kalevala, reinterpreted and updated for the present, can serve as an inexhaustible fount of inspiration for new scripts, books, films, art, design, fashion, graphic novels, music, computer games, even hitherto unknown forms of art. We seek to reinstate that heritage so that it will once again become a thriving cultural entity

16th of April 2019

Juha Hurme ja Tuomari Nurmio

Within this project KalevalFest association will 2019
* release an album “Kalevala dead or alive” 30.8. https://lnk.to/Kalevala-Elavana-tai-kuolleena
* organize a festival 20.-21.9. at Tavastia, Helsinki http://www.kalevalafest.fi/in-english/
* Organize clubs at G Livelab, Helsinki http://www.kalevalafest.fi/in-english/
* Organize competition for children in 3-6 grades to write new stories using the given characters from Kalevala http://www.valekalevala.fi/

Maetka takes care of the production for the project.