The Domovoy: Benevolent House Spirit or Overbearing Grandpa?

Abstract

Contemporary belief in the Slavic house spirit, the Domovoy (or Domovoi), among Russians stems from a long history of Slavic pagan belief. Ethnographic data reveals that the Domovoy is regarded as a benevolent ancestor and spirit to a given family. He is responsible for all domestic aspects of his dwelling. He punishes amoral behaviour like a messy home and aids his family through favours when they please him. The Domovoy’s characteristics and behaviours reflect larger social and cultural values of Russian peasants before their Christianization in the 10th century. Values of communal and cooperative behaviour, sharing, modesty, and domestic harmony are evident in the ‘rules’ the Domovoy sets for his family. This paper investigates how the belief in the Domovoy strengthens these values of community and tradition. The persistence of the Domovoy in the religious beliefs of contemporary rural Russians exemplifies how studying folk and pagan aspects of larger religious institutions can aid in understanding the cultural intricacies of rural populations.