Culture vs Nature


	Culture vs. Nature

	Until very recent times, the vast majority of Slavs lived on farms. This is a typical 19th century Slavic farmstead consisting of several buildings arranged around a central enclosed yard. Perhaps because of the frequent incursions, into Slavic lands by their neighbors, the doorway to the main building is usually located on a side away from the road.		Click on the stars to learn about the various parts of the Slavic farmstead, and the duxu[b] that lives there. Notice: that as you get further away from the hearth the more dangerous dealing with the duxi becomes.



	Key to Abbreviations [CS] - Church Slavonic [Cz] - Czech [OCS] - Old Church Slavonic [Pol] - Polish [PS] - Proto Slavonic [Rus] - Russian [S-C] - Serbo-Croatian [Slo] - Slovene [Svk] - Slovak [Ukr] - Ukrainian		Guide to Diacritic Marks ' - consonant modifying apostrophe [a] - letter modifying c[h]a[a]rka / acute accent [b] - letter modifying breve [d] - letter modifying dot above [g] - letter modifying grave accent [h] - letter modifying ha[a]c[h]ek / caron [m] - letter modifying macron [o] - letter modifying ogonek [s] - letter modifying short solidus overlay [u] - letter modifying umlaut / dieresis u[b] - hard yer i[b] - soft yer


The main living room – the Pech or Pich / the hearth	• Close
aka "Baba Ugol" [Rus] The "womens' corner" A heavy masonry stove weighing a ton or more Occupies 1/4 to 1/2 of the room The eldest or the infirmed sleep on its warm top This is the center of the Slavic world


The main living room – the Icon Corner	• Close
aka "Red Corner" or "Krasnyi Ugol" [Rus] The "mens' corner" Contains a shelf with Icons draped with a rushnyk (sacred towel) Also contains a table with a shrine to the ancestors


The main living room – the Domovik [Ukr]	• Close
aka Domovoi / Domoviye (plural) [Rus] domu[b] = house [OCS] Male ancestral spirit Guardian spirit of the house Husband to the Domovikha Appears as old man with a beard Also may appear as a cat, dog, or snake Usually lives under or behind the pech, or under the threshold Referred to as "He", "Himself" or "Grandfather" Dislikes lazy or sloppy house-keepers Sometimes mischievious Offerings to the Domovik include food left for him on the table or pech


The storeroom or cellar – Kikimora [Rus]	• Close
aka Shishimora shishi [Rus] = great, very aka Domovikha mora[g] [PS] = night spirit, nightmare Female ancestral spirit Sometimes wife to the Domovik Appears as a woman with long flowing hair and a crooked back Sometimes has chicken legs and feet Offended if house is not well kept Can help or hinder with spinning and needlework Sometimes causes nightmares


The barn or cattle-shed – Khlevnik [Rus]	• Close
khlev [Rus] = cattle-shed aka Chlevnik Male cattle-shed spirit Is particular about the color of the cattle in the barn Will torment those animals he dislikes Offerings of food are acceptable


The yard – Skotnyi Bog [Rus]	• Close
skot [Rus] = livestock, cattle bogu[b] [OCS] = god, prosperity, good fortune aka Volos volu[b] [OCS] = ox Male guardian spirit of the cattle Appears covered with hair Sometimes has horns An offering of a rooster is acceptable


The yard – Dvorovik [Ukr]	• Close
aka Dvorovoi [Rus] dvoru[b] [OCS] = courtyard Male yard spirit Is particular about the color of the animals in the yard Will torment those animals he dislikes Offerings to the Dvorovik include shiny objects, bread, & wool


The yard – Kurinyi Bog [Rus]	• Close
kurica [Rus] = hen \| kuru[b] [OCS] = cock bogu[b] [OCS] = god, prosperity, good fortune Guardian spirit of the chickens Usually associated with a fieldstone with a natural hole in the middle Protects the chickens from the Domovik, Kikimora, and the Dvorovik


The smithy – Krukis [Rus]	• Close
kruzn[o]a [PS] = smithy / blacksmith Male guardian spirit of the smithy Patron of blacksmiths Offerings of beer or mead are poured on the hearthfire


The threshing floor – Gumenik [Rus]	• Close
aka Gumeniki (plural) gumi[b]no [OCS] = threshing-floor, granary, barn Male threshing-floor spirit


The drying-shed – Ovinnik [Rus]	• Close
evinu[b] [PS] = drying-shed, granary, barn Male drying-shed spirit Sometimes appears as a black cat If offended, will sometimes set fire to the drying-shed


Bannik [Rus]	• Close
banja [Rus] = bath-house The bania is associated with purification, birthing & magic Male bath-house spirit Husband to the Bannikha The third or fourth turn at bathing is his If offended, will sometmes strangle offender Offerings to the Bannik include soap, fir branches, & water


Pasechnik [Rus][Ukr]	• Close
aka Pasichnik, Pa'sichnik, Pchel'nik paseka [Rus] = apiary bi[b]c[h]ela [OCS], pchela [Rus] = bee Male bee-keeper spirit


Ogorodnik [Rus]	• Close
ogorod [Rus] = (kitchen) garden Male garden spirit


Sadovnik [Rus]	• Close
sad [Rus] = (fruit) garden Male orchard spirit


Polevik [Rus][Ukr]	• Close
aka Polevoi polje [OCS] = field Male & female field spirits Has earth colored skin, different colored eyes and green hair Females are dressed in white


Poludnitsa [Rus]	• Close
polu[b] [OCS] = half & di[b]ni[b] [OCS] = day Lady midday She appears dressed in white She strikes down those who work in the fields at midday / sunstroke


Mezhevik [Rus]	• Close
mezha [Rus] = boundary (line) aka Chur Male hedge spirit


Lesovik [Rus]	• Close
aka Leshy le[h]su[b] [OCS] = forest Male, master of the forest Husband to the Lesovikha Favors wolves and bears Can sometimes be helpful, but usually harmful Will teach magic to those he favors Offerings to the Lesovik include kasha, suet, salt, cookies, & candy


Lugovik [Rus]	• Close
lo[o]ka [CS] = low-lying meadow Male meadow spirit


Bereginy [Rus][Ukr]	• Close
bre[h]gu[b] [OCS] = bank, shore aka Vila, Vili Female riverbank / tree spirits Reside in the water during the winter Come ashore and reside in trees during the summer Dance a khorovod on the river bank in the moonlight Can be helpful, but usually harmful Can heal, give advice, reveal treasure, or teach magic & medicine Will pull intruders into the khorovod and dance them to death Sometimes steal babies & leave changelings Acceptable offerings include ribbons and scarves tied to trees, and eggs


Blatnik [Rus]	• Close
blato [OCS] = swamp Male swamp spirit Mostly harmful Lures travellers astray and drowns them


Rusalka [Rus][Ukr]	• Close
Female water / tree spirit Sometimes wife to the Vodianik Spirit of a drowned maiden or young child Reside in the water during winter Come ashore and reside in the trees during summer Can sometimes be helpful, but usually harmful Will lure young men into the water and drown them


Vodianik [Rus][Ukr]	• Close
voda [OCS] = water Male water spirit Husband to the Vodianikha Sometimes husband to the Rusalka Usually lives in a millpond, a lake, or a deep river Can sometimes be helpful, but usually harmful Millers make offerings to Vodianik


Baba Yaga [Rus][Ukr]	• Close
aka Baba Jaga [Pol] yaga [Rus], je[c]zda [OCS] = disease aka Jaga Baba [Slo] aka Jezi Baba [Cz][Svk] jezi [Cz][Svk], jaga [Slo] = witch, anger, terror baba [PS] = (old) woman Guardian of the water of death & the water of life Witch Lives in a rotating house on bird's feet Her fence is made of bones & topped with skulls Rides in a mortar, poling it along with the pestle, and sweeping away any tracks with a broom Can be helpful or harmful depending on how you approach her


Karlik [Rus]	• Close
aka Karliki (plural) karlik [Rus] = dwarf Guardian spirit(s) of the earth and its treasures Sometimes helpful to miners Can cause cave-ins or lead intruders into underground chasms