Get the look: Dziady, Slavic Halloween, man

We all know that modern Halloween has been adopted from America and that this celebration originated from the Irish Samhain. But what does this mean in a broader Indo-European context? What do these celebrations tell us about our form of ancestor worship? 

In this blog, we try to explore the dziady , the Slavic equivalent of samhain, to place it in a broader context. 

Indo-European paganism is a dharmic nature religion; we refer to it as dharmic because there were prescriptions and rules that maintained and supported the cosmic order. 

In this, the ancestors play an important role. For thousands of years, the Proto-Indo-European peoples buried high-ranking deceased individuals in burial mounds. On the steppes, these mounds were visible from afar. They were sacred places that emphasized the status of the ancestor. Tribes, which were predominantly nomadic, regularly returned to these places to make offerings in honor of the ancestors. The people buried in these mounds were also a personification of the semi-mythological ancestors of the tribe. Their heroic deeds and achievements were passed down and revered for generations. Their deeds were immortalized in the bardic oral traditions of the people. Peoples of Indo-European descent, such as the Greeks, Romans, Germans, Celts, Balto-Slavs, Indo-Iranians, Indo-Aryans maintained this tradition. 

In this context, we must view the Celtic Samhain, the Slavic Dziady, and also the Germanic Álfablót. 

All these festivals have one thing in common: commemorating the deceased ancestors. These can be both one's own ancestors and the mythological ancestors of the tribe or clan. Ancestor worship is a very important practice in Indo-European cultures. It connects the people and creates a bond of honor and pride. 

The name dziady literally means grandparents, and comes from the Proto-Slavic word *dědъ, ‘ancestor’. The festival was particularly celebrated in the East Slavic regions, Poland, White-Russia, Russia, and Ukraine. 

Unlike samhain and álfablót, dziady was celebrated at least twice a year: in the spring, around late April or early May, and in the fall, around late October or early November.

During the spring celebration, the transition to the warm season, the emphasis was less on direct contact with the spirits of deceased ancestors and more on the celebration of rebirth, fertility and the cycles of nature. 

The autumn celebration, on the other hand, focused on contact with the deceased. People honored the souls of the deceased ancestors and asked for their help and protection. The ancestors were not only family members but also the mythological ancestors of the entire tribe.

The Slavs believed that the spirits of the ancestors could return to earth at certain times of the year and that they could help the living, but also cause problems if not treated well. By making offerings and performing rituals, people hoped to maintain a good relationship with these souls.

The festival was held in domestic circles. People ate together and gave a portion of their food to the ancestors. They did this by preparing a plate for the dead, purposely spilling food, or going to a cemetery to offer food there. The food was left undisturbed for at least a day so that the spirits could partake. Suitable food included bread, honey, grain (barley), eggs, nuts, and drink. This offering demonstrated the people's prosperity and was a symbol of fertility. Possibly, the offering of eggs was the basic precursor to the later Easter egg.

To invite the deceased, the family left windows and doors slightly open. They lit candles or fires at crossroads, by windows, or at cemeteries. The fire was a symbol of purification and a guiding light for the souls. Additionally, it prevented the souls of those who died suddenly from becoming demons. These souls were extremely active during dziady. The word for demon also came from the same Proto-Slavic word *dědъ. It was possibly believed that a soul could become either an ancestor or a demon after death.

In some Slavic regions, people also lit sauna’s fires so that the spirits could warm themselves before returning to their world. The Jewish traveler Ibrahim Ibn Ya'qub reported in the 10th century that the Slavs used log cabin saunas’s.

Between the 9th and 12th centuries, the West Slavic tribes were Christianized. The church discouraged the use of pagan rituals. Yet, some customs persisted, often mixed with Christian rituals. The festival evolved into a form of commemoration that merged with All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

In this get the look series, we have put together two outfits. We have named the man Gostislav, literally 'glorious guest', a name that can be traced back to the Indo-European principle of sacred hospitality. He celebrates dziady with his wife Beleka. You can read the blog about her here.

Gostislav and Beleka lived in what is now southern Poland, a crossroads between the East, West, and South Slavic regionss, in the realm of Moravia. They were farmers, kept livestock, and grew grain.

The knife was an important tool for in and around the house, for crafts and food preparation. In many graves, a knife was found alongside a whetstone to sharpen the knife.

The axe was also an indispensable part of the household, used to chop wood and as a tool. It was a symbol for the god Perun the thunder god, just as the hammer symbolized the Viking god Thor. From the 11th century onwards, miniature axes are also found in graves, used as jewelry or clothing pins.

Gostislav wears two tunics, an undyed tunic and over it a more finely finished overtunic. The overtunic could also be made of wool.

Slavic men often wore a cloak. They fastened it on the right shoulder, so their right arm was free, for example, to fight. The cloak was made of wool, but there is also evidence of leather, with fur lined cloaks.

Gostislav's cap is made of wool. Sometimes winter clothing was also trimmed with fur for extra warmth.

Slavic trousers were cut wide. At the ankles, they were fastened with leg wrappings.

The belt kept the clothing in shape and could be used as a status symbol, with its beautifully decorated buckle and belt end. Interestingly, no buckles and belt ends have been found in women's graves, suggesting that women probably wore fabric belts.

The recovered Slavic shoes are so-called turn shoes. These shoes were easy to make and repair. They just didn't provide much support to the ankle, as modern shoes do.