Spirit Possession in a Present-Day Russian Village
FOLKLORICA - Journal of the Slavic East European and Eurasian Folklore Association October 25, 2010 DOI: 10.17161/folklorica.v15i0.4024 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnography Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Old Believers in the Urals and Udmurtia (Verkhokam'e historical region) |
| Duration | 1999 to 2005 |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Argues that beliefs in spirit possession (ikota/poshibka) persist in Verkhokam'e, with both folkloric memorates and living individuals identifying as possessed. The author analyzes the semantics, pragmatics, and social functions of these beliefs, showing their continued relevance in the community. |
Abstract
The article is based on the data collected in the period from 1999 to 2005 during the author’s field work among the Old-Believers of the Urals and Udmurtia (Verkhokam’e historical region). The author examines beliefs in spirit possession which have existed in this region since at least the beginning of XVIII century. Local synonymous terms for spirit possession are ikota and poshibka. In the present-day Verkhokam’e one can find not only а large corpus of folkloric memorates about ikota/poshibka, but also actual persons who consider themselves to be possessed by or to have ikota. Other persons in their social environment share this diagnosis.The author analyzes a large number of folkloric memorates about ikota as well as interviews with possessed persons. She reviews the semantics, pragmatics, and social functions of ideas about spirit possession in the Verkhokam’e.