Symbolism of Breast Milk and Nursing Among Bulgarians Cover Image

Символика на майчиното мляко и кърменето при българите
Symbolism of Breast Milk and Nursing Among Bulgarians

Author(s): Irina Aleksandrovna Sedakova
Subject(s): History, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Customs / Folklore, Ethnohistory, Oral history, Social history, Gender history, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure
Published by: Великотърновски университет „Св. св. Кирил и Методий”
Keywords: Bulgarian ethnology; folklore; semiotics; ethnolinguistics; ritual terminology; childbirth; breastfeeding; mother’s milk

Summary/Abstract: This ethnolinguistic article focuses on the symbolism and mythological issues of mother’s milk and nursing in Bulgarian traditional childbirth customs and folk medicine. The study is based on lexical, phraseological, folklore and ritual published, archival and author’s field data. Ontological features of milk (liquid, white color, temporality, nutrition qualities) develop symbolism and correlate with other “synonymic” objects (water, bread, onions) and actions (movement, walking). The magic connection made through breastfeeding and milk gets ritual dimension and is regarded as spiritual bias (“milk relationship”) and is depicted in folklore and taken into account by folk law.

  • Issue Year: XXII/2014
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 34-53
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Bulgarian