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The Ethnology Notebooks. 2021. № 5 (161), 1174—1183

UDK 930.2:[[398.31:392.5]:[398.332.2+398.332.4]](477)”18″

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/nz2021.05.1174

«SWIM A WREATH OF PERIWINKLE…»: MARRIAGE DIVINATION WITH WREATHS IN THE SUMMER AND WINTER RITUALISM OF UKRAINIANS

SEREBRYAKOVA Olena

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1039-2920
  • candidate of Historical Sciences (= Ph.D. in history),
  • research worker of the department of the modern ethnology
  • of the Ethnology Institute
  • of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
  • 15, Svobody Avenue, 79000, Lviv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: o-sereb@ukr.net

Abstract. Folk divination is an important component of the ancient and traditional culture of Ukrainians in particular of calendar ritualism.

The aim of the offered article is coverage of the layer of custom and ritual and worldview phenomena associated with the divination about the marriage with wreaths.

The object of the research is the traditional world view and the custom and rite culture of the inhabitants of Ukraine, and the subject — the marriage mantic ritual actions with wreaths during summer and winter calendar holidays. The basis for the article are the materials of the field research, local folklore articles and works of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twenty-first centuries.

The methodology of this work is based on general scientific methodological principles and the basic requirements that apply to the works of historical and ethnological direction. The author uses a various methods (field observation, comparative-historical, comparative, reconstructive, structural-semantic and method of cross-cultural comparisons).

Mantic traditions (putting wreaths on the water, roof; thro wing on trees; catching from the water), local beliefs, signs, customary prescriptions, warnings, ritual prohibitions, boys’ roistering related to the prediction of the time of the expected marriage, the appearance of the future husband etc. in the fortune telling during the summer and winter calendar cycles of holidays of the inhabitants of different regions of Ukraine are analyzed. The functionality, semantics, symbolism of attributes, modifications divination and also degree of preservation of investigated phenomena in modern time are revealed. Most of them are mantic actions performed by girls, rarely guys or all together.

Keywords: mantic actions/practices (divination), Ukrainians, wreaths, water, candle, straw, trees, marriage.

Received 7.09.2021

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