Komoeiditsa, Mummers & Connection with Bear

An old name for Maslenitsa was Komoeiditsa. The name comes from the bear, which was formerly called “kom”. Kom was the personification of the god Veles, who protected livestock as well as the animal world and nature.

During Maslenitsa the bears left their dens and woke up from their long winter hibernation. To help them awaken faster and meet Veles, many rituals were performed: dancing special “bear” dances; wearing carnival costumes made of fur; feeding bears with treats, and so on.

Because of this, the bear became an indispensable participant in the Maslenitsa festivities. He is the main pagan symbol of Maslenitsa. His awakening symbolizes the arrival of spring.

From Komoeiditsa and its ancient customs came the tradition of mummers (ryazhenyi). Over time the “bears” turned into these costumed figures. At Maslenitsa you can encounter costumed participants dressed as various animals—bears, horses, goats, etc. The costumed figures are symbols of the Maslenitsa celebrations. They conduct rites, dance, tell entertaining stories, and can even frighten a person, thereby driving out fear and evil spirits. Interestingly, only men were allowed to perform the ritual dances in costume; women were excluded from the rites. They could only take part in preparing the food.

This tradition confirms that modern Maslenitsa is the legal successor of the pagan traditions and rituals. Men would put a bear skin on one of the participants, after which the costumed “bear” would start dancing together with his fellow villagers.

Later, cities would also display a live bear in the town square. The bear became one of the symbols of Maslenitsa and the onset of spring, because in winter the bear sleeps in its den, and in spring it awakens. When the bear wakes up, it means spring has arrived.

The main treat for Komoeiditsa is kom. These are round pancakes that could be made from flour of various types and grades. Some komy were placed on the table to serve guests and friends, but several pancakes were always taken into the forest as an offering to the god Veles and to the bears. Special small tables with food were even set up so that people could enjoy the komy. It was believed that if all the offerings were eaten, the gift had been accepted and the year promised to be prosperous and successful.

Sun Symbolism & Circle Magic

The circle is a solar symbol because the Slavs imagined the sun as a wheel rolling across the sky. That’s why one of the most popular festive games at Maslenitsa was the tradition of rolling lit wheels along the roads. It was believed that wealth and marriage awaited those whose blazing wheel reached home without ever falling.

In addition to baking pancakes, which symbolized the sun, there were other Maslenitsa rites linked to sun worship. For example, various ritual actions based on the magic of the circle were performed, since the sun is round. Young people—and adults as well—harnessed horses, prepared sleds, and rode around the village several times in a circle.

The circle‑wheel, like the pancake, is an inseparable hallmark of Maslenitsa. It symbolizes the sun. To create such a craft, people used a wagon wheel or any other round object that could be decorated with ribbons, threads, and other ornaments.

Afterwards, festivities and entertainments were held together with the circle. For instance, one person would hold the wheel and walk ahead, followed by other participants who sang songs and danced. Interestingly, the communal dance (khorovod) was also considered a kind of wheel (circle). Thus, girls and boys frequently led khorovods on any day of the week.

A tradition associated with the circle‑wheel was rolling it along streets or down hills. The wheel was lit and set rolling away. Whoever’s wheel rolled farther than the others would be happy and fortunate for the entire year.

At the beginning of the week, people usually made such festive “kurgi‑wheels.” Various symbols and details were painted on them. Making such a wheel was a male task. Then, on the “Wide Maslenitsa,” the wheel was carried around the village (or town), and when winter was bid farewell on Sunday, it was burned in fire.

Moreover, a bright wheel was a ceremonial decoration that people tried to prepare before the festivities began. Ribbons on the wheel came in many colors. Girls in beautiful dresses carried the wheel through the settlement, symbolizing the arrival of the sun and warmth.

In addition, wooden wheels were adorned with vivid ribbons and taken through the street, mounted on a pole. During the communal celebrations, khorovods were always performed; they too were rituals connected with the circle—that is, with the sun. The sun and fire were symbolized when boys lit wooden wheels and rolled them down a hill. Whoever managed to roll his wheel without a single fall was expected to enjoy happiness, good luck, and prosperity in the coming year.