erinthul
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Conjuring the shadows of the dead
🕑 Added 2024-01-26 20:51:27 +0000 UTC"Those pagan rituals took place in forests and fields. Also the unholy games they played over their dead, dancing with masks on their faces and invoking the shadows of the dead".
In Polish these masks used for rituals and Dziady ceremonies were called Kraboszki. They symbolized the souls of ancestors and repelled hostile spirits. During the celebration, Slavic people prepared masks, carved like today's pumpkins, usually made of turnips, turnips or beets. Masks were also made of wood and placed during the rituals. When celebrating Dziady, certain rules had to be followed so as not to harm or offend the spirits. - There was no burning in the furnace (so that souls could travel up the chimney), - don't be noisy, - you shouldn't throw away leftover food, - no sewing (so that the soul does not get tangled in the threads). - bonfires were then lit and lanterns were placed near cemeteries and graves so that souls would not get lost on their way back after the feast.
With the advent of Christianity, attempts were made to eradicate this custom, but it has been preserved to this day in the form of candles burned on graves. The custom of collecting sweets by children dressed up today during Halloween comes from the treats that our ancestors practiced at the graves of their deceased ancestors.
Hope you liked this story and my collaboration with Slovisha Instruments.
Love, Erinthul.
Comments
Bun Perkins
I do love reading your writing on Slavic folklore. You are a wonderful storyteller as well as a visual artist with your photography 💚
