The return of ancestral gods : modern Ukrainian Paganism as an alternative vision for a nation / Mariya Lesiv.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lesiv, Mariya.

Series:

McGill-Queen's studies in ethnic history. Series two ; 65.

McGill-Queen's Studies in Ethnic History. Series Two ; Number 65

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Paganism--Ukraine.

Paganism.

Neopaganism--Ukraine.

Neopaganism.

Ukraine--Religion.

Ukraine.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (238 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Montréal, Québec : McGill-Queen's University Press, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

As Ukraine struggles to find its national identity, modern Ukrainian Pagans offer an alternative vision of the Ukrainian nation. Drawing inspiration from the spiritual life of past millennia, they strive to return to the pre-Christian roots of their ancestors. Since Christianity dominates the spiritual discourse in Ukraine, Pagans are marginalized, and their ideas are perceived as radical. In The Return of Ancestral Gods, Mariya Lesiv explores Pagan beliefs and practices in Ukraine and amongst the North American Ukrainian diaspora. Drawing on intensive fieldwork, archival documents, and published sources not available in English, she allows the voices of Pagans to be heard. Paganism in Slavic countries is heavily charged with ethno-nationalist politics, and previous scholarship has mainly focused on this aspect. Lesiv finds it important to consider not only how Paganism is preached but also the way that it is understood on a private level. She shows that many Ukrainians embrace Paganism because of its aesthetic aspects rather than its associated politics and discusses the role that aesthetics may play in the further development of Ukrainian Paganism. Paganism in Eastern Europe remains underrepresented within Pagan studies, and this work helps to fill that gap. Extensive comparative references to various forms of Western Paganism allows English-speaking readers to better understand the world of Ukrainian Pagans.

Contents:

""Cover""; ""Copyright""; ""Contents""; ""Figures""; ""Acknowledgments""; ""Introduction""; ""1 “Living with Honour� Modern Western Paganism""; ""2 “Where Do They Get This From?�Sources of Ukrainian Paganism""; ""3 Ukrainian Pagan Groups History, Ideology, and Spirituality""; ""4 Boundaries and Borders Cultural Context""; ""5 “We Haven�t Given Up What Is Ours� Past and Present""; ""6 Glory to Dazhboh (Sun-God)or to All Native Gods? Monotheism and Polytheism""; ""7 “Where Else Is There Such a People?� Vision for a Nation""

""8 “We Allowed Nature toLive in Our Holy Place� Nature and Power""""9 “This Is Indeed Ours!� Religious Syncretism""; ""10 In Spite of Politics Aesthetics and Beauty""; ""Concluding Remarks Ukrainian Paganism in the Context of Modernity""; ""Terms""; ""Notes""; ""References""; ""Index""

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed November 9, 2013).

ISBN:

9780773589667

077358966X

9780773589650

0773589651

OCLC:

847332530