Mavka
Ukranian mythology
Today’s focus is on Ukranian mythology. The creature of focus is called Mavka, but sometimes also called Nyavka. This creature appears as a beautiful girl with long hair. Sometimes she is naked in the depictions of her. Her reflection cannot be seen in the water and she has no shadow. On her back, it almost looks as if she had wings torn off of her as the flesh is torn away to reveal her skeleton. If anyone stood behind her, they could see the inside of Mavka’s body.
This commonly known tale merges among other Slavic mythologies. All of the tales tell that these dead creatures were the result of girls who died by drowning or who died before getting married.
Origins of the Name
Not exclusive to Ukraine, the name derives from all of the various Slavic languages and similar Indo-European languages. The words may vary from nawia, nav, nõvis, nowis, navь-, nāve, навь, and 𐌽𐌰𐌿𐍃 (naus). The names all relate to corpse, deceased, dead, body, flesh, and dead body. Other countries have a different form of the word, such as lalki in Polish. Stanisław Urbańczyk is a scholar who claims that the word was derived to describe demons that arose from the souls of those who experienced early or tragic deaths. He also sometimes associated them with the murdered, killers, warlocks, or the drowned dead (known as the Topielec). Stories about them vary, but often refer to their hostility toward humans as they are jealous of life. Bulgarian folklore tells of 12 navias who suck the blood of women during birth and Russian tales of navias being the demonic personification of the plague.
Pagan Roots
The underworld in Slavic tales is often called Nawia or Nav. This underworld is ruled by the God, Veles. Veles lived in a world deep in the underground, surrounded by a living sea. Some tales describe it as a swamp, where he sat on a throne at the root of the Cosmic Tree. Veles is said to guide souls to Nav, a huge green pasture. The belief was that the souls would be reborn on earth.
Mavkas
The Mavkas are most oftenly referred to as the girls who died prematurely or unnaturally. Most often as unchristened babies. They are said to appear as beautiful young maidens who lure men into the woods where they tickle them to death. They are even sometimes said to be helpful to farmers by watching out for their herds of cattle by chasing away any wild animals who come to prey upon them.
Nyavkas are the variation of Mavkas depicted with no backs. Outside of this, they are described with the same mannerisms. Both are depicted as forest fairies, living in caves, sheds, or in groups within the forest. They are even said to have decorated their homes with rugs made from stolen flax. They also created their own clothing with transparent cloth. They were often seen with flowers in their hair.
Mavkas are said to have been created from an unchristened baby’s soul. Pentecost was a holiday that is known as Navka’s Easter. During this time, the Mavkas would hold parties accompanied by a demon who would play music for them on a flute. It was believed that the only way to save an unchristened baby’s soul was to throw a kerchief while saying “I baptise you” over the Pentecost holidays. Only then could the baby’s soul go to heaven. If the soul was not given the baptism, it would turn into a Mavka after seven years and haunt the earth.
Modern Pop Culture
There are songs and movies being made about this legendary myth. Above, we see a stamp with a mavka image on the right for the 150th anniversary of Ukraine. Below, we can see a song released in 2023 by the Ukranian group called Authentix.
Recently, an animated film has been created based on the folk legend of Mavka. Despite the war with Russia, they continued to complete the film and it has been in theaters worldwide over the last year.
References
Buynova, Tatyana Yuryevna (2008). The children of Swarog. Myths of East Slavs.
Halaichuk, V. (2016). Українська міфологія [Ukrainian Mythology] (in Ukrainian). Клуб Сімейного Дозвілля.
Buynova, T. & Akvilegia, Y. (2008). 9785901942611 . 33980381M . ru . ru:Дети Сварога: Мифы восточных славян . Children of Svarog: Myths of East Slavs.
Ivan Kostyovych, I. (1973). Bilodid uk . Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 11 volumes . uk:Словник української мови: в 11 томах.
Halaichuk, V. (2016). Клуб Сімейного Дозвілля. uk:Українська міфологія . Ukrainian Mythology.
Hrinchenko . B. (1958). Академії наук Української РСР . Dictionary of the Ukrainian language / Ref. with addn. own material by B. Hrinchenko: in 4 volumes — K. . uk:Словарь української мови / Упор. з дод. влас. матеріалу Б. Грінченко: в 4-х т..
Kushnir, Dmitriy . Creatures of Slavic myth . 2014 . 978-1-5056-2802-9 . USA . 1003859523.
External links
"Mavka" — Internet Encyclopedia of Ukraine
"Kostroma" — Encyclopedia of Mythology
Notes and References
Михайло Коцюбинський — Тіні забутих предків (аналіз, паспорт твору). www.ukrlib.com.ua. Mykhailo Kotsyubynskyi — Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (analysis, passport of the work). uk.
Набока . Марічка . Джулай . Дмитро . 2019-06-04 . Чарівні істоти з прадавніх українських міфів. У що вірили пращури . uk . Радіо Свобода . 2024-04-23.
Ide . Wendy . 2023-07-30 . Mavka: The Forest Song review – formulaic Ukrainian animation makes a plea for nature . 2024-04-23 . The Observer . en-GB . 0029-7712.