Witchcraft Beliefs and Practices in Prerevolutionary Russian and Ukrainian Villages

Abstract

The belief in malefic witchcraft, ability of an individual to harm or injure people and animals by supernatural means, words, spells, and potions, is common to tribal and agrarian societies world over. Living at mercy of environment, exploitative classes and state, peasants in preindustrial world had a wealth of beliefs and practices that explained their circumstances, provided them with safeguards against adversity, and enabled them to counteract calamities that befell them. Blaming a neighbor, relative or stranger for causing a lingering illness, depriving a cow of her milk, or bringing about a drought, hail storm, or severe thunderstorm personalized misfortune, allowing victims to combat their suffering by taking action against perceived perpetrator. During times of mounting social tensions and shrinking resources, accusations of witchcraft and sorcery increased, often with support. Once peasants had identified a witch or sorcerer, they tried to convince individual to reverse spell or, failing this, sometimes killed alleged evildoer.' Russian and Ukrainian peasants living within Russian Empire in nineteenth and early twentieth centuries shared beliefs in witches and sorcerers and ability of humans to cross the boundaries of moral community by injuring others with aid of evil spirits and black magic.2 Mixing sacred with profane, they comprehended misfortune as either God's wrath or machinations of