Mavka
Female spirit in Ukrainian mythology
title: "Mavka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["culture-of-ukraine", "demonology", "female-ghosts", "forest-spirits", "nudity-in-mythology", "pentecost", "slavic-legendary-creatures", "slavic-paganism", "spirits", "supernatural-legends", "ukrainian-folklore", "ukrainian-mythology", "undead"] description: "Female spirit in Ukrainian mythology" topic_path: "technology/web" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mavka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Female spirit in Ukrainian mythology ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox mythical creature"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Mavka |
| AKA | |
| image | Stamp of Ukraine s1817.jpg |
| image_size | 250 |
| image_upright | |
| caption | Stamp featuring Lukash and Mavka from The Forest Song |
| Folklore | Slavic paganism |
| Grouping | Female legendary creatures |
| Sub_Grouping | |
| Family | |
| Country | |
| Region | Ukrainian Carpathians |
| Details | |
| First_Attested | |
| Similar_entities | |
| :: |
|name = Mavka |AKA = |image = Stamp of Ukraine s1817.jpg |image_size = 250 |image_upright = |caption = Stamp featuring Lukash and Mavka from The Forest Song |Folklore = Slavic paganism |Grouping = Female legendary creatures |Sub_Grouping = |Family = |Country = |Region = Ukrainian Carpathians |Details = |First_Attested = |Similar_entities = Mavka ( ) or Nyavka ( ) is a type of female spirit in Ukrainian folklore and mythology. The Mavka is a long-haired "Soul of the Forest", typically depicted as a temptress figure who lures men to their deaths.
Terminology
There is variation in the names and spelling, including , uk, навка, uk, нявка, uk. However, depending on telling, there are differences between the Mavka and Nyavka. These terms all derive from , and are cognate with , bg (plural).
Folklore
The spirits known by this term represented the souls of girls who had died unnatural, tragic or premature deaths, particularly unchristened babies. uks often appear in the form of beautiful young girls who entice and lure young men into the woods, where they "tickle" them to death. uks have no reflection in water, nor do they cast shadows. In some accounts, they were also said to help farmers by looking after cattle and driving out wild animals.
A subtype of the Mavkas are the Nyavkas, which behave the same except for having "no back", meaning that their spine and some other insides can be seen; the most defining feature between determining Mavkas and Nyavkas is whether or not the insides are visible from the back. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Мавки_-_лендарт,_Луцьк_2021.jpg" caption="Eco-sculptures "Awakening of forest mavkas". Made by the creative group of Volyn Professional College of Culture and Arts named after I. F. Stravinsky" alt="Eco-sculptures "Awakening of forest Mavkas""] ::
Mavkas and Nyavkas were believed to live in groups in forests, mountain caves, or sheds, which they decorated with rugs. They made thread of stolen flax and wove thin transparent cloth for making clothes for themselves. They loved flowers, which they wore in their hair. In the spring, they planted flowers in the mountains, to which they enticed young men, whom they tickled to death. On Pentecost (known as uk's Easter, ), they held games, dances, and orgies. A demon accompanied them on a flute or pipes.
To save an unchristened baby's soul, one must throw up a kerchief during Pentecost holidays, say their name and add "I baptise you". The rescued soul would then go to heaven. If the soul lived up to seven years and did not go to heaven, the baby would turn into a uk and haunt the earth.
Popular culture
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/POSTER_MAVKA._THE_FOREST_SONG.png" caption="Movie poster, [[Mavka: The Forest Song" alt="Movie poster, Mavka: The Forest Song"] ::
- uks are depicted in literature, most notably in Lesia Ukrainka's The Forest Song and nyavkas are depicted in Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky's Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors.
- In modern culture the Ukrainian music band, Mavka, is named after the mythological creature.
- In 2022, Ukrainian singer Eria released the song "Mavka".
- The 2023 film Mavka: The Forest Song, is based on Ukrainian mythology.
Notes
References
Citations
Works cited
References
- "Михайло Коцюбинський — Тіні забутих предків (аналіз, паспорт твору)".
- (2019-06-04). "Чарівні істоти з прадавніх українських міфів. У що вірили пращури". Радіо Свобода.
- (January 6, 2024). "Mavka".
- (12 January 2022). "ERIA - MAVKA (Official Music Video) Eurovision 2022 Ukraine 🇺🇦".
- (2023-08-15). "Mavka: Lisova pisnya". Animagrad Animation Studio, FILM.UA Group, Ukrainian State Film Agency.
- Ide, Wendy. (2023-07-30). "Mavka: The Forest Song review – formulaic Ukrainian animation makes a plea for nature". The Observer.
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