Заштита, очување и афирмација српског културног наслеђа на Косову и Метохији (Protection, preservation and affirmation of the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija), 2023
The paper analyses the structure and significance of the vučari ritual procession as an element o... more The paper analyses the structure and significance of the vučari ritual procession as an element of the intangible cultural heritage of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Traditionally, the custom involves a procession of people carrying a killed wolf. Vučari would sing or recite a vučari song in front of every house, after which the hosts would give them gifts so that wolves would not attack their livestock. Today, in the area of Sirinićka župa, the participants in the masked procession that takes place on White Sunday before Great Lent are called vučari. The contemporary procession is completely different from the above described vučari and consists of elements typical of carnivals and ritual processions of “pokladni wedding guests” – the paper also focuses on the possible paths of the origin of this custom. The corpus of the research included monographs and studies dedicated to the folk culture of Serbs and other Balkan peoples, records of the Digital Audio Archive of the Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and some testimonies of inhabitants of the Gotovuša village.
Many taboos and a high resistance to change are the hallmark of posthumous rituals and customs am... more Many taboos and a high resistance to change are the hallmark of posthumous rituals and customs among all Slavic peoples, which has helped maintain their archaic nature. According to Slavic beliefs, in the otherworld, the souls of the deceased who were kind-hearted during their lifetime join the group of their ancestors who guard the living, providing them with prosperity and fertility. In return, living descendants had an obligation to periodically organize commemorations for the deceased, invoke memories of them, and make (food) offerings meant for the salvation of their souls. On the other hand, Slavs believed that the deceased who died prematurely or violently, or those who were dishonourable throughout their lives, became “the revenant deceased” or “the impure deceased” and could bring harm, sickness, and death to the living. For these reasons, people tended to prepare all of the dead—particularly the ones whose souls could potentially become members of the “impure” group—adequately for the funeral and to see their souls off from this world following traditional rites. This research is based on the presupposition that, among folk beliefs, customs, and rituals regarding the deceased (and their souls), there is a substratum whose archaic nature reaches back to the period when Slavic peoples lived together. These are folk beliefs and customs which appear in all three groups of Slavic peoples but are not related to any of the predominant religions, primarily Christianity, nor did they emerge under the influences of those religions. The sources used in the research include a published ethnographic corpus of data and scientific papers on posthumous rites among the Slavs. Also taken into account were archaeological, historical, and linguistic sources.
FEMALE DAYS AS MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS IN SOUTH AND EAST SLAVS’ BELIEF
The paper analyzes folk belief... more FEMALE DAYS AS MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS IN SOUTH AND EAST SLAVS’ BELIEF The paper analyzes folk beliefs and folk tales, in which personified "female" days (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) have features of mythological and demonic beings. These beings have a regulative function – they watch over people's behavior on their days, and especially that prohibitions on work and performance of the so-called women work (weaving, sewing, making bread) are respected. The time of their appearance (night, middle of the night), predicates (punishment of people), appearance, hypostases (snake) make them close to demonic beings in Slavic folk tales and legends. They are also related to the world of the deceased and the cult of ancestors, so the question can be raised whether behind these characters is a mythical ancestor or a female deity (old Slavic goddesses Mokoš), who was the patron of women and childbirth, but who could show two faces – one cruel and evil (Friday), and the other good and gentle (Sunday).
ZOOMORPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED
IN THE BELIEFS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
Acc... more ZOOMORPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED IN THE BELIEFS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
According to Slavic folk beliefs, the soul leaves the body at the time of death in the form of a fly, butterfly, bird or mouse. It can later appear to living people in the form of some other animals, whereby differences can be observed between the so-called souls of the pure deceased or ancestors (those who died “of their own” natural death) and the so-called impure deceased (those who died prematurely or violently, who were sinners, unbaptized, practiced magic, etc.). The paper deals with folk beliefs about the zoomorphic characteristics of the souls of the mentioned groups of the deceased. The reasons for tying certain types of animals to a certain group of the deceased is examined, followed by folk beliefs about whether the soul has or takes the form of an animal or simply moves into its body. The research is based on published ethnographic and folkloristic materials in magazines and anthologies of the Slavic peoples, on scholarly studies on representations of the soul and animals in the folk culture of the Slavs, as well as on our own field records from the Banat region (Serbia).
Прилози за књижевност, језик, историју и фолклор, 2022
Animals as sacrifices in the Serbian annual calendar
In ritual practice, which is the part of th... more Animals as sacrifices in the Serbian annual calendar
In ritual practice, which is the part of the celebration of annual holidays, Serbs usually choose different types of animals. Thus, a pig is most often sacrificed on Christmas, on St. George’s Day – a lamb, on St. Elijah – a rooster, on St. Mrata – chicken, etc. The ritual slaughter of a certain animal, which is carried out by the wider community on a certain day of the year, in the Bulgarian-Macedonian-Serbian area is known as kurban. The paper discusses which animal species are sacrificed on a particular holiday in the annual calendar. Regional variations or parallels were also observed (cases of sacrificing the same species on different holidays). Attention was paid to the way the animal was treated before the act of sacrifice, then the rite of sacrifice itself was analyzed (who performs it, in what place, at what time, in what way), as well as its purpose. Also, later procedures with the sacrificed animal were analyzed and the role that is given to certain parts of the animal's body (head, shoulder, bones, feathers, legs) in folk beliefs, and especially their usage in magical practice. The corpus of research consists of monographs, studies and scientific papers on the folk culture of the Balkan Slavs.
Male Days in South Slavic Popular Belief
In the folk culture of Slavs, the semantics of the days... more Male Days in South Slavic Popular Belief
In the folk culture of Slavs, the semantics of the days of the week assumed special significance. Depending on the popular attitude towards certain day of the week and whether it was considered auspicious or ominous, fortunate or unfortunate, easy or difficult, people tended to engage in different activities – from undertaking and performing everyday tasks or seasonal work, to going through different rites and rituals. This paper focuses on the popular attitude towards so-called male days in South Slavic tradition. The paper examines the origin of certain qualities attached to particular days and their impact on popular belief. The researched corpus included monographs, research papers, and studies on the South Slavic popular perception of time and days of the week.
Прилози за књижевност, језик, историју и фолклор, 2021
Omen des Todes im Volksglauben der Serben
Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit analysiert den Volksgla... more Omen des Todes im Volksglauben der Serben
Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit analysiert den Volksglauben über Todesomen bei Serben, untersucht deren Entstehung und deren heutige Relevanz. Der Forschungskorpus dieser Arbeit umfasst vor allem Monografien und wissenschaftliche Arbeiten zur Volkskultur der Serben, aber auch zu anderen südslawischen Völkern. Nach traditionellem Glauben treten Haus- und Wildtiere (Hunde, Hahn, Huhn, Ochsen, Schlange, Kuckuck, Krähe oder Rabe) als Überbringer auf, welche den Tod ankündigen. Darüber hinaus wurden und werden heute noch plötzlich auftretende Geräusche im Haus (Knarren, Zerbrechen von Geschirr), als auch Phänomene bei Bestattungsriten und christlichen Feiertagen als auch Träume mit bestimmten Motiven als Omen, welche den Tod ankündigen interpretiert.
The paper analyses different terms for the deceased among the Slavs. It starts with the analysis ... more The paper analyses different terms for the deceased among the Slavs. It starts with the analysis of the oldest recorded terms with the root *mr- / *mer- and *nav-, continues on to different regional terms. Next it analyses taboo terms, their motivation and function in posthumous rites and folk culture in general. The terms for the deceased who did not die of natural causes, but rather died in other ways (killed, suicide, hung, drowned) are grouped separately.
В статье анализируется современный феномен народного культа святой Параскевы у сербов. Автор расс... more В статье анализируется современный феномен народного культа святой Параскевы у сербов. Автор рассмотрела различные аспекты народного христианства и, в частности, факторы, которые повлияли на восприятие тех или иных природных и культурных объектов, связанных с именем святой Параскевы как священных мест. Исследовательница отметила, что в сербской традиции параллельно с каноническими рассказами о жизни святой Параскевы получили распространение народные рассказы о ней, легенды, предания и даже песни. Эти фольклорные тексты повлияли на формирование нового образа святой, который сильно отличается от принятого Церковью жития. Согласно народному мнению святой Параскевы является защитницей людей и просителем за них перед Богом. Она помогает тем, кто имеет проблемы со зрением и страдает от головных болей, а также бесплодным женщинам. Особое внимание в работе уделяется преемственности культа. Раньше основная функция, приписываемая святой, была связана с поведенческими нормативами, которые регулировали работу в пятницу. В настоящее время данная функция в значительной степени ослаблена. Доминирующей сейчас стала функция помощи и исполнения желаний. На примере записанных нарративов/текстов и наблюдаемого поведения в «святых местах», посвященных св. Параскеве, рассматриваются новые элементы ее почитания и народных представлений (внешний вид и приписываемые ей функции) об этой святой. Ключевые слова: святая Параскева, народное православие, святой источник, «дикие» церкви. Работа является частью результатов проекта «Народная культура сербов между Востоком и Западом» (№177022), который выполняется при финансовой поддержке Министерства образования, науки и технологического развития Ре-спублики Сербия.
Padlocks as a part of new global cultural phenomenon
- The phenomenon of affixing padlocks with... more Padlocks as a part of new global cultural phenomenon
- The phenomenon of affixing padlocks with inscribed messages to bridges has spread around the world over the past years. This form of folklore communication has swept Asian and European cities and took on a global-scale character. In some countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, locking padlocks is a part of a modern wedding ritual. Faced with a new custom, local authorities in these countries are placing metal models of trees near some bridges so young couples can lock their love padlocks there every day. In Serbia, this custom first took root in Vrnjačka Banja, where there are hundreds of padlocks hanging on Bridge of Love and their number increases every day. The authors of this text will shed light on magic principles in this form of behavior and deal with typology and analysis of messages written on the padlocks across the world.
MOON IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND RITUAL BEHAVIOUR: SOME SLAVIC PARALLELS
(Abstract)
Moon is an imp... more MOON IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND RITUAL BEHAVIOUR: SOME SLAVIC PARALLELS (Abstract)
Moon is an important element of shaping folk beliefs and ritual practice in the entire Slavic folklore. Its appearance and light take active part in formation of various mythological concepts and clarification of historical events and weather. Balkan Slavs perceived moon as a living creature sometimes attacked by other mythical creatures, such as werewolves and halas. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia it was believed that spells can take down the moon from the skies. The notion of parallel between moon phases and changes on Earth affected the system of preferable behaviour, including ritual practice. Some lunar phases were, therefore, periods favourable for certain actions, while others should have been avoided. Keywords: moon, moon phases, "taking down" the moon, magic rituals, folk beliefs, the Slavs.
Заштита, очување и афирмација српског културног наслеђа на Косову и Метохији (Protection, preservation and affirmation of the Serbian cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija), 2023
The paper analyses the structure and significance of the vučari ritual procession as an element o... more The paper analyses the structure and significance of the vučari ritual procession as an element of the intangible cultural heritage of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. Traditionally, the custom involves a procession of people carrying a killed wolf. Vučari would sing or recite a vučari song in front of every house, after which the hosts would give them gifts so that wolves would not attack their livestock. Today, in the area of Sirinićka župa, the participants in the masked procession that takes place on White Sunday before Great Lent are called vučari. The contemporary procession is completely different from the above described vučari and consists of elements typical of carnivals and ritual processions of “pokladni wedding guests” – the paper also focuses on the possible paths of the origin of this custom. The corpus of the research included monographs and studies dedicated to the folk culture of Serbs and other Balkan peoples, records of the Digital Audio Archive of the Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and some testimonies of inhabitants of the Gotovuša village.
Many taboos and a high resistance to change are the hallmark of posthumous rituals and customs am... more Many taboos and a high resistance to change are the hallmark of posthumous rituals and customs among all Slavic peoples, which has helped maintain their archaic nature. According to Slavic beliefs, in the otherworld, the souls of the deceased who were kind-hearted during their lifetime join the group of their ancestors who guard the living, providing them with prosperity and fertility. In return, living descendants had an obligation to periodically organize commemorations for the deceased, invoke memories of them, and make (food) offerings meant for the salvation of their souls. On the other hand, Slavs believed that the deceased who died prematurely or violently, or those who were dishonourable throughout their lives, became “the revenant deceased” or “the impure deceased” and could bring harm, sickness, and death to the living. For these reasons, people tended to prepare all of the dead—particularly the ones whose souls could potentially become members of the “impure” group—adequately for the funeral and to see their souls off from this world following traditional rites. This research is based on the presupposition that, among folk beliefs, customs, and rituals regarding the deceased (and their souls), there is a substratum whose archaic nature reaches back to the period when Slavic peoples lived together. These are folk beliefs and customs which appear in all three groups of Slavic peoples but are not related to any of the predominant religions, primarily Christianity, nor did they emerge under the influences of those religions. The sources used in the research include a published ethnographic corpus of data and scientific papers on posthumous rites among the Slavs. Also taken into account were archaeological, historical, and linguistic sources.
FEMALE DAYS AS MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS IN SOUTH AND EAST SLAVS’ BELIEF
The paper analyzes folk belief... more FEMALE DAYS AS MYTHOLOGICAL BEINGS IN SOUTH AND EAST SLAVS’ BELIEF The paper analyzes folk beliefs and folk tales, in which personified "female" days (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) have features of mythological and demonic beings. These beings have a regulative function – they watch over people's behavior on their days, and especially that prohibitions on work and performance of the so-called women work (weaving, sewing, making bread) are respected. The time of their appearance (night, middle of the night), predicates (punishment of people), appearance, hypostases (snake) make them close to demonic beings in Slavic folk tales and legends. They are also related to the world of the deceased and the cult of ancestors, so the question can be raised whether behind these characters is a mythical ancestor or a female deity (old Slavic goddesses Mokoš), who was the patron of women and childbirth, but who could show two faces – one cruel and evil (Friday), and the other good and gentle (Sunday).
ZOOMORPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED
IN THE BELIEFS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
Acc... more ZOOMORPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SOULS OF THE DECEASED IN THE BELIEFS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
According to Slavic folk beliefs, the soul leaves the body at the time of death in the form of a fly, butterfly, bird or mouse. It can later appear to living people in the form of some other animals, whereby differences can be observed between the so-called souls of the pure deceased or ancestors (those who died “of their own” natural death) and the so-called impure deceased (those who died prematurely or violently, who were sinners, unbaptized, practiced magic, etc.). The paper deals with folk beliefs about the zoomorphic characteristics of the souls of the mentioned groups of the deceased. The reasons for tying certain types of animals to a certain group of the deceased is examined, followed by folk beliefs about whether the soul has or takes the form of an animal or simply moves into its body. The research is based on published ethnographic and folkloristic materials in magazines and anthologies of the Slavic peoples, on scholarly studies on representations of the soul and animals in the folk culture of the Slavs, as well as on our own field records from the Banat region (Serbia).
Прилози за књижевност, језик, историју и фолклор, 2022
Animals as sacrifices in the Serbian annual calendar
In ritual practice, which is the part of th... more Animals as sacrifices in the Serbian annual calendar
In ritual practice, which is the part of the celebration of annual holidays, Serbs usually choose different types of animals. Thus, a pig is most often sacrificed on Christmas, on St. George’s Day – a lamb, on St. Elijah – a rooster, on St. Mrata – chicken, etc. The ritual slaughter of a certain animal, which is carried out by the wider community on a certain day of the year, in the Bulgarian-Macedonian-Serbian area is known as kurban. The paper discusses which animal species are sacrificed on a particular holiday in the annual calendar. Regional variations or parallels were also observed (cases of sacrificing the same species on different holidays). Attention was paid to the way the animal was treated before the act of sacrifice, then the rite of sacrifice itself was analyzed (who performs it, in what place, at what time, in what way), as well as its purpose. Also, later procedures with the sacrificed animal were analyzed and the role that is given to certain parts of the animal's body (head, shoulder, bones, feathers, legs) in folk beliefs, and especially their usage in magical practice. The corpus of research consists of monographs, studies and scientific papers on the folk culture of the Balkan Slavs.
Male Days in South Slavic Popular Belief
In the folk culture of Slavs, the semantics of the days... more Male Days in South Slavic Popular Belief
In the folk culture of Slavs, the semantics of the days of the week assumed special significance. Depending on the popular attitude towards certain day of the week and whether it was considered auspicious or ominous, fortunate or unfortunate, easy or difficult, people tended to engage in different activities – from undertaking and performing everyday tasks or seasonal work, to going through different rites and rituals. This paper focuses on the popular attitude towards so-called male days in South Slavic tradition. The paper examines the origin of certain qualities attached to particular days and their impact on popular belief. The researched corpus included monographs, research papers, and studies on the South Slavic popular perception of time and days of the week.
Прилози за књижевност, језик, историју и фолклор, 2021
Omen des Todes im Volksglauben der Serben
Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit analysiert den Volksgla... more Omen des Todes im Volksglauben der Serben
Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit analysiert den Volksglauben über Todesomen bei Serben, untersucht deren Entstehung und deren heutige Relevanz. Der Forschungskorpus dieser Arbeit umfasst vor allem Monografien und wissenschaftliche Arbeiten zur Volkskultur der Serben, aber auch zu anderen südslawischen Völkern. Nach traditionellem Glauben treten Haus- und Wildtiere (Hunde, Hahn, Huhn, Ochsen, Schlange, Kuckuck, Krähe oder Rabe) als Überbringer auf, welche den Tod ankündigen. Darüber hinaus wurden und werden heute noch plötzlich auftretende Geräusche im Haus (Knarren, Zerbrechen von Geschirr), als auch Phänomene bei Bestattungsriten und christlichen Feiertagen als auch Träume mit bestimmten Motiven als Omen, welche den Tod ankündigen interpretiert.
The paper analyses different terms for the deceased among the Slavs. It starts with the analysis ... more The paper analyses different terms for the deceased among the Slavs. It starts with the analysis of the oldest recorded terms with the root *mr- / *mer- and *nav-, continues on to different regional terms. Next it analyses taboo terms, their motivation and function in posthumous rites and folk culture in general. The terms for the deceased who did not die of natural causes, but rather died in other ways (killed, suicide, hung, drowned) are grouped separately.
В статье анализируется современный феномен народного культа святой Параскевы у сербов. Автор расс... more В статье анализируется современный феномен народного культа святой Параскевы у сербов. Автор рассмотрела различные аспекты народного христианства и, в частности, факторы, которые повлияли на восприятие тех или иных природных и культурных объектов, связанных с именем святой Параскевы как священных мест. Исследовательница отметила, что в сербской традиции параллельно с каноническими рассказами о жизни святой Параскевы получили распространение народные рассказы о ней, легенды, предания и даже песни. Эти фольклорные тексты повлияли на формирование нового образа святой, который сильно отличается от принятого Церковью жития. Согласно народному мнению святой Параскевы является защитницей людей и просителем за них перед Богом. Она помогает тем, кто имеет проблемы со зрением и страдает от головных болей, а также бесплодным женщинам. Особое внимание в работе уделяется преемственности культа. Раньше основная функция, приписываемая святой, была связана с поведенческими нормативами, которые регулировали работу в пятницу. В настоящее время данная функция в значительной степени ослаблена. Доминирующей сейчас стала функция помощи и исполнения желаний. На примере записанных нарративов/текстов и наблюдаемого поведения в «святых местах», посвященных св. Параскеве, рассматриваются новые элементы ее почитания и народных представлений (внешний вид и приписываемые ей функции) об этой святой. Ключевые слова: святая Параскева, народное православие, святой источник, «дикие» церкви. Работа является частью результатов проекта «Народная культура сербов между Востоком и Западом» (№177022), который выполняется при финансовой поддержке Министерства образования, науки и технологического развития Ре-спублики Сербия.
Padlocks as a part of new global cultural phenomenon
- The phenomenon of affixing padlocks with... more Padlocks as a part of new global cultural phenomenon
- The phenomenon of affixing padlocks with inscribed messages to bridges has spread around the world over the past years. This form of folklore communication has swept Asian and European cities and took on a global-scale character. In some countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, locking padlocks is a part of a modern wedding ritual. Faced with a new custom, local authorities in these countries are placing metal models of trees near some bridges so young couples can lock their love padlocks there every day. In Serbia, this custom first took root in Vrnjačka Banja, where there are hundreds of padlocks hanging on Bridge of Love and their number increases every day. The authors of this text will shed light on magic principles in this form of behavior and deal with typology and analysis of messages written on the padlocks across the world.
MOON IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND RITUAL BEHAVIOUR: SOME SLAVIC PARALLELS
(Abstract)
Moon is an imp... more MOON IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND RITUAL BEHAVIOUR: SOME SLAVIC PARALLELS (Abstract)
Moon is an important element of shaping folk beliefs and ritual practice in the entire Slavic folklore. Its appearance and light take active part in formation of various mythological concepts and clarification of historical events and weather. Balkan Slavs perceived moon as a living creature sometimes attacked by other mythical creatures, such as werewolves and halas. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia it was believed that spells can take down the moon from the skies. The notion of parallel between moon phases and changes on Earth affected the system of preferable behaviour, including ritual practice. Some lunar phases were, therefore, periods favourable for certain actions, while others should have been avoided. Keywords: moon, moon phases, "taking down" the moon, magic rituals, folk beliefs, the Slavs.
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Papers by Dragana Djuric
of the Digital Audio Archive of the Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and some testimonies of inhabitants of the Gotovuša village.
The paper analyzes folk beliefs and folk tales, in which personified "female" days (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) have features of mythological and demonic beings. These beings have a regulative function – they watch over people's behavior on their days, and especially that prohibitions on work and performance of the so-called women work
(weaving, sewing, making bread) are respected. The time of their appearance (night, middle of the night), predicates (punishment of people), appearance, hypostases (snake) make them close to demonic beings in Slavic folk tales and legends. They are also related to the world of the deceased and the cult of ancestors, so the question can be raised whether behind these characters is a mythical ancestor or a female deity (old Slavic goddesses Mokoš), who was the patron of women and childbirth, but who could show two faces – one cruel and evil (Friday), and the other good and gentle (Sunday).
IN THE BELIEFS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
According to Slavic folk beliefs, the soul leaves the body at the time of death in the form of a fly, butterfly, bird or mouse. It can later appear to living people in the form of some other animals, whereby differences can be observed between the so-called souls of the pure deceased or ancestors (those who died “of their own” natural death) and the so-called impure deceased (those who died prematurely or violently, who were
sinners, unbaptized, practiced magic, etc.). The paper deals with folk beliefs about the zoomorphic characteristics of the souls of the mentioned groups of the deceased. The reasons for tying certain types of animals to a certain group of the deceased is examined, followed by folk beliefs about whether the soul has or takes the form of an animal
or simply moves into its body. The research is based on published ethnographic and folkloristic materials in magazines and anthologies of the Slavic peoples, on scholarly studies on representations of the soul and animals in the folk culture of the Slavs, as well as on our own field records from the Banat region (Serbia).
In ritual practice, which is the part of the celebration of annual holidays, Serbs usually choose different types of animals. Thus, a pig is most often sacrificed on Christmas, on St. George’s Day – a lamb, on St. Elijah – a rooster, on St. Mrata – chicken, etc. The ritual slaughter of a certain animal, which is carried out by the wider community on a certain day of the year, in the Bulgarian-Macedonian-Serbian area is known as kurban.
The paper discusses which animal species are sacrificed on a particular holiday in the annual calendar. Regional variations or parallels were also observed (cases of sacrificing the same species on different holidays). Attention was paid to the way the animal was treated before the act of sacrifice, then the rite of sacrifice itself was analyzed (who performs it, in what place, at what time, in what way), as well as its purpose. Also, later procedures with the sacrificed animal were analyzed and the role that is given to certain parts of the animal's body (head, shoulder, bones, feathers, legs) in folk beliefs, and especially their usage in magical practice. The corpus of research consists of monographs, studies and scientific papers on the folk culture of the Balkan Slavs.
In the folk culture of Slavs, the semantics of the days of the week assumed special significance. Depending on the popular attitude towards certain day of the week and whether it was considered auspicious or ominous, fortunate or unfortunate, easy or difficult, people tended to engage in different activities – from undertaking and performing everyday tasks or seasonal work, to going through different rites and rituals. This paper focuses on the popular attitude towards so-called male days in South Slavic tradition. The paper examines the origin of certain qualities attached to particular days and their impact on popular belief. The researched corpus included monographs, research papers, and studies on the South Slavic popular perception of time and days of the week.
Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit analysiert den Volksglauben über Todesomen bei Serben, untersucht deren Entstehung und deren heutige Relevanz. Der Forschungskorpus dieser Arbeit umfasst vor allem Monografien und wissenschaftliche Arbeiten zur Volkskultur der Serben, aber auch zu anderen südslawischen Völkern.
Nach traditionellem Glauben treten Haus- und Wildtiere (Hunde, Hahn, Huhn, Ochsen, Schlange, Kuckuck, Krähe oder Rabe) als Überbringer auf, welche den Tod ankündigen. Darüber hinaus wurden und werden heute noch plötzlich auftretende Geräusche im Haus (Knarren, Zerbrechen von Geschirr), als auch Phänomene bei Bestattungsriten und christlichen Feiertagen als auch Träume mit bestimmten Motiven als Omen, welche den Tod ankündigen interpretiert.
- The phenomenon of affixing padlocks with inscribed messages to bridges has spread around the world over the past years. This form of folklore communication has swept Asian and European cities and took on a global-scale character. In some countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, locking padlocks is a part of a modern wedding ritual. Faced with a new custom, local authorities in these countries are placing metal models of trees near some bridges so young couples can lock their love padlocks there every day. In Serbia, this custom first took root in Vrnjačka Banja, where there are hundreds of padlocks hanging on Bridge of Love and their number increases every day. The authors of this text will shed light on magic principles in this form of behavior and deal with typology and analysis of messages written on the padlocks across the world.
(Abstract)
Moon is an important element of shaping folk beliefs and ritual practice in the entire Slavic folklore. Its appearance and light take active part in formation of various mythological concepts and clarification of historical events and weather. Balkan Slavs perceived moon as a living creature sometimes attacked by other mythical creatures, such as werewolves and halas. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia it was believed that spells can take down the moon from the skies. The notion of parallel between moon phases and changes on Earth affected the system of preferable behaviour, including ritual practice. Some lunar phases were, therefore, periods favourable for certain actions, while others should have been avoided.
Keywords: moon, moon phases, "taking down" the moon, magic rituals, folk beliefs, the Slavs.
Book Reviews by Dragana Djuric
of the Digital Audio Archive of the Institute for Balkan Studies of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and some testimonies of inhabitants of the Gotovuša village.
The paper analyzes folk beliefs and folk tales, in which personified "female" days (Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) have features of mythological and demonic beings. These beings have a regulative function – they watch over people's behavior on their days, and especially that prohibitions on work and performance of the so-called women work
(weaving, sewing, making bread) are respected. The time of their appearance (night, middle of the night), predicates (punishment of people), appearance, hypostases (snake) make them close to demonic beings in Slavic folk tales and legends. They are also related to the world of the deceased and the cult of ancestors, so the question can be raised whether behind these characters is a mythical ancestor or a female deity (old Slavic goddesses Mokoš), who was the patron of women and childbirth, but who could show two faces – one cruel and evil (Friday), and the other good and gentle (Sunday).
IN THE BELIEFS OF THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
According to Slavic folk beliefs, the soul leaves the body at the time of death in the form of a fly, butterfly, bird or mouse. It can later appear to living people in the form of some other animals, whereby differences can be observed between the so-called souls of the pure deceased or ancestors (those who died “of their own” natural death) and the so-called impure deceased (those who died prematurely or violently, who were
sinners, unbaptized, practiced magic, etc.). The paper deals with folk beliefs about the zoomorphic characteristics of the souls of the mentioned groups of the deceased. The reasons for tying certain types of animals to a certain group of the deceased is examined, followed by folk beliefs about whether the soul has or takes the form of an animal
or simply moves into its body. The research is based on published ethnographic and folkloristic materials in magazines and anthologies of the Slavic peoples, on scholarly studies on representations of the soul and animals in the folk culture of the Slavs, as well as on our own field records from the Banat region (Serbia).
In ritual practice, which is the part of the celebration of annual holidays, Serbs usually choose different types of animals. Thus, a pig is most often sacrificed on Christmas, on St. George’s Day – a lamb, on St. Elijah – a rooster, on St. Mrata – chicken, etc. The ritual slaughter of a certain animal, which is carried out by the wider community on a certain day of the year, in the Bulgarian-Macedonian-Serbian area is known as kurban.
The paper discusses which animal species are sacrificed on a particular holiday in the annual calendar. Regional variations or parallels were also observed (cases of sacrificing the same species on different holidays). Attention was paid to the way the animal was treated before the act of sacrifice, then the rite of sacrifice itself was analyzed (who performs it, in what place, at what time, in what way), as well as its purpose. Also, later procedures with the sacrificed animal were analyzed and the role that is given to certain parts of the animal's body (head, shoulder, bones, feathers, legs) in folk beliefs, and especially their usage in magical practice. The corpus of research consists of monographs, studies and scientific papers on the folk culture of the Balkan Slavs.
In the folk culture of Slavs, the semantics of the days of the week assumed special significance. Depending on the popular attitude towards certain day of the week and whether it was considered auspicious or ominous, fortunate or unfortunate, easy or difficult, people tended to engage in different activities – from undertaking and performing everyday tasks or seasonal work, to going through different rites and rituals. This paper focuses on the popular attitude towards so-called male days in South Slavic tradition. The paper examines the origin of certain qualities attached to particular days and their impact on popular belief. The researched corpus included monographs, research papers, and studies on the South Slavic popular perception of time and days of the week.
Diese wissenschaftliche Arbeit analysiert den Volksglauben über Todesomen bei Serben, untersucht deren Entstehung und deren heutige Relevanz. Der Forschungskorpus dieser Arbeit umfasst vor allem Monografien und wissenschaftliche Arbeiten zur Volkskultur der Serben, aber auch zu anderen südslawischen Völkern.
Nach traditionellem Glauben treten Haus- und Wildtiere (Hunde, Hahn, Huhn, Ochsen, Schlange, Kuckuck, Krähe oder Rabe) als Überbringer auf, welche den Tod ankündigen. Darüber hinaus wurden und werden heute noch plötzlich auftretende Geräusche im Haus (Knarren, Zerbrechen von Geschirr), als auch Phänomene bei Bestattungsriten und christlichen Feiertagen als auch Träume mit bestimmten Motiven als Omen, welche den Tod ankündigen interpretiert.
- The phenomenon of affixing padlocks with inscribed messages to bridges has spread around the world over the past years. This form of folklore communication has swept Asian and European cities and took on a global-scale character. In some countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, locking padlocks is a part of a modern wedding ritual. Faced with a new custom, local authorities in these countries are placing metal models of trees near some bridges so young couples can lock their love padlocks there every day. In Serbia, this custom first took root in Vrnjačka Banja, where there are hundreds of padlocks hanging on Bridge of Love and their number increases every day. The authors of this text will shed light on magic principles in this form of behavior and deal with typology and analysis of messages written on the padlocks across the world.
(Abstract)
Moon is an important element of shaping folk beliefs and ritual practice in the entire Slavic folklore. Its appearance and light take active part in formation of various mythological concepts and clarification of historical events and weather. Balkan Slavs perceived moon as a living creature sometimes attacked by other mythical creatures, such as werewolves and halas. In Serbia, Bulgaria and Macedonia it was believed that spells can take down the moon from the skies. The notion of parallel between moon phases and changes on Earth affected the system of preferable behaviour, including ritual practice. Some lunar phases were, therefore, periods favourable for certain actions, while others should have been avoided.
Keywords: moon, moon phases, "taking down" the moon, magic rituals, folk beliefs, the Slavs.