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[MAGIC] K e`tnografii bojkov [i.e. On the Ethnography of the Boykos]

Svientsitska, A[nisiia]

Item #2315

An offprint from Zhivaya starina, Vol. XXIII, no. 3/4 for 1914. Petrograd: Tipografiya V. D. Smirnova, 1915. 10 pp. 25,5 x 19 cm (10 x 7 ½ in). Publisher’s typed paper cover. In Russian and Ruthenian.

Overall good condition with minor restoration. Publisher’s typed paper cover. As issued, without a separate title. Minor spots, yellowing to covers. Some wear to the corners of the brochure. Concurrent pagination: journal-wide (295-304) and article (1-10).

The article is authored by Anisiia Svientsitska-Vostriakova (1890–1973), historian and ethnographer, a descendant from an aristocratic
family. While a philosophy student at Lviv University, Svientsitska initially focused on Old Believers research. But later in life she met her future husband, Ilarion Svientsitskyi (1876-1956), she added new areas to her research. I. Svientsitskyi was already an important figure
of local ethnography who later served as head of the Lviv National museum for half a century. Svientsitskyi also explored Boyko culture and wrote research on Ruthenian Boyko dialect. Also serving at the museum, Svientsitska focused on ethnic carpets and needlework.

The article is completed in a style resembling a brief travel essay. Svientsitska begins with describing the architecture, looks and the traditional way of Boykos daily file. Her stance is critical: noting the untidy houses, inability to accept modern technologies, she blames the ignorance of people as the source of poor and hard life. However, the author then explores the mages and mystics who were held in high regard by Boykos. As an insight on the essence of the magic rituals, the author provides some kolyadki (feast songs) and a healing chant.

The Boykos, along with the Lemko and Hutsul people, were a tightly-knit and secluded group living in the Carpathian region, with their lifestyle shaped by the mountain environment. Their societal system remained relatively unaffected by the outer world even into the XXth century, thus attracting interest from contemporary research. In 1940’s and 19550’s Boykos were subjected into forced resettlement. Today their ethnic group counts low thousands of people.

Zhivaya starina was a quarterly almanac issued by the Russian Imperial Geographical Society from 1890 to 1916/17. It focused on material on folklore, historical traditions and local peculiarities.

The offprint is not in Worldcat or KVK.

Price: $950.00