Rent Romus & Heikki Koskinen's Manala With Life's Blood Ensemble at Finnish Kaleva Hall

The Finnish Heritage Society presents the East Bay debut of “Manala” (netherworld), a representation of cultural rediscovery through the lens of music weaving the elements of jazz, traditional folk, and free improvisation inspired by the mythic prose of cultural liberation and identity found in the Finnish and Finno-Ugric folklore and shamanic traditions. This epic presentation will take place at the newly restored historic Berkeley Finnish Hall presented as part of the Finnish Heritage Society’s spring cultural events programming.

Manala or Tuonela is the metaphysical netherworld in the Finnish Kalevala or Jabmeaivo in Sami traditions...

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The Finnish Heritage Society presents the East Bay debut of “Manala” (netherworld), a representation of cultural rediscovery through the lens of music weaving the elements of jazz, traditional folk, and free improvisation inspired by the mythic prose of cultural liberation and identity found in the Finnish and Finno-Ugric folklore and shamanic traditions. This epic presentation will take place at the newly restored historic Berkeley Finnish Hall presented as part of the Finnish Heritage Society’s spring cultural events programming.

Manala or Tuonela is the metaphysical netherworld in the Finnish Kalevala or Jabmeaivo in Sami traditions. It is a place opposite of the land of the living, a destination for the soul after this life, a place of reflection that contains answers to mysteries of the universe for the Noaidde or Noita (shaman) in Fino-Ugric cultures. It can be very dangerous for a living person to journey there, and only the most experienced shaman may successfully emerge from its dark waters richer in knowledge and song for the experience.

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