posted
Hi, I wanted to share you something of less known history I just happened to find out while reading the folk stories of Finland. During 1570-1595 there was a war in which Russians attacked Swedish controlled Finland. One of the heroes was the peasant chief called Musta-Nykyri (Black Nykyri). The epithet comes from his skin color as he was dark skinned. He was a giant compared to Finns, very strong and a formidable warrior, but not only that but he was also a mighty witch and he was able to conjure soldiers from plain chicken feathers.
Too bad that all information about him is found only in folk stories and no information of his later life or if he had any relatives. There is a family named Nykyri even today but they surely aren't related to this man.
posted
Came to my mind while looking that name that it resembles word "neekeri" which is a racial slur these days, but it was originally a loan word meaning black skinned people.
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