Kolduny , like many phenomenal therapists, was typically financially and you will socially marginal some body

Minkh submitted an effective memorate means a couple of teenagers, aged 20-twenty five, regarding engagement out-of a great koldun , Filat Semenov, inside the a married relationship during the Saratov province

These were landless, elderly and you may poor (Ramer 1991: 214), even so they got obtained an enormous body of magical, and sometimes organic studies, and you will attained a track record which could allow them to eke out an existence from the undertaking various features for other peasants.

Enchanting therapists included healers (male znakhar‘ , people znakharka ), fortunetellers (male kudes’nik , girls vorozheia ) and you can sorcerers (male koldun , people koldun’ia ). Peasants utilized such words alternatively loosely, and frequently interchangeably. Which stems partially on the undeniable fact that magical therapists performed an excellent particular overlapping attributes, and possess on account of local if you don’t private distinctions. You to first difference in healers and sorcerers try the fact sorcerers derived their efforts out-of a keen „dirty force“ ( nechistaia sila ), that may make reference to the assistance of petty demons, or perhaps the „unclean“ dead (those who got sunken, the amount of time suicide, passed away unbaptized, or had practiced sorcery while life) (Ivanits1989: 97; 104). If you are an excellent koldun you will share similarities during the function with a good healer or good koldun’ia , that character that was particularly accorded so you’re able to him try that of honored visitor and you may guardian of one’s peasant marriage.

Semenov contacted the latest ponies, and you may shouted „hey your-We me personally are right here!

A study of this new koldun inside unmarried form will help so you can train the latest hazy borders ranging from benevolent and you can malevolent wonders, as well as emphasize a specifically men category of phenomenal practitioners whom peasant denounced for specific acts out-of witchcraft. As the koldun apparently performed given that a guard of weddings, an analysis out of peasant views reveals that the newest peasantry kept this kind of koldun in the a much more ambivalent esteem. The wedding koldun brings an excellent lucid exemplory instance of how peasants you can expect to confuse magical therapists to possess witches, even if it did benevolent and you may prophylactic qualities.

Immediately following peasants came to believe that an other villager was about their misfortunes, they both made a decision to manage her or him as a consequence of unlawful setting, approved from the neighborhood. The osud ) towards the a great deviant otherwise unlawful function either with it new consent out-of this new town council ( skhod ), that can encompass the fresh new participation, really or indirectly, of your own entire community. Otherwise a small group of peasants usually takes it through to by themselves to help you free a residential area off harmful issues; the latest act nevertheless was approved by the community whenever the norms, well-are, or economic living was indeed threatened (Honest 1987: 239-265).

To understand how a good „protector“ koldun you will bear new wrath out-of his other villagers, it is critical to just remember that , peasants often feared, known, and you can resented such towering data. Eg, within the 1887 the ethnographer A good. During the wedding parade ahead of going to chapel, new horses won’t move forward and you may reared right up (Minkh 1994: 285). Peasants sensed for example apparently lighter misfortunes while the proof „spoiling“ (Kuznetsova 1992: 125). “ ( Ei vy–ia sam tut !), where the fresh ponies began in the fast. Like this, Semenov eliminated a fairly short act off imagined spoilage. Semenov don’t endear himself in order to their other villagers, and there’s evidence to indicate that they sensed taking action up against your. At the an after relationships the guy pushed the fresh new site visitors so you’re able to kiss and you will hug the fresh posts giving support to the awing away from a beneficial peasant’s hut. Minkh’s informants stated that peasants within the an event of town installation had discussed thrashing Semenov. If or not so it fury stemmed on cumulative effectation of his dangers and you can towering prominence, otherwise this unmarried indignation isn’t clear. New ethnographer’s statement will not state even though this was achieved, but that is still an important piece of research, even though, as the we see your peasants did envision delivering violent action facing an effective koldun although he’d ended up so you can getting helpful in at least one eg.