The wreaths of Kupala – a few words about women’s status among the Slavs

Most of the modern historians and scholars researching social relations among the pre-Christian Slavs, claim that women had a low(ish) status in our ancestors’ communities. Apparently pre-Chrisitan Slavs – men, the elders of clans/families, did not regard the opinion of the women and cared so little about their daughters, that they didn’t even give them the right of inheritance.

The historical sources were written by men and, let’s be honest, were concerned with affairs of men, thus, the sources don’t mention much about women. One of the early medieval chronicler wrote about a wife, who helped a missionary, another one recounted a woman called Wiosna, who was the leader of a group of Slavic warriors, and… well, as far as I know, that’s about it. This is why in this post, to figure out the importance and status of women in the pre-christian Slavis society, instead of analysing historical sources, as Witia’s team usually do, we will analyse the elements of celebration of Kupala – one of the oldest, most known and still alive Slavic pagan tradition.

Where did they get the flowers from? Where did they get the virgins?

Weaving wreaths and throwing them into the river is one of the most important elements of the celebration of Kupala. Every year around the Kupala’s time the social media are full of (mostly half naked) girls wearing multi-colourful wreaths. At the same time, most certainly under the influence of Judaeo-Christian traditions, those wreaths symbolise purity and virginity, and throwing them into the river is believed to symbolise losing of the oh-co-precious sexual innocence. This typical image of celebration of Kupala, without a doubt very catchy and media-friendly, remains however in disagreement with the reality of the world of our ancestors. It remains a mystery how did our ancestors, without access to flower shops and flower gardens, how did they manage to find multicoloured flowers in June?  And, most importantly, where did they find the virgins?

In the modern times, with the average life expectancy being 72.6 years (according to the UN) teenagers constitute 13% of the society, while women and girls 49.6%. It is estimated that an average early medieval village had  30-40* inhabitants, of which around half – so 15-20 - were females.  In those times people lived much shorter than we do nowadays, woman 30-32 years, and men 33-35. Considering that the society of pre-Christian Slavs was half as young as ours, we can assume that teenagers – young people between 12 and 19 years of age – constituted around 25% of the society of our ancestors.  So out of 15-20 females four or five were teenagers, and among those four to five unmarried girls how many were virgins?  Maybe one? On a good year - maybe two?  But apparently every Kupala there were numerous virgins weaving wreaths and throwing them in the water. Where did those virgins come from?!

Aside of the unknown source of the virgins, it’s important to figure out where did those mysterious virgins take the flowers for their wreaths?  Our ancestors lived on a land covered in 80% by forest and swamps. Meadows – such common feature of XXI century landscape – were much more rare. Meadows were found only in places where forests couldn’t grow. Our ancestors did not exploit the land as intensely as it’s done nowadays, so they did not know vast, regularly cut pastures, artificial meadows, parks or flower gardens. Hence, to weave a wreath, pre-Christian Slavic girls had to look for flowers growing in the wild. In June, in the temperate climate of middle and eastern Europe multicolored flowers are not easy to find – a fact I confirmed myself during a field (or rather a forest) trip to my local woodland.

June is a time of grass and stinging nettles, not a time of multicolored flowers. Flowers growing in the wild at this time of the year are mostly yellow and white, with stems either short and delicate (like buttercups), or long and stiff (like common yarrows). Of course, in June we can find multicolored flowers like red poppies or blue cornflowers. But those flowers grow mostly in the fields, which, let’s not forget, were cultivated by our ancestors to grow life sustaining corps. It’s hard to imagine that any farmer would let hordes of virgin into his fields to pluck some flowers. So, in order to weave their wreaths pre-Christian Slavic non-virgins had to leave the safe haven of the village and nearby fields and go to the forest and/or by the river, to find flowers which were not easy to get in in June. Considering the scarcity of the flowery raw material it is also possible or even very likely that apart of flowers our teenage ancestresses weaved their wreaths with herbs, such as rue, wormwood, stonecrop or thyme (which later developed into Judeo-Christian tradition of making herbal wreaths for the Feast of Corpus Christi).

Priceless wreaths

Contrary to the mass produced memes published by self-proclaimed volkhvs/witches/herbalists/sorceresses/shamans (delete or add as applicable) in the times of our ancestors forests, rivers or any area distant from the human settlements were not hospitable of safe. In the early medieval period woodlands were full of wolves, bears or boars, which were truly dangerous for humans. In the rivers – unregulated and full of whirlpools – one could easily drown, while in the forest – get lost, become wounded or break a leg, which with the population density of 0-6 person/km2, no GPS, no search and rescue services and no modern medicine, could easily result in death or permanent disability (which could also, easily, eventually lead to death). So, our ancestors - sensible and unaware of mushy memes – did not leave their settlements often, unless they had a very good reason to do so.

However, as the Kupala tradition indicates, pre-Christian non-virgin Slavic girls did go to the forests and at the river only to collect flowers (and herbs).

The female participants of the Kupala celebration not only risked their health and lives to make their wreaths, but also, collecting and weaving flowers, they abandoned their other responsibilities which were countless. Regardless of the time of the year pre-Christian Slavic girls and women every day had to: spin, saw, wash and repair clothes, cook, bake, carry water, clean, milk goats or cows, make cheese, brew beer, attend to farm animals, collect and dry (depending on the season): herbs, mushrooms, berries, nuts, or wild growing vegetables such as carrots of cucumbers, prepare herbal remedies (which in those times were the only medicine available), mind the children, help the neighbors minding their children, care for the sick etc., etc.

And here we finally find the (I hope) real meaning of the Kupala’s wreaths. It’s very unlikely that for our ancestors the wreaths symbolized virginity, very likely though that they symbolized the knowledge (about where and when to find the right flowers/herbs), the sacrifice (of other responsibilities) and the self-reflection. Those of You who ever had a chance of weaving a wreath, know that it is not as simple task as it might seem. Collecting the flowers (or herbs) and weaving them in a way that ensures stability of the construction and is at the same time aesthetically pleasing, requires time, concentration and skills. However, similarly to weaving fabric, sawing or knitting, wreath making is also a task that encourages the mind to ponder.

It’s not difficult to imagine what did out teenage ancestresses think about while making their wreaths for Kupala. Girls and young women, old enough to understand the weight of marriage, the risk of pregnancy and labor, the responsibilities of the wife. There can be no doubt that those girls witnessed giving birth at least once in their life. After all in the olden times, without electricity, TV or cars, nights were full of silence and every scream of labor pain carried far through the thin walls of our ancestors’ homes, every cry could be heard by the whole village. It wasn’t so bad if the pain of giving birth ended with the first cry of a healthy baby. But many pregnancies (perhaps even 1 in 75) resulted in the mother dying. Dying, it’s worth mentioning, in unimaginable suffering lasting days or even weeks. And the whole village – both the adults and the children – witnessed every moment of the dying mother’s ordeal. Well, those mothers who did manage to deliver a healthy child did not have reasons to be optimistic about the future. It’s estimated that 30-50% of early medieval children did not survive to their 5th birthday. And the village – including our teenage ancestresses – witnessed this pain and heartbreak too.

So what did our ancestresses think about while they weaved the wreaths for Kupala? We know that Kupala was the celebration of love and fertility. We know that the time of summer solstice was the time of coupling. We know (because we find it in the folklore) that throwing the wreaths on the water was considered a type of divination. In some parts of the land of Slavs (for example in eastern Poland) unmarried girls weaved two wreaths – one for the girl and one for her beloved) – and threw them in the water. The flow of those two wreaths was used in divination. If both wreaths flew together that was considered a good omen. If one of them drowned – it was a warning for the future of the relationship.

According to the Slavic folklore throwing Kupala wreaths on the water was a type of divination. Considering what we already know about the life of our female ancestors it’s not difficult to guess the true meaning of Slavic celebration of the summer solstice. Our female ancestors weaving their wreaths, together with the flowers and herbs they weaved also their hopes – for happiness, love and abundance, their fears – of pain, suffering and death. Our ancestresses used their knowledge about flowers and herbs, they used their nimble hands, skilled in spinning and sawing, to weave a wreath and through it – to ask the river, to ask Mokosh-the Mother Earth: is that enough? Am I wise enough, strong and heathy enough, to get married, to get pregnant, to have my baby and not to die? What will my future bring? Will it be joy or despair?

The hope for the future

We already discussed the important and countless responsibilities teenage Slavic girls had to abandon to participate in the rituals of Kupala. But we did not mention those, who took over the responsibilities. Of course, some of the tasks were more urgent then others. Some things could be postponed for another day. But Kupala was one of the most important holidays for our ancestors and apart of weaving the wreaths, it required other preparations. Somebody had to collect and chop wood for the bonfires, somebody had to prepare the feast. Somebody had to protect and guard the safety and security of the village and the girls, who were walking through the forest, looking for flowers and herbs. Those tasks, those preparation had to be completed by other members of the community. By the fathers, the mothers, the brothers and cousins, by those, for whom the health and good fortune of the unmarried girls, was the hope for the future.

Taking into account the high mortality and short life expectancy (comparing to ours) of pre-Christian Slavs, health and fertility of the unmarried girls was paramount, was one of the most (if not – the most) important factor warranting the survival of the community. It’s not surprising then that fathers, mothers and brothers were ready to take over their daughters’ and sisters’ responsibilities, to give the girls time and safe space to weave wreaths, to ponder and think, to prepare for a divination ritual. A ritual essential for the future of the whole village.

Our modern society of XXI century allegedly is full of respect for women and girls. Media – both social and more traditional – are full of slogans, memes, advertising campaigns and videos promoting feminism, encouraging girls to be independent, to get education or have a career. However, in our society, which is (apparently) developed and respectful towards women/girls, we don’t have a single tradition – widely practiced and respected – dedicated to give girls safe space and time, so they can plan, hope, dream and share it with their peers/friends. In our highly developed modern era girls and young women, who are just about to enter into adulthood, are daily bombarded with responsibilities and expectations. Every day modern teenage girls are given more tasks, more work without any time for self-reflection, without any help, support and understanding from friends, family or the society in general. If somebody tried to encourage men – the fathers and the brothers – to give up one day a year for the sake of their daughters and sisters… Well, this somebody would most probably be laughed at and perhaps even accused of demasculinization, feminism or making a problem, where there isn’t any. And we, those who live in a society like that, we claim that pre-Christian Slavs did not respect or regard women? Because women could not become their father’s heir?

Each according to their needs

It wasn’t easy to find a wife in the times of our ancestors. A Slavic man looking to settle down and start a family not only had to find a woman willing to run his household and give him children, but also was required to gather enough wealth, to pay (with a wedding gift) his future wife for her commitment and faithfulness. The pre-Christian, Slavic wedding gifts were so valuable, that many young men could not afford them – and this how we can explain the (in my opinion) error in the interpretation of Slavic inheritance laws.

Imagine that you are early medieval, Slavic parent. Imagine that you have two children – a daughter and a son. Both your children are healthy, strong, good looking and capable. However, only one of them does not need your financial support to settle down, start a family and give you grandchildren. There is nothing wrong with your son, he might even be the most handsome boy in the village, but despite his health, strength, ability and good looks, no girl will take him for a husband, unless he produces a decent wedding gift. A gift your daughter – as healthy, strong and good looking as your son – will receive from a man she will agree to marry.

As a parent you want the best for your children, and as a sensible, reasonable Slav you know that fair share is not always an equal share. Therefore you give your wealth to your son, so he can afford a wedding gift and a wife. Your daughter’s future husband will give your daughter a gift as valuable, or even more valuable as what you give to your son – and both your children will have a fair share then.

So – no, in pre-Christian Slavic societies daughters did not inherit their father’s wealth, but not because women were not respected, but because women did not need the family wealth to settle down and start a family. The only think our ancestresses needed from their families and communities, was one day a year – one day dedicated to preparing a divination, to ask the river for advice and get answers needed to make important life decisions for the future.

If you are a man – not necessary Slavic – in the time of Kupala try and find time to respect and honor the needs of your daughters, sisters, wives and partners. Following the example of our ancestors give the women in your life a day without responsibilities, stress or worries.  Give them time and space to think, to dream, to hope and plan for the future. Let them go at the river, let them seek the wisdom of Mokosh.

And for every girl and women – Slavic or not. Slava, sisters! May the river’s answer be true.

*all data about pre-chrisitan Slavic population cited from information provided by the Museum of Polish Statehood (Muzeum Państwa Polskiego) in Gniezno. Unfortunately those materials are only available in Polish.