Die vorliegende Studie widmet sich der Analyse der historischen Figur von Ancia Zarichanska (Anna Poidyn), einer spirituellen Vermittlerin und charismatischen Heilerin aus dem transkarpatischen Dorf Zarichchia. Basierend auf umfangreichen Feldforschungen (2018–2019) und qualitativen Interviews mit den lokalen Informanten beleuchtet der Artikel die narrative Konstruktion dieser Frau im lokalen Gedächtnis, ihre magischen Fähigkeiten, rituellen Praktiken und asketische Lebensweise. Dabei wird ihr außergewöhnliches Verhalten – darunter Rückzug in selbstgewählte Isolation, Visionen, Fasten und soziale Selektivität – als Ausdruck religiöser Askese, devianter Frömmigkeit und spiritueller Autorität interpretiert.

Zentrale Elemente wie Nahtoderfahrung, Wiedergeburtsmotiv oder heilende Hellsicht werden in einen komparativen Kontext mit europäischen Volksheilerinnen, Seherfiguren sowie schamanischen Initiationen gestellt. Der Fall Zarichanska zeigt eindrücklich, wie sich spirituelle Legitimität außerhalb institutioneller Religion entfaltet. Ein besonderer Fokus liegt auf der Analyse der kulturellen Logik hinter der Zuschreibung spiritueller Autorität, der Entstehung von Ritualen wie dem „Hercna-Mittwoch“ sowie der Pflege und kultischen Aufwertung ihres Grabes, das als Ort lokaler Verehrung gilt.

Die Studie stellt einen Beitrag zur Ethnologie des Volksglaubens dar und zeigt, wie kollektives Gedächtnis, orale Tradition, dämonologische Erzählmuster und religiös-magische Praktiken ineinandergreifen und zur Entstehung lokaler „Volksheiligen“ beitragen. Die Figur Zarichanskas wird exemplarisch als Ausdruck transkultureller Muster nicht-institutioneller Spiritualität verstanden, die in Zeiten sozialer Umbrüche eine identitätsstiftende Funktion übernimmt.

The wedding as a rite of passage in Macedonia is a living tradition that preserves numerous and various evidence either on the social relations of the traditional com­munity or the changes of this complex family-customs and ritual cycle. The characteristic of this complex is that it abounds with many ritual-magical actions, the basis of which is the apotropaic character.

The most significant signs, according to which it is possible to determine the boundaries of the local singing style, include: the constancy of the traditional wedding scenario, the commonality of the wedding repertoire and the types of musical-poetic structures.

Remains of the former characteristics of social life are deposited in the entire wed­ding complex: the former rights and duties of the woman and her position in the vil­lage community, as well as the old beliefs of magical and religious character.

The main characters in the wedding ceremony, apart from the bride and the groom, are: the father-in-law, the mother-in-law, the best man, the groomsman, the bride's brother, the brother-in-law and other participants, who are called wedding guests or in-laws. For them, during the entire wedding ritual, songs are sung, related to the entire ritual process and have a precisely determined ritual place and performance time. Their performance is related to four time-space segments of the wedding.

In Gyula Krúdy’s texts, the author’s alter ego figures and mediator types can be given a new meaning with the help of the results of folklore research. The writer got to know the archetypal features of these figures very early on, as even when reading the writings of his youth, it is striking that Krúdy not only wrote the plot and atmos­phere of the mostly family-based fairy tales and ghost stories into his texts, but also used the storytelling techniques that create the folklore treasure.

The study will discuss Krúdy’s short novel The Travelling Companion, the division of the main character’s identity, the wide range of reading possibilities offered by the story’s sacred character and mystical atmosphere. The present interpretation under­takes to reveal the complex personality of the travelling companion, to examine those scenes abounding in sacred elements, through a detailed analysis of which the com­mon features of the Krúdy hero and certain figures of the folk religious world become visible.

It can be assumed that Krúdy knew and used in his works certain features of the accompanying, helping spirit, the so-called soul guide, psychopompos, which term denotes Hermes, the god of travel. However, the term psychopompos is not only known in cultures based on Greek myths, it also applies to the accompanying spirits of ancient shamanism. We find the remains of this belief in shamans in the case of the so-called wayfarers, who, together with other strange people, are considered late descendants of shamans.

Lazarus Day is an important springtime tradition among Orthodox Christians in the Balkans. In the Republic of North Macedonia, many villages mark the occasion with a ritual conducted by female performers, the lazarki. Traditionally, the lazarki visit each home in the village to bless family members by singing unique songs. This ethnographic work intends to explore and document the tradition in Inyevo, a lowland and upland community in the Municipality of Radovis. Compared to other villages in Macedonia, the lazarki in Inyevo perform two connected rituals conducted eight days before Palm Sunday. On a Saturday, the lazarki perform the willow picking and willow offering in the monasteries, while the traditional home visitations happen on a Sunday. In exploring and documenting the tradition, fieldwork was conducted between 27 and 28 April 2024. The fieldwork included interviews (i.e., with the performers, a local family, people in the village) and observation of the rituals performed by the lazarki. The Lazarki in Inyevo exemplifies a tradition evoking themes on gender, the contemporary role of women in rituals, and as a form of authentic expression of faith.           

The aim of this article is to throw light on the historical experiences and their memo­ries of a housewife from a small farm in Upper Savo (Yläsavo) in Finland. Its moti­vation emanates from the fact that neither local, commissioned histories nor ethno­graphical studies have touched the orbit of their lives and their traditional, three-dimensional way of thought. The theoretical vantage-point applied here was put for­ward by Paul Ricoeur and further developed by Frank Ankersmit: memories of wit­nesses of historical experiences can tell more intimate and accurate narratives than documentary histories. As evidence, culled from interviews and diverse biographical and autobiographical material, they can complement the work of ethnographers who operate on the same field by recording past as lived life.

This study explores the evolving definition and role of museums in the digital age, focusing on the intersection of tradition and technological innovation. It illustrates the challenges of reaching a universally accepted concept by highlighting the historical development of the International Council of Museums’ (ICOM) definitions. The pa­per emphasizes that museums have always played a central role in preserving cultural heritage and facilitating education, but their tasks and methods have changed signifi­cantly over time. The 21^st century has brought new expectations, including digital accessibility, audience engagement, and lifelong learning. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation, prompting museums to expand their online pre­sence and educational offerings. The research discusses how virtual exhibitions, digital databases, and interactive technologies can enhance the relevance and outreach of mu­seums. It also outlines the importance of international and national strategies in sup­porting digitisation efforts and cultural inclusion. Today, museums must adapt to soci­etal needs while maintaining their core functions of preservation, education, and au­thenticity. The paper concludes that redefining museums requires balancing traditional knowledge mediation with modern, interactive approaches. Ultimately, museums are cultural hubs whose sustainability depends on their ability to innovate and connect with diverse audiences.

The purpose of this paper is to present and promote the positive experiences of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology in utilizing ArchivesSpace – an open-source web-based database management application that facilitates access, description, and ar­rangement of processed materials, including analog, hybrid, and newly created digital content. These materials are effectively represented through a public user interface and can be used across the domains of library, archival, and museum work. By focusing on the implementation and use of ArchivesSpace within the institute, this study underscores its potential as a sustainable solution for heritage institutions that seek to manage, pre­serve, and present their cultural resources in an efficient and accessible manner. The paper highlights the software’s advantages, such as its open-source nature, adaptability, and capacity to handle various forms of materials, emphasizing its contribution to en­hancing the visibility of cultural heritage and improving its accessibility for diverse audiences. Furthermore, this research reflects on the benefits of using ArchivesSpace in contexts that face financial and infrastructural limitations, illustrating how it can empow­er institutions with limited resources to digitize and preserve their collections while en­suring they remain publicly accessible. The paper concludes by encouraging other institu­tions, especially those in countries with emerging digital preservation strategies, to ex­plore the potential of ArchivesSpace to support their archival and cultural heritage manage­ment needs.