Ukrainian Mythology

We at Language Lab constantly organize various language and cultural events for our community to expand and enrich their knowledge about Ukraine. We recently held a lecture, which focused on the study of Ukrainian mythology, its influence on modern culture, and its significance for society.

This lecture was conducted by Valeria, an expert on Ukrainian mythology (Instagram of Valeria). The lecture was very deep and insightful – a real study. We want to share it with you on our blog. Enjoy!

Mythology is part of the cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people

Ukrainian mythology is a rich and diverse world of beliefs, legends and tales that formed the worldview of our ancestors. It covers stories about gods, heroes, the creation of the world, and natural phenomena. Mythology is an integral part of the cultural heritage of the Ukrainian people, which helps us to understand its history and values. 

In fact, Ukrainian mythology can be divided into two periods - before the adoption of Christianity, and after. Unfortunately, we know little about the day before Vladimir baptized Rus. The opinions of scientists on this topic are divided - some say that certain higher gods existed among the people, but others believe that the people always believed only in the lower mythology, that is, devils (chorts), housekeepers (domovyk), woodsmen (lisovyk), and so on.

The roots of Ukrainian mythology

In any case, Ukrainian mythology has deep roots that go back to pagan times. It was formed under the influence of Slavic, Scandinavian, Celtic and other European cultures. Folk rites, songs and fairy tales played an important role in the preservation of myths. With the advent of Christianity, pagan beliefs were gradually supplanted, but many elements of mythology were preserved in popular culture and customs. What we have today is Christianity mixed with pagan beliefs.

It is known that paganism existed on the territory of modern Ukraine since the time of the Tryplian culture (IV-III millennium BC). The tribes living in this area worshiped natural forces, spirits and gods who, in their opinion, ruled the world. It was something like shamanism, and shamanism is the original religion, the most ancient of all.

What did Ukrainians believe in before?

Then gods appeared in Ukrainian mythology - already under the influence of the Scandinavians. We know only about some of the gods, others were invented by the so-called cabinet scientists at a later time. So what were these gods?

- Perun is the main god of the pantheon, the god of thunder and lightning, who symbolized courage, strength and protection. He was considered a patron of warriors and a defender of justice.

- Dazhbog is the god of the sun and light, who gave warmth and life to all living things. He was associated with productivity and fertility.

- Veles is the god of agriculture, animal husbandry and the underworld. He took care of livestock, vegetation and wealth. Veles was also the god of poetry and art. Which is interesting, isn't it? Here we can already trace the connection of the animal world with the other world, which we will talk about later.

- Mokosha is the goddess of fertility and motherhood, the patroness of women and the hearth. She was considered the protector of the family and domestic well-being.

- Lada is the goddess of love and beauty, who gave people joy and harmony in relationships. Her image was often associated with spring and the rebirth of nature.

Each of these gods had their own sacred places where rituals and sacrifices were made. For example, sacrifices were made to Perun on mountain tops or near large trees that were considered his symbols.

All these gods were eventually replaced by Christian saints, but the most revealing is the story of Perun, who was replaced by Elijah the prophet. People began to believe that Ilya in our language rides through the sky in a fiery chariot, because of which thunder is heard and that he throws fiery arrows - lightning, or lightning flies from under the hooves of winged horses and rain occurs on the earth because Ilya drives up to the great a vat of water, draws water with a ladle and waters the sky.From Perun Ilya, or God himself inherited the motif of defeating the fiery arrows of the evil power that hides behind various objects: from trees to human clothes

And how was the world created according to the beliefs of Ukrainians? Again, very little is known about this.

One such myth describes how Perun and his brother Veles fought against chaos and evil spirits to create the world and establish order in it.

Myths about the creation of man tell how the gods created the first people from clay or other material and endowed them with life. For example, some legends say that Perun created the first people from clay and breathed life into them, and Dazhbog gave them light and warmth.

However, there is a widely known legend about how the spirits of lower mythology, i.e. demonology, appeared on earth. It is believed that God threw Satan down from heaven (we can already see the influence of Christianity, yes), and where his tears fell, lower spirits were born - domovyk, mavka, lysovik, bolotnyak, etc.

Mythological creatures

In general, Ukrainian mythology is rich in various mythological creatures that inhabited forests, waters and people's homes. A lot is known about them, they were preserved during the time of Christianity and, unlike gods like Perun, have remained in the memory of the people to this day.

Including:

- Forest spirits - Lysovyk, mavka, mermaids (rusalka). Lysovik were guardians of forests and could help or harm people, depending on their behavior. Mavkas and rusalkas were water and forest spirits who could lure people and harm them.

There are very few individual water spirits. Mostly these are spirits of swamps.

Rusalkas, which Europeans associate with water, were spirits of forests - deceased ancestors who regularly came to their living relatives on such great holidays as Christmas. Special plates were even always left on the table for them.

The cult of ancestors and the power of family in general was very important for Ukrainians. But our country has experienced occupation more than once, where the attackers dreamed of destroying people's memory of their own noble families.Now we try to restore it. But let's continue.

- Domovyki - Spirits-house guardians who protected the house and family. They could bring luck and prosperity if they were properly favored. In ancient times, it was believed that in order for a domovyk to appear in the house, one of the older members of the family should be buried under the threshold. Sometimes people voluntarily made such a sacrifice.

Animals are also an important part of mythology. For example,

- Snakes - Symbols of wisdom and strength. Snakes were considered sacred creatures and had magical properties. They could not be killed. Not a Satan`s creatures, huh?

- Wolves - Symbols of wild nature and freedom. Wolves were often associated with the forces of nature and could be both protectors and threats. Also, there is a widespread myth about a werewolf, vovkulaka, a person who turns into a wolf, falling over a knife. There were werewolves who understood their position and did it voluntarily. But there were also those who were chosen by the witch.

We need to talk about witches separately. Men practiced magic mostly in Transcarpathia, and they were called molfars. Witches are now spread throughout the territory of Ukraine. However, they never served the devil. In general, the figure of the devil in Ukrainian mythology is not that important. Much more important is the chort - a common name for all the creatures I listed earlier. A lysovyk can be called a chort, but there is also a separate creature, the Cnort- a kind of little boy with horns, with whom you can argue and win something interesting for yourself, he does not cause any great harm, he lives among people, not in hell. I got distracted, let's go back to the witches. Witches are born and trained - those who are born witches have a small tail. They are usually good and do not harm people, but on the contrary, heal and cause rain. Trained witches are evil witches. At night, they milk cows to the point of blood, take men from women and turn them into werewolves. Such are their rituals and rites. And what rituals and rites do ordinary Ukrainians have?

Ukrainian holidays

Ukrainian mythology is closely connected with national holidays and rituals, such as Kupala, Kolyada, Maslyana. These holidays include rituals that reflect mythological ideas about natural cycles, fertility, and protection from evil forces.

- Kupala - Celebration of the summer solstice, when people jumped over bonfires, led dances and looked for a fern flower, which, according to legends, brought happiness and wealth.

- Kolyada - a winter holiday associated with the birth of a new sun, then with Christ. People sang carols, went from house to house, wishing for well-being and happiness.

- Maslyana - Celebration of the arrival of spring, when merry festivities, sleigh rides were held, and an effigy of Winter was burned, symbolizing the end of the cold period and the beginning of a new cycle of life.

Rites and adoption of Christianity

Ironically, it was gentle Christianity that allowed us to preserve our pagan beliefs to this day. Even after the official adoption of Christianity, many folk beliefs and rituals continued to exist alongside Christian practices. This applies to rites related to natural cycles, healing and protection from evil forces. These beliefs were often preserved in folk culture and passed down from generation to generation.

Christianity also influenced the development of Ukrainian folk culture. Many church holidays, rites and traditions have become an integral part of the national identity of Ukrainians.

Mixing Ukrainian mythology with Christianity created a unique cultural heritage that combines the wealth of ancient beliefs and Christian values. This synthesis allows for a better understanding of Ukrainian spirituality and cultural identity.

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