Get the look: Dziady, Slavic Halloween, woman

We all know that modern Halloween has drifted over from America and that this celebration has its origins in 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 attempt to place the dziady, the Slavic equivalent of Samhain, in a broader context in an accessible way. 

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

In this, ancestors play an important role. For thousands of years, the Proto-Indo-European peoples buried high-ranking deceased 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 offer sacrifices in honor of the ancestors. The people buried in these burial 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 actions 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 Germanic álfablót, the Celtic Samhain, and the Slavic dziady.

All these celebrations have one thing in common: the commemoration of 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 spring, around late April or early May, and in autumn, 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 sought 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 celebrated in domestic circles held. People ate together and gave a portion of their food to the ancestors. They did this by preparing a plate for the dead, intentionally 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, grains (barley), eggs, nuts, and drink. This offering demonstrated the prosperity of the people and symbolized fertility. Possibly, the offering of eggs was the basic for the later Easter egg.

To invite the deceased, the family left the windows and doors ajar. They lit candles or fires at crossroads, in front of windows, or at cemeteries. The fire symbolized purification and a guiding light for the souls. Additionally, it prevented souls of people 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 areas, people also lit saunas s 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 practices persisted, often blending with Christian rituals. The festival evolved into a form of remembrance that merged with All Saints and All Souls.

In this get the look series, we have put together two outfits. We have named the woman Beleka, literally ‘white’. The colour white symbolized beauty. She celebrates dziady with her husband Gostislav. You can read the blog about him here.

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

Slavic women from all social classes often wore sleep or temple rings in the early Middle Ages. These rings were worn at the temples and could be worn in various ways, on a headband, braided into the hair, or as an ear ornament. The temple rings were usually made of metal (bronze, silver, or sometimes even gold) and have been found throughout the Slavic region. The Merovingians also adopted this practice. The design varied by region.

Beleka wears two types of rings: on the headband over her headkerchief, she wears a ‘ring and bar’ type. The original of this was found in Poland.

She wears earrings of the 'dangling chain' type. This is a somewhat later design (10th/11th century). The original was found in Staraja Ladoga, near St Petersburg, and dates from the 11th century. This area was inhabited by Scandinavians from the early 8th century, and goods of Swedish, Finnish, Slavic, and even Arab origin have been found in the graves.

Unmarried Slavic women wore their hair loose, or in a braid. After their marriage, they wore a headkerchief. Incidentally, temple rings were probably also worn by girls.

Beleka wears various amulets.

The first is a granulated amulet in typical Slavic style. The original comes from a grave in Birka.

The second is based on the Zbruch idol, a pre-Christian sculpture from Ukraine created in the 9th century. It was once thought to depict Svetovit, the god of abundance and war. The exact meaning is unclear. The pillar itself has three 'layers': the bottom layer shows a bearded man on three sides, the middle layer shows four figures (possibly two men and two women), one with a child, and the top layer also shows four figures, one with a ring/bracelet (possibly an oath ring), one with a drinking horn, and one with a sword and a horse. These three layers may symbolize the three layers of the world: the underworld, the human world, and the world of the gods.

No metal buckles or belt ends have been found in the graves of Slavic women. Therefore, they probably wore a fabric, woven belt. In the northern Slavic region, the technique of tablet weaving might also have been used.

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.

There were two types of aprons that Slavic women wore; the apron used here, and a three-piece apron, which was open at the front.

Beleka wears an underdress made of simple, undyed fabric, and over it a dress made of wool.

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.

Over her dress, Beleka wears a caftan. This is ideal for the cold winter days

When it's very cold, Beleka even wears a cloak over her caftan.