A Near-Death Experience Narrated by a Vepsian Woman

• Published in: Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics
• Main Authors: Arukask, Madis, Saar, Eva
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2024
• Subjects: vepsian
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/jef-2024-0008; https://www.sciendo.com/pdf/10.2478/jef-2024-0008

Abstract This article* focuses on the immediate near-death experience of an elderly woman living in traditional Vepsian culture. We analyse which universal, and which more culturally motivated features are present in her story narrated to us in 2018. We conclude that, despite the strong association with animistic beliefs in the informant’s everyday life, the experience is dominated by elements specific to vernacular Orthodox Christianity. The article presents a translation from Vepsian of a fragmentary personal experience narrative.