The Alluring Past

Abstract During the nineteenth century, the tradition of metered oral poetry, often referred to as “Kalevalaic” poetry or runo singing, became a fundamental and emblematic part of Finnish cultural heritage. The collections of metered poetry include hundreds of poems that discuss sexual relationships, the female body, and genitals. This article analyses the re-heritagisations of such poems in contemporary Finland. Through an examination of ethnographic interviews, media texts, and folk music recordings, I assert that the use of traditional sexual poetry reflects progressive values, such as the promotion of equality, social change, and diversity. Furthermore, the progressive contextualisation of these sexual poems is situated within transnational body politics, such as the #MeToo movement, and is closely linked to feminist viewpoints.