Finda was yellow?

[Updated 27-11-20 and 16-3-26]

Finda’s Folk may originally have referred to the yellow race, but in most later texts the term rather seems to refer to people who share characteristics or morals and behavior (the racial component being less defining) with Finda as described in ch. D3b. Finda.

(posted on UM-forum 25 to 27 March)

First, a mistranslation by Ottema, copied by Sandbach.

[031/15-032/01] F1d. Concerning Laws

FÉLO [SLACHTA] FINDA.S SEND SNOD ENOCH.
MEN HJA SEND GÍRICH. HÁCH.FÁRANDE.
FALSK. VNKUS ÀND MORT.SJOCHTICH.

Ottema p.47:

Velen gelijken op Finda, zijn schrander genoeg, 
maar zij zijn hebzuchtig, hovaardig, 
valsch, onkuisch en moordzuchtig.

Sandbach p.47:

Many are like Finda. They are clever enough, 
but they are too rapacious, haughty, 
false, immoral, and bloodthirsty.

Ott (2026):

Many of Finda’s tribes are clever enough, 

but they are greedy, haughty, 

false, unchaste, and murderous.

Why Finda’s people were not (only) our yellow (Asian) race, but more likely (also) southeast-Mediterranean

The word GÉL (yellow) is used twice in the OL (see below).

Variety in some modern and old languages:

geel - dutch
gelb - german
giallo - italian
giel - frisian
gult - icelandic
gul - danish, swedish, norwegian
yellow - english

gelo - oldsaxon, oldgerman
geolu, geolo - oldenglish
g(h)elu(w) - olddutch
gulr - oldnorse
helvus - latin

OL fragments

[007/30] D3b. Finda

FINDA. WAS GÉL ÀND HJR HÉR SÁ THA MÀNNA ÉNER HORS.
Finda was yellow and her hair was as a horse’s mane.

[167/25] U4. Liudgeart: Panj-ab
VNDER ALLERLÉJA KÉREN IS.ER ÁK GOLDEN MANK.
ÀK GOLD.GÉLE APLE
HWÉR FON WELKE SÁ SWÉT ALS HÛNING SIND
ÀND WELKE SA WRANG ALS ÉK.
Among the various grains, some are golden, 

and there are gold-yellow apples, 

of which some are sweet as honey, 

others sour as vinegar.

According to the Middledutch Dictionary (Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek) that is about the period c.1250-c.1550, the original meaning was more like our blond:

Yellow, the known colour, but the actual meaning is more that of our blond. Gelu haer is in Middledutch the common word for what we call blond hair; the combination gelu blont was also used.

Dr. Ottema wrote in his introduction to the OLB (1871), translated by Sandbach (1876):

Irtha bore three daughters — Lyda, Finda, and Frya — the mothers of the three distinct races, black, yellow, and white — Africa, Asia, and Europe.

It is indeed tempting to assume that because Finda is described as GÉL, Finda’s people must be interpreted as what we call the yellow (Asian, i.e. Chinese, Japanese, Mongolian etc.) race.

There are however good reasons to reconsider this idea.

It is more likely that - at least in some of the fragments - Egyptians (or similar people from that area) were meant.

The strongest argument is the fragment below, but there is much more to say about this, which I will do later.

[057/13] K3a. Tunis and Inka

TÜNIS WILDE THRVCH THJU STRÉTE FON THA MIDDEL.SÉ VMBE TO FÁRANE
FÁR THA RIKA KANING FON ÉGIPTA LANDUM. LIK HI WEL ÉR DÉN HÉDE.
MEN INKA SÉIDE THAT.I SIN NOCHT HÉDE FON AL.ET FINDA.S.FOLK.

Tunis wanted to enter the strait of the Middle Sea in order to go and sail 
in the service of the rich king of the Egyptian lands, as he had done before. 
But Inka said he had had enough of all Finda’s folk.

Another fragment in which 'Finda’s tribes' and the Egyptians are mentioned:

[051/17] K1. Waraburg: Magyars; about the invasion of eastern Skénland by a people from the east (Finns and Magyars)

THAT FOLK NAS NAVT NE WILD LIK FÉLO SLACHTA FINDA.S
MEN É.LIK ANDA ÉGIPTA.LANDAR. HJA HÀVATH PRESTERA LIK THAM.
ÀND NW HJA KÀRKA HÀVE. ÁK BYLDON.

This folk was not wild like many of Finda’s tribes, 
but similar to the Egyptians. They have priests like them 
— and now they have temples, idols too.

Many other fragments about Finda’s people point out that they had priests (and overly powerful kings), very much despised by the peoples of Frya.

In another fragment, it is suggested that the Finns, who arrived in what is now Finland together with the Magyars, were also of Finda’s people:

[045/24] H. Yule and Script

VNDER HIRA TID HETH FINDA AK EN SKRIFT UTFVNDEN.
MEN THAT WÉRE SA HÁGFÁRANDE ÀND FVL MITH FRISLA ÀND KROLUM
THAT THA ÀFTERKVMANDA THÉROF THJU BITJVDNESE RING VRLÉREN HÀVE.
ÀFTERNÉI HÀVON HJA VS SKRIFT LÉRED
BINOMA THA FINNA. THA THYRJAR ÀND THA KRÉKA.LANDAR.

In her time, Finda also devised a script.

But it was so pompous and full of flourishes and curls

that her descendants soon lost its meaning.

They later learned our script —

specifically the Finns, the Tyrians and the Greeks

One could believe that the ancient Finns were somewhat Asian, but to suppose the Tyrians (now Libanon) and Greeks were as well, makes no sense. They were more probably east-Mediterranean. Not black, not white, but somewhere in between; what Frya’s people might have called GÉL (yellow or light brown).

# # #

Besides the two copyist letters (ch. A-B), the most recent part of the OLB is the part about Black Adel a.k.a. Askar.

In this part which is dated ca. 50 BCE, the Finda’s people were still considered to be the biggest threat to the peoples of Frya:

[202/27] Zc. Reintia’s Dream

WR.ALDA SÉIDE HJU HÉDE HJA THRVCH THONGAR TO HROPA LÉTA
THAT ALLET FRIAS FOLK MOSTON FRJUNDA WERTHA.
LIK SUSTAR ÀND BROTHAR TÁMED.
OWERS SKOLDE FINDAS FOLK KVMA ÀND RA ALLE FON JRTHA VRDILLIGJA.

Wralda, she said, had called to her by thunder 

that all Frya’s folk must become friends, 

united as sisters and brothers. 

Otherwise, Finda’s folk would come and eradicate them all from the face of the earth.

and [203/09] 

FORTH MOTON ALLE VPSTONDA ÀND ET FINDA.S FOLK FON FRIAS ERV DRÍVA.
NILLATH HJA THAT NAVT NE DVA ALSA SKILUN HJA SLÁVONA BENDA VMBE HJARA HALSA KRÉJA.
ALSA SKILUN THA VRLANDASKA HÉRA HJARA BERN MISBRUKA ÀND FYTRA LÉTA
TILTHJU THÀT BLOD SÍGATH INNA JOWRE GRÉVA.

Further, they must all rise and expel Finda’s folk from Frya’s domain.

If they refuse this calling, they shall come to wear slave collars around their necks.

The foreign masters will abuse their children and have them lashed

until their blood seeps into your graves.

We all know what was the biggest threat to northern Europe around the year zero. It was not Asians but Romans; Mediterranean people. This is another indication that with Finda’s people not Asians (our so-called yellow race) was meant.

# # #

Minno, the sea-king, seer and philosopher who gave laws to the people of Crete, said this about the Finda’s tribes and their kings and priests:

[031/28] F1d. Concerning Laws

THÉRA. HWAM.HIS GÁST THÀT LESTIGOSTE SY. ÀND THÉRTRVCH STERIK.
THAM.HIS HÔNE KRÉIATH KÉNING. 
ÀND THA ÔRA MOTON ALWENNA AN SIN WELD VNDER.WURPEN WÉSA

He whose mind is most cunning, and thus strong,

his cock crows “king!”,

and the others must utterly submit to him

[033/14] F1e. Eawa

DÁHWILA WI TO DVANDE SEND EKKORUM TO SKÁDANE
KVMTH.ET NIDIGE FOLK FINDA.S MITH HJARA FALSKA PRESTERUM
JVW HÀWA TO RÁWANDE JVWA TOGHATERA TO SKÀNDANE.
JVWA SÉDA TO VRDVA ÀND TO THA LESTA
KLÀPPATH HJA SLÁVONA.BANDA OM JAHWELIKES FRYA HALS. 

While we are busy inflicting harm upon one another,

the spiteful people of Finda shall come with their false priests

— to rob you of your possessions, to defile your daughters,

to corrupt your morals, and, in the end,

to clap the bonds of slavery around every Frya neck.

More thoughts from Minno about the people of Finda and their laws:

[031/18] F1d. Concerning Laws

POGA BLÉSATH HJARA SELVA VPPA. 
ÀND HJA NE MÜGATH NAWET THÀN KRUPA.
FORSKA HROPATH WÀRK . WÀRK. 
ÀND HJA NE DVATH NAWET AS HIPPA ÀND KLUCHT MÁKJA.
THA ROKA HROPATH SPÁR . SPÁR. 
MEN HJA STÉLON ÀND VRSLYNATH AL WAT VNDER HJARA SNAVELA KVMATH.
LIK ALTHAM IS THÀT FINDAS.FOLK.
HJA BOGATH IMMER OVIR GODA ÉWA.
EK WIL SETMA MÁKJA VMB.ET KWÁD TO WÉRANE.
MEN SELVA NIL NIMMAN THÉR AN BONDEN WÉSA.

Toads puff themselves up, 

while they can do nothing but creep. 

Frogs cry: “work, work!”, 

though they do nothing but hop and fool about. 

The crows cry: “spare, spare!”, 

but they steal and devour all they get into their beaks. 

Like all these is Finda’s folk: 

They bluster incessantly about good laws; 

all wish to make rules to avert evil, 

but no one wants to be bound by these themselves.

[040/03] F3. Crete

THACH MIN ÀJN WITHER FARA TO LÉTANDE.
SA WIL.K MITH THESA SKÉDNESA ALLÉNA SÉZA.
THAT WI NAVT MÜGE HÉMA MITH ET FINDAS FOLK FON WÉR THAT ET SY.
HWAND THÀT HJA FVL SEND MITH FALSKA.RENKA.
ÉWA TO FRÉSANE AS HJARA SWETE WINA MITH DÉJANDE FENIN.

My own experiences aside, 

with these stories I wish merely to show 

that we should not live side-by-side with Finda’s folk, from wherever they may be, 

because they are full of false tricks, 

as much to be feared as their sweet wines with deadly venom.

More about the laws of the Finda people (benefitting only the priests and kings, i.e. the upper class):

[040/28] Gb. Regulations and Penalties

THÀT FOLK FINDA.S HETH ÁK SETMA ÀND DOMAR.
MEN THISSA NE SEND NAVT NÉI THA RJUCHT.
MEN ALLÉNA TO BATA THÉRA PRESTERA ÀND FORSTA.
THANA SEND HJARA STÁTA IMMERTHE FVL TISPALT ÀND MORD.

Finda’s folk also have regulations and penalties. 

However, these are not founded on justice 

but made only to benefit the priests and princes. 

That is why their cities are constantly full of discord and murder.

###

Most interestingly, some properties of the Finda priesthoods are described in the second part of the Primal Teachings (FORM.LÉR):

[100/02] R4b. Primal Teachings 2

EMONG FINDA.S FOLK SEND WAN.WÍSA.
THÉR THRVCH HJARA OVER.FINDINGRIKHÉD AL SA ÀRG SEND EWRDEN
THÀT HJA HJARA SELVA WIS MÁKJA ÀND THA INEWIDA BITJUGA
THÀT HJA THET BESTA DÉL SEND FON WR.ALDA.
THET HJARA GÁST THET BESTE DÉL IS FON WR.ALDA.S GÁST
ÀND THET WR.ALDA ALLÉNA MÉI THÀNKJA THRVCH HELPE HJAR.IS BRYN.

Among Finda’s folk, there are pretentious men 

who, by their over-inventiveness, have grown so vain 

as to convince themselves and their initiates 

that they are the best part of Wralda; 

that their mind is the best part of Wralda’s spirit, 

and that Wralda can only think through the help of their brains.

and [100/21]

MEN FINDAS FOLK IS EN ÀRG FOLK.
HWAND AFSKÉN THA WAN.WÍSA THÉRA.
HJARA SELVA WIS MÁKJA THÀT HJA DROCHTNE SEND.
SA HÀVON HJA TO FÁRA THA VN.EWIDA FALXA DROCHTNE.ESKÉPEN.
TO KÉTHANDE ALLER WÉIKES THÀT THISSA DROCHTNE WRALDA ESKÉPEN HÀVE.
MITH AL HWAT THÉR INNE IS. ~

But Finda’s folk are a wicked folk, 

for although their phony wise men 

convince themselves that they are divine beings, 

they have created false divinities for the uninitiated — 

everywhere proclaiming that these divinities created the world 

with all that is therein —

GÍRIGA DROCHTNE FVL NÍD ÀND TORN.
THAM ÉRATH ÀND THJANATH WILLATH WÉSA. THRVCH THA MÀNNISKA. 
THÉR BLOD ÀND OFFER WILLA ÀND SKÀT ASKJA. ~

greedy divinities, full of envy and wrath, 

who demand to be honored and served by the people; 

who desire blood and sacrifice and demand rich offerings.

MEN THI WAN.WISA FALXA MANNA
THAM HJARA SELVA GODIS SKALKA JEFTHA PRESTERA NOMA LÉTA.
BÜRATH ÀND SÁMNATH ÀND GETTHATH ALDAM TOFARA DROCHTNE
THÉRER NAVT NE SEND VMBET SELVA TO BIHALDANDE.

But these vain, false men, 

who allow themselves to be called God’s servants or priests, 

claim and collect and receive everything on behalf of divinities 

that do not exist, to keep it for themselves.

ALDAM BIDRÍWATH HJA MITH EN RUM EMOD.
THRVCHDAM HJA HJARA SELVA DROCHTNE WÁNE
THÉR AN NINMAN ANDERT SKELDICH NE SEND.

They do all this with an easy conscience, 

as they imagine themselves divine 

and answerable to no one.

SEND THÉR SVME THAM HJARA RENKA FRODA ÀNDET BÁR MAKJA
ALSA WRDON HJA THRVCH HJARA RAKKERA FÀT ÀND VMBIRA LASTER VRBARNAD
ELLA MITH FÉLO STÁTSKA PLÉGUM HJARA FALXA DROCHTNE TO.N ÉRE.
MEN IN TRVTH. ALLÉNA THÉRVMBE THÀT HJA.RA NAVT SKÁDA NE SKOLDE.
If there are any who see through their tricks and try to expose them,

these are caught by their henchmen and burnt for their heresy —

always with solemn ceremonies, in honor of their false divinities —

but in truth, it is only to protect the priesthood.

A fragment suggesting that to be considered of Finda’s blood is more about someones behavior, than about skincolour (or actual descent):

[043/25] Gd. Punishments for the traitorous

SAHWERSA THÉR ÉNIS IMMAN WÉRE. SÁ ÀRG
THÀT I VS GVNG VRRÉDE BY THA FYAND. 
PÁDA ÀND TO PÁDA WÉS. VMBE VSA FLÍBURGA TO NAKA 
JEFTHA THES NACHTIS THÉRIN TO GLUPA
THAM WÉRE ALLÉNA WROCHT UT FINDA.S BLOD.

If ever there were someone so evil 

that he betrayed us to the enemy, 

revealing paths and passages so they can reach our places of refuge (Fleeburgs) 

or sneak into them by night, 

he can only be sprung of Finda’s blood.

Some other fragments suggest that Finda’s land was situated more in the east and that at least some Finda peoples looked more Mongolian (Tartars).

[136/11] T2b. Yesus of Kashmir

IN.T HIRTE FON FINDA.S LÁND VPPET BERCHTA 
LÉID EN DEL THÉR IS KÉTHEN KASAMÍR.

In the heart of Findasland, in the mountains, 

lies a valley called Kashmir

[157/07] U3a. Adel and Ifkia

THA TARTARA IS EN BRUN FINDAS FOLK
The Tartars are a brown Finda’s folk

[204/03] Zc. Reintia’s Dream

THA TARTARA SEND EN DÉL FON FINDA.S SLACHTE

The Tartars are a branch of Finda’s bloodline

But these fragments are relatively recent, so the concept may have changed, or it simply differed between the various authors.

# # #

Ljudgért was a Gértman from Punjab, who came to Fryasland with Friso’s fleet, ca. 300 BCE, and became friends with Fréthorik Oera Linda. He wrote about the people of north-west India:

[163/29] U4. Liudgeart: Panj-ab Report

VNDER THA HINDOS ÀND ÔTHERA UT.A LÔNDUM
SIND WELKA LJUDA MANK THÉR AN STILNISE BÍ MALKÔRUM KVMA.
SE GELÁVATH THET SE VNFORBASTERE BERN FINDA.S SIND.
SE GELÁVATH THET FINDA FONUT.ET HIMMEL.LÀJA BERTA BERN IS.
HVANÁ SE MITH HJARA BERN NÉI THA DELTA JEFTHA LÉGTE TOGEN IS. ~
WELKE VNDER THAM GELÁVATH THET SE MITH HJRA BERN
VPPET SKUM THER HÉLIGE GONGG.À DEL GONGGEN IS.
THÉRVMBE SKOLDE THI RUN.STRÁME HÉLIGE GONGG.À HÉTA.

Among the Hindus and others from these lands,

there are men who meet in silent solitude.

They believe that they are unmingled children of Finda

and that Finda was born out of the Himalaya mountains,

whence she descended to the delta or the plains with her children.

Some of them believe that she went (has gone — gonggen) down

upon the foam of the Holy Ganges with her children

and that this is why the river is called Holy Gong-ga (Ganges).

In Hinduism, the river Ganges is considered sacred and is personified as a goddess known as Ganga. (wiki)

The Ganges (or Ganga) indeed descends from the Himalayas.

Ljudgért (and the other people of Frya’s) who had heard about this river goddess tradition may have interpreted it as being about Finda. The Hindus themselves may never actually  have used that name.