Babi porridge among the Slavs
Slavic holidays have very unusual names, some of them immediately make it clear to whom the day is dedicated, others are thought-provoking or confusing
That's how it is on January 8th - Babi porridge, what kind of celebration is this - the day of porridge, or those who cook it?
It turns out it’s neither one nor the other Since ancient times, on this winter holiday, the Slavs paid tribute to midwives (midwives) They were the first and indispensable helpers for women giving birth
Each locality had its own celebration customs, but all were united by the veneration of women in labor and those who helped them give birth - midwifed the baby, cast spells on the health of the mother and child
In some settlements, on this day, midwives were invited to visit, presented with gifts, and treated to porridge In others, they came to the midwife’s house with gifts and ate the porridge she had prepared The widespread cooking tradition gave the holiday its name
On January 8, on Babi Kashi, various rituals were performed in each village:
It is noteworthy that Orthodox and Slavic holidays are celebrated on the same day - society has always treated the birth of a new life with reverence The birth of a person is a significant event not only in an individual family, it is the continuation of a clan, a tribe, the continuation of ancestors in descendants
The Slavic tribes lived in a harsh climatic zone; they understood that surviving in conditions of long frosty winters and short summers was only possible with a large, strong community Every newborn is a new member of the community; what kind of worker and breadwinner he will be depends on his health and upbringing
The Slavs believed that an inextricable spiritual and family connection was established between midwives and the children they adopted The midwife was responsible for the child she attended and took part in rituals related to the most important events of his life This is where this deep respect for those who helped babies come from comes from
Not everyone was allowed to see women in labor Only a person with a pure soul, life experience, and certain knowledge and skills could touch the sacrament of birth Usually midwives were not chosen; women voluntarily took on this responsibility, but the requirements for them were strict:
In Slavic society there was a belief: the character of the midwife is passed on to the children she midwives; immoral - babies will be born sick; for a childless woman - dead Our ancestors took care of their offspring as best they could
The midwifery baton was picked up by obstetricians with medical knowledge and modern equipment Are there any other midwives left somewhere? They probably stayed
On January 8th in Babii Kashi, we wish every midwife, every midwife Slavic respect, a happy family, good character, wise life experience and obstetric skill - healthy, viable newborns and their grateful parents