Ritual Fights and Masks

By Olexandre Kourotchkine
English

Slavic folk culture perpetuates a ritual (common to many countries of this cultural area) whose roots reach back into the pagan world: a fight with clearly defined rules opposes several teams composed according to territorial or social criteria. How do these ritual fights take place? What is their meaning? What are their objectives?

Keywords

  • ritual fights
  • masks
  • New Year
  • rewards
  • initiation