Pohjoiset painajaiset. Pahojen unien kultuurihistoria (’Northern Nightmares: A Cultural History of Bad Dreams’) is written and edited by Kaarina Koski, Marko Lamberg, Kirsi Kanerva and Anu Korhonen.
About the book:
In Finnish folklore, a nightmare was understood as a creature that attacked a sleeping person, paralyzing them and stealing their breath. Behind the nightmare was often a malevolent agent, such as a jealous neighbor or a wronged spirit of the deceased, who roamed the night harming both people and animals. During the 17th century, nightmares also attracted the attention of the judicial system, as they were associated with witchcraft.
Pohjoiset painajaiset. Pahojen unien kultuurihistoria sheds light on the fascinating cultural history of bad dreams in Finland over a span of 600 years, highlighting their connection to contemporary events. Alongside everyday worries, Finns have been haunted at night by visions of hell, memories and fears of war, and even the unresolved murder of Kyllikki Saari.
Descriptions of nightmares also have a political dimension: they have been used in moralizing tales designed to keep people in line. Accounts of nocturnal terrors have found their way into art and popular culture—continuing to haunt the dreams of new generations.