Religious and mythological ideas of Karelians about smallpox, rubella, measles and chickenpox diseases

Abstract

Traditional medicine has always triggered genuine interest among researchers. It reflects not only medical practice, rational and irrational, but also prognostics of diseases, beliefs, conspiracy traditions, ritual magic, etc. Mythology occupies a significant place in ethnomedicine as well, affecting not only the cause-effect relationship between the occurrence of an ailment and abolition of it, but also the designation of some diseases, the nomination of which is motivated by the mythological perceptions of the people. Christianization of Karelians, which took place in the 13th century, had a major influence on the Karelian culture. Christian and pagan views became closely intertwined, making a dual impact on such cultural layer of the ethnic group as traditional medicine. The problematics of scientific research is determined by the lack of a complex analysis of the issue. The information about the ethnomedicine of the proper Karelians, Livvik Karelians and Ludikov Karelians was collected from published sources (Karelian speech samples, dialect dictionaries of the Karelian language, periodicals) and by the means of gathering materials from respondents living on the territory of the Republic of Karelia. The author addresses the religious and mythological ideas of the Karelians on the example of such diseases as smallpox, rubella, and chickenpox. The identification of an entire complex of common ideas about these diseases — their personification, family relationships, methods of treatment and nomination of diseases — became the main result of the research. Karelians believed that smallpox, measles, rubella and chickenpox are related, they are sisters. The reason of their invasion was seen in not honoring them or insulting them with an action or word. When patients with these diseases appeared in the house, various forms of coaxing were used towards them, and a solemn reception was held, aiming at propitiation of these ailments. In the treatment of smallpox, rubella and measles, the main emphasis was placed on the use of red matter in healing rituals, as this color was believed to have protective function. Probably, this method was based on the “like cures like” or “like repels like” principle, typical for Karelian folk medicine. Engaging the data on folk medicine of Vepsians and Russians showed the similarity of the religious and mythological ideas of these peoples with Karelians, which is explained by their long-term contact and interinfluence of cultures while living on the same territory.

Keywords

• karelian traditional culture
• folk medicine
• healing rituals
• beliefs
• personification of diseases