XI. Read the text to yourself and write the annotation.

Ivakhiv, Adrian

“In Search of Deeper Identities Neopaganism

And ‘Native Faith’ in Contemporary Ukraine”

Slavic Neopaganism or Native Faith (Рідна Вiра (Ridna Vira) in Ukrainian) is a modern reconstructionistic Neopagan religion. Slavians are religious groups or individuals who consider themselves to be the legitimate continuation of pre-Christian Slavic religion. Many such groups do not use the term "Neopagan" for themselves, and generally prefer to use terms cognate to "Slavianism".

The pre-Christian religions of the Slavic peoples probably died out slowly in the countryside after the official adoption of Christianity (988). Those Pagan religious practices that were not adopted into Christian folk practice were probably stamped out by the 15th century. Some modern Slavic Neo-Paganisms, however, make use of recent (19th century) folk practices that may be altered survivals of the earlier religion.

In the 19th century, many Slavic nations experienced a Romantic fascination with an idealised Slavic Arcadia that was believed to exist before Christianity arrived. This Arcadia combined such notions as the noble savage and national spirit. In the absence of extensive written or archaeological evidence for the destroyed Slavic religion, these artistic visions were important in rebuilding interest in the lost Slavic heritage after the unmitigated condemnation of medieval Chrisitian writers. Zorian Dołęga-Chodakowski’s 1818 pamphlet "About the Slavs Before Christianity" would later prove to be an influential proto-Neo-Pagan manifesto with its depiction of “two cultures” in the Slavic lands; one was the original pure Slavic culture of the peasants, the other was the imported foreign culture of the nobility. Unlike earlier authors, he identified Christianity as a negative influence on national character.

In addition to new artistic representations, the 19th century was a period which rediscovered many authentic fragments of Slavic religion, such as the publication of the Tale of Igor’s Campaign (1800) and the excavation of the Zbruch idol (1848).

As in other European countries, many Slavic nations developed autochthonic religious Neo-Paganisms in the first half of the 20th century (Poland by 1921, Ukraine by 1934).

Most, but not all, Slavic Neo-Paganisms place a heavy emphasis on some form of Nationalism as part of their ideology. In some cases, this may be limited to a commitment to preserve national tradition and folklore; in other cases, it may include chauvinism directed against other ethnic groups. Dr. Victor Shnirelman, a cultural anthropologist has written that ethnic nationalism, xenophobia, racism, and antisemitism are core values of many Slavic Neo-Pagan groups. The right-wing associations of certain groups have also interested the popular press, which may have caused some distortion of the popular image of Slavic Neo-Paganism.

Ecology and respect for nature is another shared theme. Piotr Wiench, who has done the most extensive cross-border study of Slavic Neo-Paganisms so far, has claimed that nationalism is less important than ecology to most groups. Many groups use extensive symbolism drawn from the natural world (trees, lightning, sun, moon) and many hold their religious ceremonies outdoors in sparsely populated areas.

Most Slavic Neo-Paganisms draw their material from some combination of written medieval chronicles, archaeological evidence, 19th century folklore, artistic invention and direct divine revelation. Many Slavic Neo-Paganists in Russia and Ukraine use the controversial Book of Veles as a sacred text.

Nova Religia, March 2005