I'm looking on info on the deities of Matka and Marena. Do you know where I could find some good sources, even if I have to run them through a translator? I was born in Russia and adopted at an early age. I'm feeling a calling that I don't quite understand. And research is slow, so I'm reaching out to see if anyone can help.
I personally know “Matka” as Mat Syra Zemlya, to use the Russian name for her (always feels odd transcribing it) and “Marena” as Morana since I’m a South Slav. I’ve made short posts about both of them, but as usual they’re only scratching the surface.
Matka is the personification of the very Earth itself, and a lot of people seem to agree that Matka sort of evolved into Mokosh over time though this can’t be said for certain. She was definitely in the earliest form of our pantheon, and was worshiped up until well into the 10th century. Take everything you read with a grain of salt, no matter who wrote it, as our ancestors never wrote things down, so everything we have today will be riddled with misinformation or bias to certain degrees. The internet isn’t a bad place to learn, especially tumblr, but avoid The Book of Veles at all costs.
There’s a lot more to be found on Morana, mostly because we still celebrate her, even in Christianity and/or Islam in the Balkans. A lot of the traditions have survived! She isn’t as obscure so what you find on the internet will be much more reliable.
People often come to me for book recommendations, but there is no one book I would say gets it right, your knowledge will be a combination of bits and pieces of many different sources. You’ll have to do the sorting through yourself and as time goes by and you become more well-versed you will have sharpened your eye and you will be able to spot the baloney yourself from a mile off.
It’s also hard for me to recommend real sources not only because my knowledge is a combination of just about a galaxy of them, but also because most of it has genuinely been orally passed down. I come from an old, weird family that liked to write stuff down and tell stories. And while I may suck at quoting, I am always willing to tell you what I know.
I’m glad you’re experiencing this call to your roots, and if you need help with any specific rituals concerning either of them, do come back! I’ll gladly explain my favorite ones and/or suggest the type of offerings.
Slava! <3
