Transcript
Page 1
It’s widely known among the Slavs that a family with a newly built house is in desperate need of a domovoy.
The family cannot prosper until either the head of the family dies and becomes the guardian spirit of the home, or an old domovoy is invited to join them.
This household spirit was seen as the deceased ancestor, staying behind to protect their family and home from bad luck, witchcraft and even theft from neighbouring Domovoi (pl).
They took care of the children and the animals, did chores around the house, and increased the family’s good fortune and wealth.
If a family moves from an old to a new house, they must make sure to invite their old Domovoy to come Live with them.
In one tradition an old woman heats up a stove in the old house, scrapes the cinders, and at noon puts them in a pan, covered with a napkin.
The family, dressed in their best clothes, invites the Domovoy to come and live with them, with an offering of bread and salt in their hands.
The old woman brings the cinders to the new home and empties the pan into the oven.
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The Domovoi (pl) seem to like warm places - behind the stove, inside the hearth, in the chimney, in the pechurka (small niche in the stove wall), or under the golbets (low box near the stove with a passageway to the basement).
Depending on whether the original ancestor was male or female, the spirit would be seen as a Domovoy (m) or a Domania (f). They would bear the person’s features, voice and mannerisms.
Other than the small resemblance to the ancestor, a Domovoy is described as a small, old man covered head to toe in bushy hair, even down to his palms and heels. I’m not sure if the same applied to the Domania.
Sometimes they are naked, and other times they are dressed in the customary clothing of the ancestor’s people.
They have flashing eyes that can be seen moving in the shadows.
A furry creature with flashing eyes that likes warm places - sounds a lot like a cat. No wonder cats living in a house were sometimes seen as the manifestation of the guardian spirit.
In the old days stoves were huge and were the dominant feature in many houses, and due to their important role in keeping the family fed and warm, they even appeared in folk tales and were associated with some legendary characters.
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They are mostly kind and caring, but if not given the proper respect and attention they would get upset and show their displeasure by making strange noises, clanking dishes, and slamming doors around the house.
But if they are really angry they could take vengeance by torturing cattle, or even choking sleeping people. The worst thing they could do would be abandoning the house and leaving the family defenseless.
Other than their bad temper, they are famous for their gift of foresight. Some believe that the spirit lets themselves be seen before an important event in a person’s life.
They also approach people when they're sleeping, and if they foresee good things they laugh and caress them. Very creepy.
In the case of an upcoming death of a family member, sobbing and wailing would be heard at night. They can also foreshadow wars, fires, and plagues in a similar manner.
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The ancient Slavs believed that spirits reside in trees, so when a tree is used in the construction of a building, the tree spirit would come to inhabit it.
Each structure within a home is occupied by a different spirit.
The Domovoy lives and is in charge of the house, the Gumenik is in the storehouse, the Dvororoy in the courtyard, the Ovinnik in the barn, and the Bannik in the bath.
The belief in the Domovoy is still relevant today, being important to both rural and urban people. Some express this belief by setting up “Domovoy corners” in their apartments, leaving food and toys for the home spirit.
From ancient to modern times, people have seen their homes not only as places for people, but for mythological beings too, whether they were forest spirits, or the soul of an ancestor, their presence makes the home a little bit more full of life.
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