Obiceiuri de primăvară cehe şi slovace
Czech and Slovak spring customs

Summary/Abstract: Morana is an ancient Czech and Slovak lay custom, based on the idea of the death and rebirth of nature which consists of making a doll stuffed with straw and mounting it on a stick or a wooden cross. The figurine is adorned with ribbons, flowers, wreaths, sometimes with a string of blown eggs or snail shells. A procession of girls and boys leads the figurine, singing or reciting poetry specific to the village, after that they gave it fire or thrown into the river. Morana, with all its variants Morena, Morena, Marena, Marana, Smrt, Smrtka, Smrtholka, Hejhana, Kyselica, Kyseľ Baba, was considered the goddess of death. May Day is a custom similar to Arminden (May pole) found in Romania.

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