Traditional Culture of the Gorals: In Search of the Archaic

Abstract

This article presents the results of the identification of archaic elements in the traditional spiritual culture of the Gorals, who settled in the mountainous Carpathian regions in southern Poland and northern Slovakia (the Tatras, Beskids, and Magura). Despite the ethnic and linguistic diversity of the region (Slavic settlement from Lesser Poland, German colonization, Wallachian migration with a strong Ruthenian influence and being a part of both Hungary and Austro-Hungary), a number of archaic features are preserved in the language and spiritual culture of the Gorals. These features can be revealed by comparing the beliefs, rites, customs, motivations, texts and vocabulary with other Slavic traditions, not only with those of neighbors, but also with those that are more distant from the Carpathians, such as Polessie and Southern Slavia. We present an overview of archaisms in the field of folk astronomy (vocabulary and ideas about the personification of the month), folk meteorology (customs and beliefs regarding protection against hail and storm) and family rituals (birth rituals, weddings and funeral rites). Archaic representations from the field of folk demonology are examined in more detail: beliefs and vocabulary describing demons and half demons (witches and sorcerers, cloud-breakers and weather demons), evil eyes and  corruption and ways to overcome them, and legends about werewolves; lexico-semantic archaisms (derivatives of the verb *činiti with the meanings ‘to throw / to remove spoilage, evil eye’); and folklore-mythological archaisms (the motive of “moralizing songs” performed by mythological characters). We conclude there is a tangible influence of not only Slovak, but also of East Slavic traditional culture. The chronological framework and spatial vector of this influence requires further study.