Mavka ( ) or Nyavka ( ) is a type of female spirit in

Ukrainian folklore Ukrainian folklore is the folk tradition which has developed in Ukraine and among ethnic Ukrainians. The earliest examples of folklore found in Ukraine is the layer of pan-Slavic folklore that dates back to the ancient Slavic mythology of the Eas ...

and

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

. The Mavka is a long-haired "Soul of the Forest", typically depicted as a temptress figure who lures men to their deaths.

Terminology

There is variation in the names and spelling, including , , , , , . However, depending on telling, there are differences between the Mavka and Nyavka. These terms all derive from , and are

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymological ancestor in a common parent language. Because language change can have radical effects on both the s ...

with , (plural).

Folklore

The spirits known by this term represented the souls of girls who had died unnatural, tragic or premature deaths, particularly unchristened babies. s often appear in the form of beautiful young girls who entice and lure young men into the woods, where they "tickle" them to death. s have no reflection in water, nor do they cast shadows. In some accounts, they were also said to help farmers by looking after cattle and driving out wild animals. Mavka

A subtype of the Mavkas are the Nyavkas, which behave the same except for having "no back", meaning that their spine and some other insides can be seen; the most defining feature between determining Mavkas and Nyavkas is whether or not the insides are visible from the back. Mavkas and Nyavkas were believed to live in groups in forests, mountain caves, or sheds, which they decorated with rugs. They made thread of stolen flax and wove thin transparent cloth for making clothes for themselves. They loved flowers, which they wore in their hair. In the spring, they planted flowers in the mountains, to which they enticed young men, whom they tickled to death. On

Pentecost Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 49th day (50th day when inclusive counting is used) after Easter Day, Easter. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spiri ...

(known as 's Easter, ), they held games, dances, and orgies. A

demon A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Historically, belief in demons, or stories about demons, occurs in folklore, mythology, religion, occultism, and literature; these beliefs are reflected in Media (communication), media including f ...

accompanied them on a

flute The flute is a member of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, producing sound with a vibrating column of air. Flutes produce sound when the player's air flows across an opening. In th ...

pipes Pipe(s), PIPE(S) or piping may refer to: Objects * Pipe (fluid conveyance), a hollow cylinder following certain dimension rules ** Piping, the use of pipes in industry * Smoking pipe ** Tobacco pipe * Half-pipe and quarter pipe, semi-circu ...

. To save an unchristened baby's soul, one must throw up a kerchief during

holidays, say their name and add "I baptise you". The rescued soul would then go to

heaven Heaven, or the Heavens, is a common Religious cosmology, religious cosmological or supernatural place where beings such as deity, deities, angels, souls, saints, or Veneration of the dead, venerated ancestors are said to originate, be throne, ...

. If the soul lived up to seven years and did not go to heaven, the baby would turn into a and haunt the earth.

Popular culture

* s are depicted in literature, most notably in Lesia Ukrainka's '' The Forest Song'' and nyavkas are depicted in

Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky Mykhailo Mykhailovych Kotsiubynsky (; 17 September 1864 – 25 April 1913) was a Ukrainian author whose writings described typical Ukrainian life at the start of the 20th century. Kotsiubynsky's early stories were described as examples of an e ...

's '' Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors''. * In modern culture the Ukrainian music band, Mavka, is named after the mythological creature. * In 2022, Ukrainian singer Eria released the song "Mavka". * The 2023 film '' Mavka: The Forest Song,'' is based on Ukrainian mythology.

Notes

References

Citations

Works cited

* * * *

External links

"Mavka"
— Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine

— Encyclopedia of Mythology {{Slavic mythology Culture of Ukraine Demonology Female ghosts Forest spirits Nudity in mythology Pentecost Slavic culture Slavic legendary creatures Slavic paganism Spirits Supernatural legends Ukrainian folklore Ukrainian mythology Undead