Etteikö

Etteikö is a fictional city in the world of Finnish literature, specifically in the works of Elias Lönnrot and the epic poem Kalevala. It is situated in the eastern part of Finland, near the present-day city of Joensuu, in the Karjala region.

The city of Etteikö appears in several ancient Finnish oral traditions and has been mentioned in various literary works, including the Kalevala, a collection of Finnish epic poems compiled by Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century. According to the Kalevala, Etteikö is a powerful and mysterious location, associated with the mythical lands of Väinämöinen, a central figure in Finnish mythology.

Elias Lönnrot, the scholar and poet credited with gathering and publishing the Kalevala, drew his inspiration from ancient Finnish oral traditions, which were collected during his travels in the east of Finland. Although the Kalevala refers to Etteikö, its geographical location, boundaries, and importance are not precisely detailed.

In an interview, scholar Osmo Panula explained that Etteikö is likely to be an ancient locality known from Karelian and Ingrian oral traditions. He suggests that the name Etteikö, translated from the Karelian dialect, means "Who would know?" Another theory describes Etteikö as a forged name, created by Elias Lönnrot. As a used term, it is not the only place or character in the Kalevala said by scholars to be derived from fabrications or made-up elements.

Scholars do not extensively discuss Etteikö due to the perception that it is too vague, causing numerous theories attempting to explain and live into its origin to no avail.