What is Marzanna Poland?

Marzanna or Morana was a Slavic goddess portrayed as a figure representing death, winter, and disease. The figure is braided from straw into the shape of a human and dressed in traditional local women’s clothing.

What is marzanna the goddess of?

Marzanna (in Polish), Morė (in Lithuanian), Marena (in Russian), Mara (in Ukrainian), Morana (in Czech, Slovene, Croatian, Bosnian and Serbian), Morena (in Slovak and Macedonian) or Mora (in Bulgarian) is a pagan Slavic goddess associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature.

What is the origin of Marzanna?

Polish Tradition of Drowning “Marzanna”. In Poland, it started over 1000 years ago during the reign of King Mieszko I. Jan Dlugosz first recoded it in the 16th Century. According to him, the ritual started with destroying of pagan gods, as instructed by Mieszko, and as a sign of accepting the Christian religion.

What does the doll Marzanna symbolize?

“Marzanna” is a doll symbolizing the bad, long winter. She is made of straw, hay, cardboard, and rags. Dressed in a colorful skirt or dress with a scarf on her head, she is placed on top of a long stick and later is drowned in the river or lake. Children carrying “Marzanna” participate in a colorful parade singing songs.

What is the Marzanna staring?

Staring in 19th Century, adults began to take part in these traditions. With time, the drowning of “Marzanna” lost its initial sense of magic and turned into play, which will remain in Poland for a long time as the proper way to welcome the first day of spring.

What is the other name of Marzena?

Alternate Names: Marzena (Polish), Marena (Russian), Morana (Czech, Bulgarian, Slovene, and Serbo-Croatian), Morena or Kyselica (Slovak), Morena (Macedonian), Mara (Belarusian and Ukrainian), but also variously known as Marui or Marukhi, Maržena, Moréna, Mora, Marmora, More, and Kikimora