Tuonetars

Tuonetar is a figure from Finnish mythology, specifically associated with Tuonela, the underworld or realm of the dead. She is often depicted as the ruler or queen of Tuonela, the wife of Tuoni, the god of death. While not as prominently featured as some other Finnish deities, Tuonetar plays a significant role in the mythology surrounding death and the afterlife. Her domain is a dark and solemn place, a counterpart to the vibrant world of the living.

The tales involving Tuonetar often describe her as a somber and powerful entity. She guards the gates of Tuonela and oversees the souls that arrive there. In some myths, she is responsible for the ferry that transports the dead across the river of Tuonela. Her presence reinforces the finality of death and the separation between the living and the deceased. While specific narratives about her actions are less common, her existence is crucial to the conceptualization of the Finnish underworld and its governance. She embodies the mysterious and often feared realm that all mortals eventually enter.