]> 2024-06-13T09:55:57+00:00 Gufihtar (an underground being) 0 1074 englanti 2021-11-09T11:53:14Z 2459527.9953009 Gufihtar (an underground being) <P align="justify">According to Saami belief, there dwells a man-like race of beings below the earth. These subterranean beings sometimes come up and torment those who live on earth. They might snatch an unprotected baby and leave a child of their own in exchange. They also have herds of reindeer here on earth, and if you throw a metal object over such a herd you can keep it for yourself.</p><P align="justify"> This earth creature is called by different names in different Saami languages. One of them is <i>gufihtar</i>. It is used in the eastern regions, and it is found in both eastern Saami languages and in North Saami. Another name is <i>ulda</i>, which is found in both North and Swedish Saami. In South Saami a gnome is called <i>saajve</i> ([[Sáiva (engl. ver.)|North Saami]] sáiva).</p> <P align="justify"> The belief in a people living underground inside the fells is of Scandinavian origin. The above-mentioned Saami names are accordingly loan words from Scandinavian languages. The underground people have the following names in Scandinavian languages: Norwegian (dialect) <i>go[d]vetter, goveiter; hulder</i>, Swedish <i>huldra</i>. The last name is related to the Swedish verb <i>hölja</i> to cover .</p> <P align="justify"> There is also a name for an earth spirit that is not of Scandinavian origin. This is a word found in Lule Saami and in Ume Saami: <i>kanij</i> or <i>kenij</i>. In South Saami it means a ghost or a lurking person.</p> Otsikko 102