The Deep Lore of Kupala
A celebration of the Summer Solstice
The sunlight and shadows are dancing across my floor as the fan makes its steady procession back and forth across the room. It’s hot, languidly so. It’s also the longest day of the year, the summer solstice, or Kupala in Slavic tradition.
This may be the most well known celebration of the Slavic year. The solstice is overseen by Kupalo, solar god of fertility, joy, magic and herbs. It’s also worth mentioning that the feminine and masculine versions, Kupalo and Kupala are used interchangeably. Sometimes they appear as a god and other times as a goddess.
This particular night marked not only the summer solstice but also the beginning of the harvest season. It was believed that this was the one night of the year when the earth revealed all of its secrets. The trees spoke, ferns grew mystical flowers that granted wishes, and of course witches came down from the mountains to perform rituals. It was a night rich with magic, anticipation and communion.
The celebration of Kupala revolved around the two opposing elements, fire and water. Kupala derives from an old Slavic word meaning “bathing”. This was because the celebration was often held on the banks of rivers or streams. Large bonfires were made on the banks during the early evening of Kupala, bringing in the fire element.
This part of the festival was reserved for unmarried young men and women. It was the one night of the year where free love was openly accepted. The young men and women would perform ritual dances and songs around the fire, often of a sexual nature. They would then also jump into the river as a form of cleansing. They would also jump over the bonfire, in a different sort of cleansing to improve health and purge sins. The bonfire was never put out, but was left to smolder until dawn.
On the morning after Kupala Night, people bathed in the dew that collected overnight and farmers ran their cattle through the fresh dew covered meadows in hopes of imbuing strength and revival.
This was an especially sacred time to collect herbs and plants as well. Kupala flower crowns and wreaths were crafted from wildflowers and worn as a symbol of protection and wellness. Folks in many Slavic countries wandered the fields and collected 77 1/2 herbs for a traditional solstice wreath. The 1/2 herb was the herb that everyone searched for, but no one could find. It was an herb that could cure any ailment, a panacea of plants. It was indeed a night where magic was possible.
Wreaths with candles were also placed in the river by young girls in an attempt to gain foresight into their romantic future.
Young folk disappeared into the forest together in search of the “mystical fern flower”. This was also definitely a night dedicated to fertility.
The fern flower, while often used as an excuse for couples to rendezvous in the forest is also a story steeped in great lore. It is said that just one night a year on Kupala, the fern blooms. Of course we know this isn’t possible, as ferns reproduce via spores instead of blooms, but that makes the tale that more more enticing.
The fern flower only blooms in the deepest most secluded parts of the forest where magic reigns and no dog can be heard barking, no people speaking, or rooster crowing. In Polish, this place is called uroczyska a term that specifically describes places in the wild that are connected with magic or ancient traditions.
At midnight the flower is birthed into the world with a resounding crack throughout the forest. It glows gold, purple or blue and lasts only until dawn before falling quietly to the ground. Not only is the flower difficult to find, but it is also said to be guarded by the mythical spirits of the forest, making the task even more impossible.
BUT, if a person were to find the fern flower on this fateful eve, they would gain their heart’s desire whether it be riches, happiness, wisdom or even love. However the stipulation is that whatever the finder is granted, they are forbidden to share it with anyone else. A rather cruel twist, forcing one to evaluate what they truly hold dear in life.
As with most pagan celebrations, the Church attempted to outlaw Kupala. There were many decrees made starting in 1719 to forbid folks from celebrating, but luckily Kupala proved too old and too rooted to destroy. Instead, like the pagan easter basket, priests would bless the herbs collected on Kupala night.
It seems funny to me that they would forbid the celebration of such things, then turn around and deem them holy. I believe it is a testament to just how powerful and strong ancestry and tradition is, and also to the desperation of those who would wish to control it.
So on this night of story and fire, I hope you may find even a small way to connect with this powerful celebration. Even if it was just reading this newsletter and finding something in it that stirred your soul, that is enough.
Great read, Val! Thank you for sharing this with us!