The morning sun was still rising when Teuvo and the rest of the hunting party entered the small village of Kauppa-Kohta. The rekikoiria (sledge dogs) were yelping and yapping enthusiastically as they tugged and pulled at the leather harnesses attached to the large metsästys kelkka (hunting sledge).
The small hunting party had traveled out on the sledge two days earlier but now they returned on foot. The sledge had a new purpose. It was piled high with the results of their days hunting, many skins of smaller prey were stacked and bound to the sledge alongside the butchered and prepared meat but in pride of place, and almost filling the whole sledge, was the body of a large white bear. The sound of the dogs attracted the attention of the residents; Teuvo and the other hunters were warmly greeted and congratulated with cheers and hugs when they saw the bear carcass.
The Bear had been the crowning glory of a good hunt. The party had already obtained enough meat and furs to keep the village fed and clothed for many weeks to come but the bear would allow them to stage a large feast as thanks to the spirits for allowing their small community to survive the worst of the passing winter season. It had been a quick clean kill with no suffering, the Lossoth always regretted killing their quarry and always gave thanks for its sacrifice and this bear would receive the highest honor and praise at the coming celebrations.
The final blow to the great animal had been delivered by Herborg with the long spear that the Lossoth favored for hunting. She would have pride of place at the feast and assist in tonight’s ceremony to pacify the bear's spirit. In return she would be permitted to add one of the bear’s claws to her necklace, her first. Most of the hunting party had one or two bear claws, not only did they show their prowess at hunting but also acted as a reminder to the hunter of the bears sacrifice.
The bear is an important cultural animal in Lossoth religion. The Lossoth believe that the bear came from the stars and that it had the ability to reincarnate. After a successful bear hunt a celebration called karhunpeijaiset (celebration of the bear) is arranged in honor of the slain bear. The purpose of the ceremony is to placate the bear and to convince its soul that it was greatly respected by the people and try to make the bear's soul happy so that the bear will want to reincarnate peacefully back into the forest. After the bear's meat is eaten, the bones are buried. The skull, which is believed to contain the bear's soul, is placed high upon the branches of the kallohonka (skull pine). From the heavens, the bear will come back to the forests and reincarnate beneath the kallohonka to walk the earth again.
