Protective Incantations as an Element of Magical Communication (Based on the Protective Whispers of the Folk Healer Marya Bykova)

Abstract

Russian incantations have been studied since the nineteenth century primarily as folklore texts, and less frequently as components of rituals, as early researchers typically recorded only the verbal text, neglecting the significance of non-verbal elements. Scholars have explored the origins of incantations, their structure, composition, plots, symbolism, poetics, stylistic features, functions, and more in considerable depth.

In addition, incantations have been analyzed through the lens of various theoretical frameworks, including J. Austin and J. Searle’s theory of speech acts, J. Austin’s theory of performatives, and M. Bakhtin’s theory of the utterance.

However, they have not previously been examined as an integral element of magical communication. While an incantation is not a traditional message – its content must remain unchanged to preserve its magical efficacy – it remains the central element of magical communication.

This study aims to uncover the specific characteristics of protective incantations as forms of (magical) communication. Methods such as analysis, description, modeling, and classification were employed to achieve this goal.

The research, based on the protective incantations of the folk healer Maria Bykova, identified their key features as elements of magical communication, some of which reveal connections with folklore and prayer texts. Since Bykova’s protective incantations are autonomous and not part of a ritual, future studies should explore incantations that, in the context of magical communication, are accompanied by the healer’s actions and the use of various objects.