Bostta
An Account of the Sami p. 133
Earth Bostta
“Earth bostta is also a dangerous and grievous ailment. And there are also nine different kinds of it. In all of them, scabs form all over the body and these itch and hurt so much that a person can get no peace to either sleep or eat.
And this can also be treated using healing words as has been described above. And there is one which is called buogu [abscess] and another called vámmá [tumor]. And they can all be cured with healing words.”
Muitalus sámiid birra p. 133
Eatnanbostaga birra
Eatnanbostta lea maiddá váralaš vihki ja garra vihki. Ja dat lea maiddá ovccisorttat. Dat lea dakkár, ahte šaddet ruoppit oba goruda miehtá, ja dat sakŋidit, ja lea dain várka nai nu ahte ii oaččo ráfi ii nohkkat ii ge borrat.
Ja dat maiddá jorgaluvvo sániiguin nugo lea ovdalis juo čállojuvvon. Ja okta, man namma lea buogu ja nubbi lea vámmá. Ja dat visot jorgaluvvojit sániiguin.
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Lappish Texts
"XVIII. On earth-bosta. 22)
The earth and the water, they are our mother and God is the father. And what a child asks from its parents, that it will get. From nine kinds does it [the evil] come – from living earth, and from living water, and from dead water, and from the four winds, and from smoke of the fire. “The high waves of the father have roared until now – and henceforth on more. And to Christ our Lord they have been obedient.” (That which follows must be read three times). “That which has come from the earth shall go into the earth – the earth shall take back its own. And what has come from the water shall return to the water. And what has come from the stone and from whirlwind-rocks, that shall return into the rock. And what has come from the wind of all four quarters – from east and from west, and from the north, and from south – that shall return, the wind shall take back its own. 23). I sing that you shall become as healthy as God created thee.” And then you [the noadie] must request for the person [you are curing] “peace and health for this young person.” 24) And then [finally] that person’s name and age must be read.
And if it is a far too bad bosta, then it is necessary to say: “From what hell art thou come?” and moreover say “Voi hell, how desperate thou art! But desperate I am too!” (But it is the same if you say! “Voi, Devil, how desperate thou art!”)
And for earth-bosta you must – if it is particularly bad – then you must try on sundays, right at church time. And when you begin, then you must say that “now all church-doors are open, and the holy altars too. In there, they preach the law of the holy bible and the gospel, which are sharper than a two-edged sword!” 25) And then when you begin [to cure for that kind of bosta], then you must cut a small piece of earth 26) [from the ground] and moreover read those words and then press each [sick] spot with it. And when you are through, then you must put it [the piece of sod] back where you took it from. And when you press with a stone 27), then you must also return that to the same place [where you took it from]. And if you take moss 28) and press with that, then you must also put it in the same place [where it grew]. And when you have done all that, it will turn back [the sickness be cured], if it [the sickness, eruption] has not reached around the body; and if there is the least bit of sound skin, then it will probably turn. And if it has spread over the whole body, then you must start from the thigh and move that piece of sod against the body, against the sun [counter-clock-wise], just following the skin until you have come around the body 29). But you must move spirally untill you reach the same shoulder-blade [on the same of the body where you started]; and if it does not turn yet, then you must three times 30) describe a circle around the body [with a piece of sod and read the incantation].
22) The meaning of “bosta” can hardly be rendered satisfactorily by a single English word. It has a mystic sense which is not expressed by the word “poisoning”, given by J. A. Friis as a translation in his dictionary. Therefore, it is deemed expedient to retain the Lappish term here; the verb “boster” is used in the translation in an anglicized form, “bost.” – Earth, water, air, certain persons etc. are supposed to carry a mystic power, harmful and sicknessbringing. This mystic power, as well as its activity, are meant by the term “bosta.” – The incantations contained in No. XVIII are used both in the Lappish and in the Finnish language, according to Johan Turi. Without a doubt, the Lapps have received them from the Finns.
23) The wind “bosta” it is most difficult to turn. (J. T.)
24) The expression “this young person” is used also when the patient is old, because “he is younger than the earth.” (J. T.)
25) A real earth-conjurer feels it, when it is a “bosta” of the evil kind which must be driven to hell with thes words on a sunday. (J. T.)
26) The piece of sod must be taken from a spot where people do not tread. Something evil is always left where many people tread – as if it might be a curse against the soil. One must always be alone when one is about such a thing, and one must do it silently. No words are needed. (J. T.)
27) One tries first with a piece of sod; but if that does not help, if the pain does not vanish within two days, then one must try to press the sick spot with a pretty pebble from a well, and afterwards sprinkle water from a shell suddenly upon the patient so that he is scared, and the sickness scared at the same time so that it returns from where it came from. One must blow a little upon the piece of sod or stone before using them. (J. T.)
28) The kind of moss that grows at living wells (i. e. a spring which is never frozen) must be used. (J. T.)
29) The spiral may also be described downwards, but the movement must always be counter-clock-wise. (J. T.)
30) By “three times” is meant: in three different places. –The incantation is read once; but if one does not succeed at first in “turning” the sickness, then the whole incantation is read three times, and one must, moreover, count backwards from nine to one three times, or –in very difficult cases –it may be necessary to count nine times backwards from nine (J. T.)”
Sámi deavsttat
XVIII (pp. 29-31)
Eatnan ja čáhci, dat leat min eadni, ja Ipmil lea áhčči; ja dat, maid mánná vánhemiin átnu, dan dat oažžu. Ovcci soarttas dat boahtá: ealli eatnamis ja jápma eatnamis ja ealli čázis ja jápma čázis ja njealje biekkas ja dola suovas, “Áhči alla bárut leat japman dán rádjái ja dás mannjil ii šat eambbo, ja Hearrái Kristusii leat leamaš gulolaččat visot meara bárut ja nu leat ein dál nai guloláččat.” (Dan rájis manjás galgá lohkat golmma geardde:) “Dat mii lea eatnamis boahtán, dat galgá eatnamii mannat; eatnan galgá oamis oamastit. Ja dat mii lea čázis boahtán, dat galgá mannat jur čáhcái, ja dat mii lea geađggis ja myrskobávttis boahtán, dat galgá mannat jur báktái, ja dat mii lea biekkas boahtán visot njealje guovllus, nuortan ja oarján ja davvin ja lulil, dat galgá mannat ruoktot; biegga galgá oamis oamastit. Laulelen sinut yhtä terveeksi, mitä Jumala on luonut (maid Ipmil lea sivdnidan).” Ja de galgá átnut dan olbmui “ráfi ja dearvvasvuohta lehkos dán nuorukažžii!” Ja de galgá dan olbmo nama ja agi lohkat.
Ja jos dat lea ila bahás bostta, de ferte dadjat, ahte “Guđe helvehis leat don boahtán?” Ja velá nuppádis dadjat: “Vuoi, helvet, man hilbat don leat, muhto hilbat dat lean mon nai” (muhto dat gal lea seamma, jos dadjá: “Vuoi, Berggaš, man hilbat don leat!”).
Ja eatnanbostagii galgá, go lea hui bahá, de galgá sotnabeaivvi geahččat jur girkoáiggi; ja go álgá, de galgá dadjat, ahte “dál leat visot girkouvssat rabas ja basse áltárat maid; siste sárdnidit basse rámmáha lága ja evaŋgeliuma, mii lea bastileabbu go guovtteávjjot miehkki”. Ja dalle go álgá, de galgá čuohppat eatnanbinná ja dasa lohkat daid sániid ja de deaddit deinna juohke báikki. Ja go lea geargan, de galgá bidjat seamma ládje dasa, gos lea váldán. Ja go geđggiin deaddá, de dan maiddá galgá bidjat seamma sadjái; ja jos váldá sepmoliid ja deaddá deiguin, de galgá dan maiddá bidjat seamma sadjái. Ja dat galle jorggiha, go deid lea dahkan visot, jos ii leat beassan birra rupmaša, muhto jos lea veahá ge dearvvas liiki, de galle velá jorggiida. Jo jos lea olles rupmašii viidon, de galgá álgit čoarbealis jođihit dan eatnanbinná ja jođihit vuostebeaivái birra rupmaša beare liikki mielde, dassá go olle birra rupmaša, muhto dat galgá vitnjut jođihit, dassá go boahtá seamma čoamohasii, ja jos ii velá jorggit, de galgá gárdut golmma geardde birra rupmaša.
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Lappish Texts
"XIX. Explanation to earth-bosta.
There are nine 31) kinds of earth, and the nine [sicknesses, diseases of the skin] come each from its own kind of earth, and there is a little difference between them, if you only know them [well enough]. Dry-earth-bosta is a white, dry eruption, but it certainly itches. And wet-earth-bosta is thus: it is a dark-coloured eruption, and it runs and itches and pains. And wind-bosta is small knobs, and they itch very much, and it is often in the face. And when the wind has bosted the face, then the eyes are red and inflamed and itch. And it is not easy to remove in the same way as the other kinds of bosta. For this you must go to a smithy and blow with the bellows, reading the words too, however. And there is a kind of bosta which comes from another person, if one sleeps lying on another person’s under-garments 32) And old uncleanly maids are the worst for bosting; and that bosta does not go away otherwise, unless you can get a chance to press [the sick spot] with the same person’s clothes – but without the person knowing it, who has bosted – and say: “Take your own back, and take your invisible property 32a) back , and take your hatred back!”
The old maids are so unclean 33) that it bosts by the smell too – if they are of the uncleanly kind. And it is not surprising, when you know the conditions of these poor girls, who have to live in the wilderness continually and must stay in the same clothes for months without any opportunity for changing clothes. For instance the trowsers which are as they are; they sit around the backside and must receive all that which comes from above [the catemenia]. And anyone will understand how they become and what smell they make. They contaminate so that it hurts [bosts] him who comes to the windward [of them]. And therefore the Lapps call the girls unclean. As soon as a child is born, they are wont to ask what it is [boy or girl], and if they learn it is a girl, then they will say: “It was only an unclean”. And young girls certainly have the same marks too, and if they are not diligent in taking care of [their clothes], then they are as unclean as the old uncleanly maids. And the girls who are unclean, they are beneficial and all their things are particularly agreeable; such girls are usually called “lucky trowsers”; and they are very warm when you get a chance to sleep with them; well can you keep warm then, however cold it may be – nor do they bost people with whom they are acquainted, but the acquaintance must go so far, that they have united their bodies, and their strength has mingled.
31) “The child is in the mother’s womb nine months, thence the number nine.” (J.T.)
32) Under-garments are dangerous because they contain sweat which carries the evil influence with it. (J. T.)
32a) The word guosta was explained to me by Johan Turi as meaning something like property in a mystical sense, or “invisible property.” Another time he said to me that guosta was about the same as bosta (cf. note 22). According to Professor Konrad Nielsen, guosta is used with the meaning of bosta as first part of compound words, e. g. guosta-diu’re = bosta-diu’re (diu’re = bug).
33) “Unclean” has a double meaning, denoting at the same time uncleanliness and a certain mystic power (J. T.). By means of this mystic power, an old maid versed in with-craft, drives off the ghosts in the “tale about noaides”, cf. No. XLIV.”
Sámi deavsttat
XIX. (pp. 31-32) Čilgehus eatnanbostaga birra.
Eatnan lea ovccilágáš, ja dat ovcci bohtet ieš guhtege iežásorttat eatnamis, ja lea dein veaháš erohus, jos deid dovddalii. Goike eatnanbostta lea vilges, goike ruoppit, muhto satnijidit dat galle. Ja njuoska eatnama bostta lea dákkár, dat leat čáhppes ruoppit, ja dat čáhcot ja satnjidit ja várket. Ja bieggabostta lea smávva ruoppit ja satnjidit hui sakka, ja dat lea dávjá čalmmiin. Ja go biegga lea bostán čalmmiid, de leat čalmmit ruoksadat ja ruddot ja satnjidit. Ja dat ii leat geahpas vuolgit eret dainna lágiin go iežá bostta. Dan galgá mannat bádjái ja bosodit bádjevuossuin; muhto sániid fal lohkat.
Ja lea okta bostta, mii boastá nuppe olbmos, jos nohkká nuppe olbmo liikebiktasiid nalde. Ja boares nuoskkes nieiddat lea bahámusat bostit; ja dat bostta ii vuolgge muđui go beassá deaddit seamma olbmo biktasiiguin (muhto iin nu, ahte dat olmmoš diehtá, gii lea bostán) ja dadjat: “Váldde oamát ruoktot ja váldde guosttat eret ja váldde vašát ruoktot!”
Dat boares nieiddat leat nu muggagat, ahte bostá hádja nai, go leat nuoskkesorttagat. Ja ii dat leat imaš, go dieđalii deid nieidariebuid ásejiid, mat galget mehciin álo ja šaddet ovttai biktasiiguin orrut mánuid, eai beasa lonuhit biktasiiddiset. Ovdamearkan buvssat, mat leat dakkárat, go sii leat; dat leat goit birra bađa, ja sii dustot čoahkkái visot, mii bajil boahtá. Ja dal dan ipmirda juohkehaš, makkárat dat šaddet ja makkár dein šaddá hádja. Sii galle mukkiidit nu, ahte dahká bahá dasa, gii šaddá miehtelii. Ja deinna sámit gohčodit nieiddaid mukkan. Dat lávejit dakkaviđe, go mánná šaddá, je jerret, de mii lea, ja jos gullet, ahte lea nieida, de dadjet: “Ii dat lean ge go mukka.” Ja leat dat galle dat seamma mearkkat nuorra nieiddain nai, ja jos eai leat viššalat goarjidit, de leat seamma muggagat go boares nuoksses nieiddain. Ja dat nieiddat, mat leat muggagat, dat leat lihkolaččat, ja hui buorre diŋggat leat visot biergasat. Ja deid lávejit gohčodit “lihkkobiddun”, dakkár nieiddaid. Ja dat leat hui lieggasat, go deid báldii beassá nohkkat; gal bivvá, vaikko livččui man čoaskkis; eai ge dat bostte oahpes olbmuid, muhto gat galgá dan meare oahpis, ahte leat liikkit guoskan oktii ja sin vuoibmi seahkánan oktii.
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Lappish Texts
"XX. On dead-body bosta.
If one has been bosted from the clothes of a dead person, then that is the worst bosta. But for this you must try to press [the sick spot] with the same person’s [the dead person’s] clothes and ask: “Give my health back [to me]”. And if you cannot get the same person’s clothes, then you must go to the churchyard and slowly press [the sick spot] with the churchdoor 34) and ask: “Give my health back [to me]”; and that will help for this. – And if by chance one inhales the smell of a corpse, then it is dangerous. For this there is little remedy, thus: then you must try to get at the dead person and have his foot-soles uncovered, in order that you make stroke the sole of the foot and say: “Give my health back [to me]”. And then you are healed. And if a person does not go through that performance, then he will die in two years – if he has got the smell so badly that doctor-medicin cannot help; and if he has got that smell too badly then he will die even sooner. But still, the smell is not as bad as the corpse-liquid which is in the dead body, and if a living person gets that inside then it will kill him like poison.
34) As every corpse is carried through the church before the burial takes place, the Lapps believe that a certain power from the dead person remains in the church. In earlier days, the Lapps made often sacrifices of money to the church, laying the coins into crevices in the floor; this had nothing to do with christianity, as the sacrifices were made to the power of the old “strong” noaides who were buried there.“
Sámi deavsttat
XX. (pp. 32-3) Jámetbostaga birra.
Jos jámeha biktasiin bosttohallá, de lea bahámus bostta. Muhto dasa galgá geahččalit deaddit seamma olbmo biktasiiguin ja átnut:“Atte mu dearvvasvuođa ruoktot!” Ja jos ii oaččo dan olbmo biktasiid, de ferte mannat girkoeatnamii ja deattašit girkouvssain ja átnut: “Atte mu dearvvasvuođa ruoktot!” ja dat ábuha dasa. Ja jos jámehis šaddá hája juhkat, de lea váralaš, de lea dasa veaháš ráđđi ná: de galgá beassat dan jápmán olbmo lusa ja oažžut rabas juolgevuođuid, vái beasalii njávkkastit juolgevuođu ja dadjat: “Atte mu dearvvasvuođa ruoktot!” ja de dat buorrána. Ja jos ii daga dan goanstta, de jápmá dat olmmoš guovtte jagi geažes, jos lea nu bahui ožžon hája, ahte eai doaktárdálkasat nagat buoridit. Ja jos ila bahui oažžui dan hája, de jápmá fargga nai. Muhto ii leat goit hádja nu bahá go váigačáhci, mii lea jámehis, ja jos dan šaddá oažžut ealli olmmoš, de dat galle goddá dego mirko.
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Johan Turi's Medical Knowledge 
