The Role of Chants in Slavic Pagan Festivals and Celebrations

By admin

Slavic pagan chants are a rich and fascinating part of Slavic mythology and traditional culture. These chants hold deep spiritual and cultural significance and are a form of oral tradition that has been passed down through generations. They are closely tied to nature and the belief in animism, which is the idea that every creature, plant, and object has a soul or spirit. The main idea of Slavic pagan chants is to establish a connection with the divine and to honor the deities and natural forces that govern the world. These chants are often performed in rituals and ceremonies, such as harvest festivals, weddings, and sacred holidays. They are believed to invoke blessings, protection, and guidance from the gods and spirits.


"They believe there is one god, that of lightning, creator of all; they believe him to be sole lord, and they sacrifice oxen and all sacrifical animals to him."

Let us think of Svarovich, his divine brother of the terrestrial fire, the first fruit of wisdom plucked from the flaming tree of knowledge without whom our lives would be ever dim. Drive away all black haily clouds to the great moors, forests, and large deserts, where they will not frighten mankind; and give sunshine and rain, gentle falling rain, in order that the crops may thrive.

Slavic pagan chants

They are believed to invoke blessings, protection, and guidance from the gods and spirits. The melodies and lyrics of Slavic pagan chants vary depending on the region and the specific traditions. They can be simple and repetitive, allowing participants to enter a trance-like state, or complex and melodic, showcasing the musical talent and creativity of the performers.

Slavic paganism and Slavic Folk Music

These masks are common in all Slavic countries. Here are Slovak ones from Fašiangy (Shrove Tuesday?):

But similar masks indeed exists in non Slavic countries including Austria or Switzerland. What is origin I do not know. I believe they probably pre-date Christianity even if original context have been lost.

the name Fašiangy (also the Hungarian Farsang) is of German origin (Fastnacht?), the Hungarian sources i checked claim the "Farsang" celebration spread to us from medieval Austria and Bavaria. Karneval, Fastnacht und Fasching ? Wikipedia

it is neverless fascinating how these survived.

Mosquito

Joined Apr 2011 6,626 Posts | 7+ Sarmatia Discussion Starter

The oldest Polish tale is probably the one about prince Popiel who was eaten by the mice. Basing on the folk tales in 1876 Polish novelist Józef Igancy Kraszewski did write a novel "An Ancient Tale".
In 2003 the novel was filmed as "An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God" It shows lots of pagan slavic practices.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Ancient_Tale:_When_the_Sun_Was_a_God"]An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God

takes place in pre-Christian Poland, when various Slavic tribes lived in lands that would later become the nation of Poland; at a time when each tribe worshipped its own deities. A cruel prince, Popiel, and his scheming wife will do anything in their power to pass control of this land to their son. (According to legend, Popiel will ultimately be eaten by mice.) The commander of Popiel's army, Piastun, opposed to the crimes and intrigues upon the people that Popiel orders him to commit to guarantee the succession, turns on Popiel.
Popiel seeks revenge upon his old commander, but Piastun is rescued from death by a young hunter and warrior, Ziemowit Piastowic. Ziemowit has spent years living with the Vikings and has only recently returned to his former homeland.


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_86uratN5D8"]Stara Basn - Trailer - YouTube[/ame]

Last edited: Feb 4, 2014

arras

Joined Apr 2010 16,748 Posts | 16+ Slovakia

In Serbia too. It was called "zmija čuvarkuća" (house-guardian snake). According to the myith it rarely appeared, but when it did it was a sign that something bad is going to happen. So her role was to warn the inhabitants of the house, and therefore protect them. If the snake was killed, the bad event heralded by the snake's appearance would have been even worse. They were belived to live in the house foundations or the hearth of the house.

Yes, exactly.

Ficino

Joined Apr 2012 12,157 Posts | 620+ Romania

Domovnik if offended could have leave the house or even bring "Strzyga" to the house:


Striga is not from Slavic mythology, the word is not Slavic and myths concerning such type of witch can be found independent of any Slavic influence. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strix_(mythology)
For example in Romanian „strigă” means both a type of owl and a type of ghostly witch who torments little children and steals from the cows the ability to give good milk, „strigoaică” means "witch", and „strigoi” means "vampire".
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/strigă
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/strigoi

Last edited: Feb 4, 2014

arras

Joined Apr 2010 16,748 Posts | 16+ Slovakia

the name Fašiangy (also the Hungarian Farsang) is of German origin (Fastnacht?), the Hungarian sources i checked claim the "Farsang" celebration spread to us from medieval Austria and Bavaria. Karneval, Fastnacht und Fasching ? Wikipedia

it is neverless fascinating how these survived.

Indeed name is of German origin but holiday have local Slavic origin. It was called mjasopust in Old Slavic (still called masopust in Czech). Its origin is Christian but just like most other Christian holidays it clearly incorporated great deal of pagan culture and remained as part of folklore in the countryside. It was still live culture just some 100 years ago. Nowadays it's just part of what we call traditions but is mostly dead, performed only as a entertainment and honouring of old traditions.

Nostromo

Joined Jan 2014 2,512 Posts | 25+ Queens

Another interesting character is Baba Yaga.

She is an old woman who lives in a forest, in a house with chicken legs. She flies high above the ground on a mortar and pestle. In some stories she eats kids who misbehave or wander too deep into the forest.
I remember when I caused mischief my grandmother would threaten me: "Baba Yaga will come and get you". I was pretty scared. Kept my eyes on the sky

Here is Wiki article:
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yaga]Baba Yaga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Some pictures of her and her house (from google):

To some western Slavs she is known as Jezibaba

Last edited: Feb 4, 2014

arras

Joined Apr 2010 16,748 Posts | 16+ Slovakia

Another Slavic tradition with clear pagan roots is that of burning of Morena. It is part of the ancient ritual of welcoming of Spring and is performed 2 weeks before Easter. Figure of women, called mostly Morena is taken out of the village, set on fire and then thrown in to the water. This figure symbolizes winter and death.

Morena was of course Slavic pagan goddess of death and winter.

arras

Joined Apr 2010 16,748 Posts | 16+ Slovakia

There is large group of supernatural beings who are not gods presented in Slavic folklore. Domovoi and Baba Jaga are part of them.

Byzantine author Prokopius wrote in 6th ct in De Bello Gothico (Gothic Wars) that Slavs: "Moreover they revere both rivers and nymphs and some other daemons, and they sacrifice to all of them. They carry out their divinations in these sacrifices."

Some other of these beings which form part of Slavic folklore are (pictures are modern fiction, no authentic ones exist):

Víla -have form of beautiful young women and live in forest. Can be potentially harmful and can sometimes seduce men.

Water version is Rusalka (sometimes Víla and Rusalka can refer to the same being).

Another water being is Vodník -he is living inside of the water and can drown people.

arras

Joined Apr 2010 16,748 Posts | 16+ Slovakia

Pagan heritage also survived in Slavic swearing.

Slovak can swear "Do Boha" which means "In to the God" or "To the God" in word to word translation, not sure if some equivalent exists in non-Slavic languages. In this case it is Christian god.

However there exist also swearing "Do Paroma" which might be more archaic version because Parom is [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perun"]Perun[/ame], Slavic pagan god of thunder and lighting, sometimes believed to be top god of Slavic pantheon.

He seems to be one mentioned by Prokopius in De Bello Gothico (6th ct):

"They believe there is one god, that of lightning, creator of all; they believe him to be sole lord, and they sacrifice oxen and all sacrifical animals to him."

Even if he certainly was not sole god.

Mosquito

Joined Apr 2011 6,626 Posts | 7+ Sarmatia Discussion Starter

Striga is not from Slavic mythology, the word is not Slavic and myths concerning such type of witch can be found independent of any Slavic influence. See Strix (mythology) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For example in Romanian „strigă” means both a type of owl and a type of ghostly witch who torments little children and steals from the cows the ability to give good milk, „strigoaică” means "witch", and „strigoi” means "vampire".
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/strigă
strigoi - Wiktionary


However, even if Strzyga doesnt come directly from slavic mythology it became part of it, at least in Poland.

arras

Joined Apr 2010 16,748 Posts | 16+ Slovakia

This is usually considered to be authentic statue of Slavic god (or gods?). It's called Zbruch Idol and was found in the river in Ukraine. It's dated to 9th ct and therefore it is theorized that it was disposed (buried in the ground before river changed its course) after or during Christianization of Rus (Vladimir is reported in Primary Chronicle to destroy statues of pagan gods after his baptism at the end of 10th ct).

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zbruch_Idol]Zbruch Idol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

Nostromo

Joined Jan 2014 2,512 Posts | 25+ Queens

Pagan heritage also survived in Slavic swearing.

Slovak can swear "Do Boha" which means "In to the God" or "To the God" in word to word translation, not sure if some equivalent exists in non-Slavic languages. In this case it is Christian god.

However there exist also swearing "Do Paroma" which might be more archaic version because Parom is Perun, Slavic pagan god of thunder and lighting, sometimes believed to be top god of Slavic pantheon.

He seems to be one mentioned by Prokopius in De Bello Gothico (6th ct):

"They believe there is one god, that of lightning, creator of all; they believe him to be sole lord, and they sacrifice oxen and all sacrifical animals to him."

Even if he certainly was not sole god.

Very interesting Arras.

I noticed some Russians during parties like to spill a little of their drink on the floor and say "To the Gods" (Bogam). It's ironic because they are Orthodox Christians who of course believe in only one God. It makes it seem like the "God" are in the earth. I guess the leftovers from the Pagan days are still numerous.

Also, before a long road trip, many kneel down and say "To a safe road". When they do that they don't cross themselves or mention god at all. Makes it seem like they are respecting some spirit of travelers or something.

When examining Slavic magic and its features, it can be concluded that there was a great interest in the natural world and, therefore, extensive use of its sources and potency.
Slavic pagan chants

In some cases, the chants are accompanied by musical instruments such as drums, flutes, or string instruments. The texts of Slavic pagan chants often contain poetic descriptions of the natural world, praising the beauty and power of the earth, sky, and various natural elements. They also include invocations and prayers to specific deities, often reflecting the agricultural cycle or the changing seasons. These chants serve as a way to express gratitude, seek blessings, and ask for divine intervention in everyday life. Despite the spread of Christianity in the Slavic region, these pagan chants have not been completely forgotten or abandoned. In fact, there has been a revival of interest in Slavic pagan traditions and practices in recent years. People are rediscovering their cultural heritage and are actively seeking to preserve and revive these ancient chants as a way to connect with their ancestors and celebrate their unique identity. Overall, Slavic pagan chants are a fascinating aspect of Slavic folklore and culture. They are a powerful tool for spiritual and cultural expression, connecting individuals with nature, their ancestors, and the divine. Through the revival and preservation of these chants, a connection to the past is maintained, allowing future generations to appreciate and understand the rich cultural heritage of the Slavic people..

Reviews for "Exploring the Musical Instruments Used in Slavic Pagan Chants"

1. Emily - 2 stars
I was excited to try listening to Slavic pagan chants as I love exploring different types of music. However, I was left disappointed with this album. The chants felt repetitive and lacked any emotion or depth. I was hoping for a spiritual experience, but instead, it felt monotonous and dull. Overall, I didn't find any enjoyment or connection with this particular genre of music.
2. Daniel - 1 star
I really tried to give Slavic pagan chants a chance, but I just couldn't get into it. The whole album felt like one long, continuous sound without any distinguishable melodies or rhythms. It made me feel disoriented and confused. I appreciate exploring different musical styles, but this was just not for me. I found it challenging to even finish listening to the entire album, as it was incredibly repetitive and lacked any variation.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I was intrigued by the concept of Slavic pagan chants and was looking forward to a unique musical experience. Unfortunately, I found the whole album to be quite inaccessible and hard to connect with. The chants were performed in a way that felt disconnected from any emotion or meaning. It felt more like an academic exercise than a truly spiritual or captivating musical experience. I can understand why some people may enjoy this genre, but personally, it just didn't resonate with me.

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