Maslenitsa in ETNOMIR

In the East Slavic world, the Maslenitsa holiday was an analogue of the Italian carnival - it celebrated the renewal of nature and future fertility. The main attribute - the effigy of Maslenitsa - symbolized the dying and resurrecting deity. Later, with the adaptation of the holiday to Christianity, Maslenitsa turned into a farewell to winter, but did not lose its components: games, competitions, abundant eating of pancakes and burning of effigy. All this - and more - awaits the guests of ETNOMIR.

Among the people, every day of Maslenitsa had its own name: “meeting”, “flirt”, “gourmet”, “take a walk”, “mother-in-law’s party”, “mother-in-law’s get-togethers” and “farewell”. At the celebration of Maslenitsa in ETNOMIR, seven thematic platforms were named this way, at each of which guests will be treated to special entertainment. The first three days of the week - meeting, flirting and delicacy - were called Narrow Maslenitsa. The fun had already begun, but housework was still allowed. On Shiroka Maslenitsa - days from Thursday to Sunday - all work stopped. Snow slides, skating rinks, swings, the scarecrow itself and other attributes were prepared in advance.

At the festival, guests will enjoy real Maslenitsa games and fun: gates, rolling pins, a stream, a blower, a sack race, tug of war, woodpile collection, weight pulling and the main Maslenitsa attraction - an ice pillar. In Russian huts, guests will be able to hear about the age-old traditions of seeing off winter in Rus'. The exhibition of Maslenitsa effigies of the peoples of the world will tell about the “twins” of Russian Maslenitsa: Martinichka in Bulgaria, Marena in Ukraine and Mazanna in Poland, Gilly in Belgium, Snowman Bodge in Switzerland, Myasopust in the Czech Republic, Nubel in Germany and Holika in India.

In addition, guests will see a real art object - the five-meter Kolovrat wheel, the Slavic symbol of the sun. To fulfill your most cherished desire, just tie a ribbon on it and turn it three times. Round dances, buffoons, mummers, Maslenitsa performances and competitions, traditional workshops and excursions and of course pancakes - this is not a complete list of what awaits ETNOMIR guests on the second spring weekend!

Of course, the climax of the holiday will be the burning of the huge Maslenitsa, which will cleanse the world of the old and call for a fertile spring. We may not be sowing, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt for all of us to renew ourselves.

ETNOMIR is the largest ethnographic park-museum in Russia. It is located on a vast area of more than 140 hectares in the Kaluga region. This unique place is a model of the world in miniature: in the so-called ethno-yards you can get acquainted with the life, cuisine, architecture and traditions of a particular culture, but not only. A variety of activities - from creative workshops to national holidays - invite guests to participate.

There are countless options for spending time in the park-museum, especially during thematic festivals. It’s not worth even trying to walk around the entire space in a day. Therefore, on the territory of ETNOMIR there are 11 ethnic hotels where you can comfortably stay with your family or company, be it a Russian hut, an Asian yurt, a tent or an Indian palace. In such a cultural and educational center as ETNOMIR, even sleeping and eating turn into a unique experience that guests will take with them.