Marzanna - Daughter (2016)
Marzanna (in Polish), Marena (in Russian), Morana (in Czech, Bulgarian, Slovene, and Serbo-Croatian), or Morena/Kyselica (in Slovak), Morena (Macedonian), is a Slavic Goddess associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature. She is an ancient Goddess associated with winters' death and rebirth and dreams. In Slavic rites, the death of the Goddess Marzanna at the end of winter, becomes the rebirth of the Goddess Kostroma (Russia), Lada, or Vesna, representing the coming of spring (1). Marzanna is also the name used to describe the effigy of the goddess, which is ritually burned or drowned during an early spring rite called Jare Święto in order to hasten the approach of spring. Drowning Marzanna in water (an element of high importance in season-related folk celebrations) is understood as the Goddess' symbolic descent into the underworld, to be reborn in the next winter. Some researchers underline the sacrificial character of this ritual and suggest that Marzanna is sacrificed in order to appease winter (2).
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(1) Szyjewski, Andrzej (2003). Religia SÅ‚owian [Religion of the Slavs] (in Polish). Kraków: Wydam. WAM.
(2) Kowalski, Piotr (1998). Leksykon - znaki świata: omen, przesad, znaczenie (in Polish). Warszawa; Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN. pp. 609-615.
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My mother has always sacrificed many things in her life to give her children better lives; she sacrificed her comfort of home with close family, to ensure her children would have a better life in a new country. She sacrificed her career in Poland to care for her children. But my mother has also found a rebirth in Canada - through her new family and friends. Immigrating was life a ritual death, a drowning of desires she left in Poland; she came to Canada in the middle of winter, and like all immgrants, had to start a new life. Yet her dreams, despite her sacrifices, live on through her children.
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Lada - Niece (2016)
Vesna is the Slavic Goddess of spring and fertility. The name Vesna in the Slovene language translates to literally mean 'spring'. Vesna is known as a beautiful and youthful goddess with flowers in her hair and long flowing locks that reach down to her knees. She was said to be a happy and cheerful Goddess and people would name their daughters after her in the hopes that they would live a happy and cheerful life. She was also seen as a Goddess of victory, as the spring season represents a victory over the cold winter. Because of this, Vesna was a very popular Goddess with her people. She represents the coming of life after winter and the return of the light after the darkness, so it is no wonder that she was adored by her people. She was portrayed as always smiling and full of life (1).
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(1) Reynolds, Tara (2017). Vesna, Slavic Goddess of Spring. http://themotherhouseofthegoddess.com/2017/03/14/vesna-slavic-goddess-of-spring-tara-reynolds/
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My grandmother suffered many traumas in her life: living through a world war, losing her first husband, losing her firstborn daughter, and a few years ago, losing her second husband. Through her pain she always counted her blessings and poured love into everyone she met - not dissimilar to Vesna in Slavic mythology, rising through the cold, frozen Earth to bring life to the land once more. A doting mother to my father and aunt, a doting grandmother to me and my cousin. Her smile in photographs and in real life is so genuine, and infectious. Despite her age, she has a youthful spirit, and is fiercely independent.
Vesna - Granddaughter (2016)
Vesna is the Slavic Goddess of spring and fertility. The name Vesna in the Slovene language translates to literally mean 'spring'. Vesna is known as a beautiful and youthful goddess with flowers in her hair and long flowing locks that reach down to her knees. She was said to be a happy and cheerful Goddess and people would name their daughters after her in the hopes that they would live a happy and cheerful life. She was also seen as a Goddess of victory, as the spring season represents a victory over the cold winter. Because of this, Vesna was a very popular Goddess with her people. She represents the coming of life after winter and the return of the light after the darkness, so it is no wonder that she was adored by her people. She was portrayed as always smiling and full of life (1).
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(1) Reynolds, Tara (2017). Vesna, Slavic Goddess of Spring. http://themotherhouseofthegoddess.com/2017/03/14/vesna-slavic-goddess-of-spring-tara-reynolds/
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My grandmother suffered many traumas in her life: living through a world war, losing her first husband, losing her firstborn daughter, and a few years ago, losing her second husband. Through her pain she always counted her blessings and poured love into everyone she met - not dissimilar to Vesna in Slavic mythology, rising through the cold, frozen Earth to bring life to the land once more. A doting mother to my father and aunt, a doting grandmother to me and my cousin. Her smile in photographs and in real life is so genuine, and infectious. Despite her age, she has a youthful spirit, and is fiercely independent.
