The Russian lucky charm: severe but warm, like its people
From Ivan the Terrible to Stalin's communism, Russia's history is violent, confusing and full of twists and turns.
Russian culture is difficult to define due to the size of the country and the impressive number of ethnic groups that make it up. However, there are some qualities that we can never take away from Russians: loyalty, attachment to family and national pride are among them. All these values are found in the Russian lucky charm.
The collective spirit developed by centuries of living in small agricultural communities and a need to support each other in the face of the cold of winter also forged the soul of Russia.
Described as party people par excellence, Russians love to drink and eat. .. but not only that. These people are also interested in the arts (music, theater, literature, etc.) in which they excel. There are many talented composers there, and the famous St. Petersburg ballet still amazes the eyes of the whole world today.
Besides that, Russians are also very superstitious: the list of Russian rituals and lucky charms is as long as an arm. All these cultural and folkloric elements are, however, marked by the elements which have forged the character of this country: the cold, a fervent practitioner of the Orthodox religion and above all a hard life similar to a long fight.
Some of these rituals work, others perhaps not... One thing is certain, no one can know from having experienced them.
Russian dolls and the love of family values
The Russian matryoshka doll, also known as a nesting doll, is undoubtedly the best-known Russian lucky charm abroad.
Traditionally made of wooden figurines painted in bright, warm colors, Russian dolls are very decorative.
The characters represented may vary but, most of the time, they will be young felles in the prime of life in traditional dress.
Their number is also not constant. However, tradition dictates that matryoshka dolls are created in groups of seven.
So we have seven dolls of different sizes designed to fit together, with the smaller ones hidden inside the larger ones.
In terms of its meaning, this typical Russian lucky charm represents the fertility of the country's women, and the values associated with motherhood.
The shape of the dolls, with their rounded bellies, alludes to the silhouette of a mother who is preparing to give birth. When we think about how they work, that's actually exactly what matryoshka dolls do!
Symbolically, this shows us that, in a family, everyone protects the other, the elders watching over the younger ones.
For others, these dolls will be the symbol of the great Russia, of the Motherland : like the first figurine we see, Mother Earth has given birth to multiple generations of children.
The domovoi, a small figurine protecting the house
The term domovoi, which can sometimes be written domovoj or domovoy, refers to a small house spirit in Russian and Slavic mythology in general.
He most often shows himself to us in the form of an old man no more than a meter tall and covered in hair from head to toe.
To put it simply, domovoi are the guardians of our homes. Here we must clearly distinguish between the house and the hearth as the family nucleus: this spirit is indeed linked to individuals more than to the walls and ceiling.
In Russian folk tradition, the domovoi is described as a rather benevolent being who watches over the members of the family to which he is linked, preventing demons and evil spirits from attacking them. It is therefore quite natural that many Russian lucky charms pay homage to him!
Sometimes also, the domovoi will help us to clean up and put away our mess.
Be careful, however: if you disrespect him or the behavior of one of the family members displeases him, he may become angry and play tricks on us.
Far from being fun, in the most extreme cases it can lead to the house burning down.
If the lack of respect towards him is repeated, the domovoi may even decide to abandon his home. In this case, nothing prevents other spirits (clearly less benevolent) from entering…
A word of advice then: like the Russians, always keep in mind to please your miniature friend!
Some popular Russian superstitions
If you ever travel to Russia, you will see how superstitious its people are. There is even a region known to be filled with practitioners of witchcraft! (Visit this page dedicated to magic so it won't do any harm, if only to protect yourself.)
Some customs are so specific to the Russian soul that it is important to know them well if you hope to be able to integrate quickly.
First of all, be aware that Russians think that saying hello to someone on a doorstep but who is on the other side (i.e. if you are inside and they are outside) 'outside, or vice versa) is the source of terrible curses.
Bread should never be cut with your hands, but always sliced with a knife. If you don't follow this rule, it could well be your life that will be shattered.
If you have forgotten something at home, don't turn around. It will be better for you to take a completely different path than to turn back the way you came.
If you haven't been able to respect a Russian tradition and you're afraid of being hit by a spell, you still have one solution: knock on wood and everything will be fine for you. This probably explains why Russian lucky charms are so often made of wood.
