Belief Narratives of Spirit-Animals: A Case Study on Estonian Contemporary Folklore Cover Image

Belief Narratives of Spirit-Animals: A Case Study on Estonian Contemporary Folklore
Belief Narratives of Spirit-Animals: A Case Study on Estonian Contemporary Folklore

Author(s): Reet Hiiemäe
Subject(s): Customs / Folklore, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Culture and social structure
Published by: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum
Keywords: belief narratives; contemporary folklore; new spirituality; spirit-animals;

Summary/Abstract: This paper focuses on the images, communication modes, and belief narratives connected with spirit-animals in Estonian folklore. Firstly, the older (pre-twentieth-century) concept of the spirit-animal is described. Secondly, contemporary beliefs and experiences related to spirit-animals are highlighted. The paper desribes to what extent the old local soul concepts have intermingled with the imported ideas of the spirit-animal and how narratives describing the verbal or non-verbal communication with a spirit-animal sometimes become part of life history narrating, supporting psychological coping with life stress. The author describes repeated elements in the manifestation forms (e.g. bears, wolves) and the behaviour of spirit-animals, contexts where they occur (in the course of rural sweat-lodge rituals as well as in urban settings, experienced and narrated by esoteric practicioners as well as schoolchildren), and tries to find out about their sources.

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 77
  • Page Range: 115-138
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: English