December 8, 2023 • 25 mins
Ever wondered what mysteries lie in the heart of Slavic folklore? Prepare to be immersed in a world where tales of the Bannik, a mythical guardian spirit closely associated with sacred bathhouses, come alive. This episode takes you deep into the roots of Slavic culture, unveiling the enigmatic Bannick with its dual nature of protection and mischief. We don't just stop there, we continue to explore interesting rituals and beliefs surrounding this mystical being, including its auspicious role in predicting the future and connection to childbirth.
Brace yourselves as we continue to traverse through the mystical realm of Slavic folklore, spotlighting another revered protector - the Bannick. Associated with bathhouses and water, the Bannik, despite its requirement of respect for bathhouse rules and natural elements, is deeply rooted in Slavic communities. We feature a self-composed Bannik song and discuss its timeless legacy reflected in literature, art, and cultural practices. Venture with us to uncover these mystical beings in an episode that assures to leave you spellbound, because sometimes, the most compelling truths are found in the most unexpected places. Stay tuned and follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more of such thrilling explorations.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Eric Dionne (00:22):
Welcome to Legends from the Shadows, tales of the
Unexplained.
I'm your host, Eric Dionne, andI'll be your guide through the
mysteries that lurk beyond theordinary.
Join me as we peel back theveil on legends, myths and
enigmas that have nestledthemselves in the shadowy
(00:42):
corners of history.
From cryptic creatures to eerieoccurrences, we'll embark on a
journey to uncover the truth,mysteries and whispers that have
captivated curious minds forcenturies.
Get ready to venture into theunknown, or the line between
(01:02):
fact and folklore blur, and thestories that dwell in the
shadows come to light.
Greetings, curious listeners.
(01:25):
Today we immerse ourselves inthe mythical world of Slavic
folklore to uncover the secretssurrounding the Bannik, a
guardian spirit associated withbathhouses.
Join me as we delve into thehistory, lore, alleged sightings
and the enduring significanceof the Bannik in Slavic culture.
(01:45):
So the Bannik is a mysticalfigure from Slavic mythology.
It's believed to inhabitbathhouses, overseeing these
sacred spaces, protecting them,guarding them, just taking care
of them.
So bathhouses, for those thatdon't know or aren't familiar,
are basically like what we havein modern day now of equivalent
(02:10):
of saunas, but in thesebathhouses they would also use
them as a place for women togive birth.
They'd also use them as placesto practice divination based on
their religion and theirpractices.
So these enigmatic spirits haveembodied both a protective and
(02:33):
a mischievous aspect to them.
They've weaved their self intothe tapestry of Slavic folklore
as protectors and guardians, andwith that there comes a lot of
different things.
Now I try to do a lot ofresearch on this and go really
deep, but there really there'svery, very little out there
(02:59):
about the Bannik left, andthat's crazy saying that,
especially with the way theinternet is nowadays.
But let's go ahead and try tounravel the mystery surrounding
the Bannik and its culturalsignificance.
We'll start with a little bitof history here.
So the origin of the Banniktraces back to ancient Slavic
(03:19):
beliefs, where bathhouses heldspiritual significance beyond
their practical use forcleansing.
The Bannik was seen as theguardian spirit of these spaces.
He was revered and feared forits powers, and he was usually
described as a small, naked oldman with a long beard that just
(03:41):
went down to the floor, and hisbody was usually covered in
leaves, particularly birchleaves back then that were left
over from the brooms that theyused within the bathhouses.
So there are reports that hewas a shapeshifter.
Sometimes he could appear assomebody locally in the village
(04:01):
who wasn't even there in thebath house.
Other times it could have beena stone or even a broom.
So you had these reports andthese thoughts on that.
The Bannik's nature ranged fromvery helpful to very vengeful,
so rewarding those who respectedthe bathhouses sensually, while
(04:23):
punishing those whodisrespected it when they'd fire
up these bathhouses or lightthem up to heat them up, because
, like I said, they're likesaunas.
The third firing of thebathhouse or the fourth firing,
depending on the traditions thatyou would read into was
reserved for the Bannock, and sowhat that was is nobody else
(04:48):
was allowed during that third orfourth firing of it, and it was
said that the Bannik wouldbasically invite other demons or
force spirits to share thebathhouse with him, and for that
reason there was no Christianimagery allowed because it might
(05:09):
offend the occupants of that.
So here it is you have thisBannock inviting all his forest
creatures or spirits or demonswhatever you want to view it as
into this bathhouse with him sothey could have their little
gathering and cleaning, I guess,themselves off, and no
(05:34):
Christian imagery or theirreligious imagery was allowed
because you didn't want to angerhim and you didn't want to
offend his occupants or hisguests during his time during
there.
Because If you did, you know, Iguess, before going to the
number one rule is basicallydon't anger the Banniks, like if
(05:58):
the Bannik was disturbed byintruder while washing.
It was said that this comes onthat ventures ventures side of
things, that he might act outand or boiling water over
somebody or throw red hot rocks.
There's even reports that hemay still children or start
(06:20):
strangling individuals whooffended him.
So, in all actuality, thewisest aspect to everything was
just to respect him and he hadto do what you had to do.
Now, bathhouses back then werevery it's the word I want to use
here Liminal or dirty spaces.
(06:42):
The bathhouse was basicallyconsidered a dirty space among
the Slavic peasants and thusconsidered unclean in the end,
because you know that's whereyou're washing away your filth,
you know stuff like that.
But it was also considered aplace of spiritual danger.
Now, despite that thought thatit was a place of spiritual
(07:09):
danger and it was a dirty place,most births occurred inside the
bathhouse and it was believedthat the Bannik was not truly
happy or settled in its waysuntil a child was born within
his domain or realm of thatbathhouse.
It was also thought that theBannik had the ability to
(07:30):
predict the future.
The manner in which the banickreveals this information varies,
with traditions and storiesdetailing its gentle touch or
its scratching with its sharpclaws.
But one would consult him bystanding with your back exposed
(07:52):
in a half open door of the bath,to which the legend has it that
when, like young girls wouldallow the banick to touch their
back during a sauna session, thespirit would provide valuable
information on their destiny.
So basically, you're goingthere and you're like, yeah, I'm
(08:12):
gonna, you know, half undress,turn my back around, expose it
halfway through this door, halfopen door, and then it was from.
There was, if you had a gentletouch, then it signified a
favorable future, while ascratching of its claws into the
(08:34):
back would indicate potentialmisfortune.
Now, the Bannik's prolificabilities, combined with its
areas of parents, have made it afigure of both fear and
fascination within the Slavicfolklore.
Here with this, but I was tryingto read a little bit into it a
little, a little more, and youknow you have, okay, there's, no
(08:58):
, there's no depiction ofwhether that, yeah, okay, gentle
touch is one thing, but thenit's going into the scratching
of its claws.
You know, I can't find itwhether it's just a scratch of
the claws going down or like, isit like a terrifying and full
(09:19):
scratch, like bloodshed, like ohmy God, you've been scarred?
You know, I don't know.
Like I said, there's verylittle information on banick out
there to begin with, and a lotof the stuff is just repeat over
and over.
So it's trying to figure thatout.
But I'm sorry, I don't want toif it's a vengeful, like scratch
(09:39):
.
Of course you know.
If you're getting scratchedhard across your back, yeah, I'm
going to say that you just gottold your future that yeah,
there's misfortune, yeah,there's misfortune that you have
a scratch going across yourback now if you survived it.
You know, it's one of those,those thoughts, it's like I
don't know, it's a lot, that's awhole, another half of thinking
(10:02):
I guess you could say for me.
But there were several ritualsthat were performed in the
bathhouses in order to keep theBannik happy and peaceful.
The most common occurred duringthe steaming or the firing.
Like I said earlier, that wasreserved for the Bannik itself.
Or upon the closing of theBannock for the night, there'd
(10:25):
be offerings of fur, branches,water and soap were usually left
, capped.
Also, you know, I guess youcould say by formal thank you
that the person would utteraloud.
So you'd basically be likethank you, Bannik, you know, for
this or for looking over us.
There's a lot of aspects to it.
The Bannik was often blamed,though, as well, for anything
(10:48):
that went wrong within thebathhouse.
So, let's say, the structureburned down, which back in those
days they really did burn downa lot.
So whenever they would burndown, it was believed that the
spirit had been affronted oroffended in some way and that he
decided to burn the spot down.
(11:10):
Was it the Bannik, or was itjust poor construction or lack
of fire safety back then?
There's no telling what itcould be, but it was believed,
like I said, that they had beenaffronted or offended in some
way.
So in order to appease theBannik, upon the rebuilding of
the bathhouse, a black hen wouldbe suffocated and then left
(11:34):
unplucked and buried beneath thebuilding's threshold.
The people performing thisritual would end it by bowing
and backing away from thethreshold while reciting, I
guess, whatever was theappropriate incantations for
their time and area at thatpoint.
But it goes to show that youknow, there it's.
(11:56):
I'm not going to saysuperstition, because that's
such the wrong word to use inthis but beliefs, and we still
do it.
We all hold on to our beliefsgreatly, and so I can't knock
anybody's belief.
I try to stay very neutral.
But firsthand I grew upCatholic so I see the beliefs
(12:18):
within the churches andreligions and everything, and
I've studied religions to thepoint that we all have beliefs
and we all have rituals, whetherwe believe it or not.
The Catholic Church was greatfor it.
You know the body of Christ andall this stuff and you know
confessions and you know thesign of the cross.
You know we did things, and theCatholic Church still does
(12:41):
things that are rituals when youbreak it down, but I'm not
going to go down that pathbecause that's going to lead to
a tangent.
So I just wanted to put it outthere.
But yeah, so the peopleperforming these rituals would
end it by bowing and backingaway and you know reciting
incantations and hoping thatthis new bathhouse wouldn't burn
(13:04):
down.
Now with the Bannik, like I saidI've said earlier, the elusive
nature of the Bannik makes itsspecific sightings rare and all
the research through folklorehas offered some glimpses into
the ledge counters, but nothingof solid record.
I take the village tales, whereshort stories from rural
(13:30):
communities would basicallyre-encounter encounters with
this mysterious figure in thebathhouse believed to be the
Bannik.
So I want you to close youreyes and I want you to picture
in your mind and imagine in thequiet heart of rural communities
nestled, missed the sprawlinglandscapes, whispers of
(13:53):
enigmatic encounters with aspectral presence echoed through
the village tales, missed theserene and the echoes of the
bathhouse.
Locals speak of eerie incidentsor a mysterious figure believed
to be the Bannik materializes.
The short stories are passeddown through generations,
(14:13):
weaving a tapestry offascination and trepidation,
depicting encounters with aspectral guardian, the welling
within the steam-ladensanctuaries of the bathhouse On.
Villagers' speak of glimpses,but in ethereal form an aged
figure whose presence embodiesboth reverence and caution,
(14:36):
believed to watch over therituals of cleansing, or the
gaze that pierces beyond thephysical realm as twilight
descends upon the village,stories come alive and a
flickering glow of earthscaptivating listeners with tales
of whispers, warnings andsilent blessings by the unseen
guardians of the bathhouses.
(14:56):
These narratives, steeped infolklore and tradition, speak of
the banished dual nature itsbenevolent protection of those
who honor its sanctuary of thebath and its wrath towards those
who dare to disrespect ordefile the sacred spaces.
The village tales carry withinthem the essence of reverence
(15:18):
for tradition, infusing eachencounter with a Bannik with an
aura of mystery and anunwavering respect for the
spiritual connections woven intothe rituals of the bathhouse.
If you are closing your eyes,you can go ahead and open them.
Then you also, like I said,there's not a lot of information
out there, so it was reallyhard.
(15:40):
There's some stuff that I putdown in my notes that I really
wanted to try to find out moreon, but you also add stories
from the bathhouse keepers, andlegends have passed down by the
bathhouse keepers describingencounters of a protective wrath
.
They would recount ominousepisodes of wrathful warning
where transgressions against thesacred space are met with a
(16:02):
ethereal retribution.
To be a reminder that thespirit's guardianship and the
importance of upholding ancientcustoms are handed down through
keepers, to impart a sense ofrespect for the mystic
connection between the banic andthe revered domain of the
bathhouses.
Now, my problem with this isjust like with anything that
(16:26):
involves any type of religion,you have these bathhouse keepers
, and if they are of a religiousaspect, well, just like with
any religion, fear is a keycomponent.
Do this, and if you don't dothis, this is going to happen.
(16:46):
It's across the board witheverything.
I don't think I've reallylooked into a religion that
doesn't have fear as a part ofit out there, and again I'm
going off on a tangent where Idon't need to be.
So I have issues with thelegends passed down.
But just like with anythingthat's passed down, whether it's
(17:08):
our history, there's alwaysgoing to be errors, there's
going to be flaws, there's goingto be mis-telling.
It's like the old telephonegame where you pass one thing
and when it gets around it's notthe same thing it was before,
but there's really.
We have no way because even inwritten history we're human and
humans make errors.
So yeah, I'll move on from that.
(17:32):
The most widely, reports werethrough folklore counts.
You had just depictions intraditional tales and songs,
often symbolizing the banning'srole as a guardian and enforcer
of bathhouse rules.
Now I looked and I searched allover the place for folklore
song or just a song in generalthat mentioned the banning, and
(17:56):
I could not find one for thelife of me.
So, me being ambitious, whatdid I decide to do?
Well, I wrote my own banningsong.
Warning, big warning, righthere and right now.
I am not a singer, but I willshare what maybe a song about
(18:17):
the banning would have been like.
So we'll see how this goes.
And take it from there.
(18:46):
In the heart of the villagewhere tales find their birth
lies a spirit of old upon thesteaming earth Bannik, guardian
spectral, unseen yet near.
In the bathhouse, whispers wavethe tales we hold dear.
(19:11):
Bannik spirit veiled in steam,keepers of secrets and tales we
glean.
Forcer of rules, guardiansmight and folk lords, embrace
you, dance in the night.
From the hearth side stories toancient song.
(19:34):
Bannik's presence lingersmysterious and strong, with each
whispered warning and blessingsshared the spectral form guards
ensuring they are spared.
Bannick spirit veiled in steam,keepers of secrets and tales we
(19:58):
glean.
Forcer of rules, guardiansmight and folk lords, embrace
you dance in the night In echoesof the bathhouse where legends
entwine.
Bannik's lore dances, a tale sodivine, a protective gaze to
(20:20):
wrathful stare In these folkloretunes, your essence we share.
Bannik, spirit veiled in thesteam, keepers of secrets and
tales we glean.
Forcer of rules, guardiansmight and folk lords, embrace
(20:41):
you, dance in the night.
Bannik and eternal in,folklore's hue In songs and
stories.
We honor you, guardian unseenin our hearts.
You reside In the bathhouse.
mystique, your present abides.
(21:18):
Okay, so now that I made acomplete fool of myself and did
that, like I said, I'm not asinger.
I can write stuff out here andthere, all that fun stuff, but
oh well, I'm done it over withand you know I'll probably keep
it in the episode, just becauseand it's a lot easier to just
(21:40):
keep something in and to moveforward and try to edit it all
out.
But sorry for that.
If I lost you, I lost you If Ididn't, hey great.
But don't judge me because,like I said, I gave you a
warning, I am not a singer.
Back to the banic.
You know songs, folklorists,stuff like that.
That's how a lot of stuff waspassed down.
(22:03):
Nowadays, in contemporary times,while the belief in the bannik
as a literal spirit might havewaned a lot, its legacy still
remains out there Bath houses.
Although they've evolved, theystill hold cultural significance
in Slavic communities andreferences to the Bannik can
actually be found in literature,art and cultural celebrations
(22:24):
still within the Slaviccommunity.
So the Bannik continues to be asymbol of tradition and a
spiritual connection betweenhumanity and water, reminding
basically our modern society ofthe importance of respecting
(22:44):
natural elements.
If there's anything that youtake from this, take that.
Take that it's important torespect our natural elements.
It's important to respectpeople as well, and all of
nature.
But you know, it's just.
There's something I don't know.
(23:05):
I have a strong connection withwater to begin with, but that's
just me.
So, as we conclude ourexploration into the realm of
the Bannik, this guardian spiritremains a testament to the
intertwining of folklore,tradition and cultural beliefs.
So, whether as a protector or aharbinger of retribution, the
(23:29):
legacy of the Bannik will endurein the hearts of the Slavic
mythology.
Before I fade out here, I justwant to say thank you for
joining us on this captivatingjourney into the Slavic folklore
and the ematic world of theBannik.
I hope you've enjoyed theexploration into the mystical
(23:50):
guardians of the bath houses.
I know it's not as long of anepisode as the last one.
Like I said, there was a lotthat I just could not unearth, I
couldn't find, but you knowthings will get better.
Like I said, this is onlyepisode two and yeah, I'm a
little rusty still and I willimprove, I promise you.
(24:14):
But until then, if you go,follow us on our Instagram page,
just type legends from theshadows, help pull up our
Instagram page.
You can also look us up onFacebook so hopefully you know
you'll stick around and see whatI have to offer.
So once again, thank you allfor listening.
(24:36):
I'm Eric Dionne and I will seeyou all in a week as our journey
through the mysteriousconcludes.
We step back from the shadows,but their secrets linger.
Remember in the quiet cornersof the world, mysteries still
(24:56):
whisper their tales Until wemeet again.
Stay curious, embrace thedarkness and never forget that
truth often thrives in the mostunexpected places.
As we part ways, may you alwaysfind fascination in the unknown
and the courage to explore thedepths of the unexplained.
Welcome to Legends from the Shadows, tales of the
Unexplained.
I'm your host, Eric Dionne, andI'll be your guide through the
mysteries that lurk beyond theordinary.
Join me as we peel back theveil on legends, myths and
enigmas that have nestledthemselves in the shadowy
(00:42):
corners of history.
From cryptic creatures to eerieoccurrences, we'll embark on a
journey to uncover the truth,mysteries and whispers that have
captivated curious minds forcenturies.
Get ready to venture into theunknown, or the line between
(01:02):
fact and folklore blur, and thestories that dwell in the
shadows come to light.
Greetings, curious listeners.
(01:25):
Today we immerse ourselves inthe mythical world of Slavic
folklore to uncover the secretssurrounding the Bannik, a
guardian spirit associated withbathhouses.
Join me as we delve into thehistory, lore, alleged sightings
and the enduring significanceof the Bannik in Slavic culture.
(01:45):
So the Bannik is a mysticalfigure from Slavic mythology.
It's believed to inhabitbathhouses, overseeing these
sacred spaces, protecting them,guarding them, just taking care
of them.
So bathhouses, for those thatdon't know or aren't familiar,
are basically like what we havein modern day now of equivalent
(02:10):
of saunas, but in thesebathhouses they would also use
them as a place for women togive birth.
They'd also use them as placesto practice divination based on
their religion and theirpractices.
So these enigmatic spirits haveembodied both a protective and
(02:33):
a mischievous aspect to them.
They've weaved their self intothe tapestry of Slavic folklore
as protectors and guardians, andwith that there comes a lot of
different things.
Now I try to do a lot ofresearch on this and go really
deep, but there really there'svery, very little out there
(02:59):
about the Bannik left, andthat's crazy saying that,
especially with the way theinternet is nowadays.
But let's go ahead and try tounravel the mystery surrounding
the Bannik and its culturalsignificance.
We'll start with a little bitof history here.
So the origin of the Banniktraces back to ancient Slavic
(03:19):
beliefs, where bathhouses heldspiritual significance beyond
their practical use forcleansing.
The Bannik was seen as theguardian spirit of these spaces.
He was revered and feared forits powers, and he was usually
described as a small, naked oldman with a long beard that just
(03:41):
went down to the floor, and hisbody was usually covered in
leaves, particularly birchleaves back then that were left
over from the brooms that theyused within the bathhouses.
So there are reports that hewas a shapeshifter.
Sometimes he could appear assomebody locally in the village
(04:01):
who wasn't even there in thebath house.
Other times it could have beena stone or even a broom.
So you had these reports andthese thoughts on that.
The Bannik's nature ranged fromvery helpful to very vengeful,
so rewarding those who respectedthe bathhouses sensually, while
(04:23):
punishing those whodisrespected it when they'd fire
up these bathhouses or lightthem up to heat them up, because
, like I said, they're likesaunas.
The third firing of thebathhouse or the fourth firing,
depending on the traditions thatyou would read into was
reserved for the Bannock, and sowhat that was is nobody else
(04:48):
was allowed during that third orfourth firing of it, and it was
said that the Bannik wouldbasically invite other demons or
force spirits to share thebathhouse with him, and for that
reason there was no Christianimagery allowed because it might
(05:09):
offend the occupants of that.
So here it is you have thisBannock inviting all his forest
creatures or spirits or demonswhatever you want to view it as
into this bathhouse with him sothey could have their little
gathering and cleaning, I guess,themselves off, and no
(05:34):
Christian imagery or theirreligious imagery was allowed
because you didn't want to angerhim and you didn't want to
offend his occupants or hisguests during his time during
there.
Because If you did, you know, Iguess, before going to the
number one rule is basicallydon't anger the Banniks, like if
(05:58):
the Bannik was disturbed byintruder while washing.
It was said that this comes onthat ventures ventures side of
things, that he might act outand or boiling water over
somebody or throw red hot rocks.
There's even reports that hemay still children or start
(06:20):
strangling individuals whooffended him.
So, in all actuality, thewisest aspect to everything was
just to respect him and he hadto do what you had to do.
Now, bathhouses back then werevery it's the word I want to use
here Liminal or dirty spaces.
(06:42):
The bathhouse was basicallyconsidered a dirty space among
the Slavic peasants and thusconsidered unclean in the end,
because you know that's whereyou're washing away your filth,
you know stuff like that.
But it was also considered aplace of spiritual danger.
Now, despite that thought thatit was a place of spiritual
(07:09):
danger and it was a dirty place,most births occurred inside the
bathhouse and it was believedthat the Bannik was not truly
happy or settled in its waysuntil a child was born within
his domain or realm of thatbathhouse.
It was also thought that theBannik had the ability to
(07:30):
predict the future.
The manner in which the banickreveals this information varies,
with traditions and storiesdetailing its gentle touch or
its scratching with its sharpclaws.
But one would consult him bystanding with your back exposed
(07:52):
in a half open door of the bath,to which the legend has it that
when, like young girls wouldallow the banick to touch their
back during a sauna session, thespirit would provide valuable
information on their destiny.
So basically, you're goingthere and you're like, yeah, I'm
(08:12):
gonna, you know, half undress,turn my back around, expose it
halfway through this door, halfopen door, and then it was from.
There was, if you had a gentletouch, then it signified a
favorable future, while ascratching of its claws into the
(08:34):
back would indicate potentialmisfortune.
Now, the Bannik's prolificabilities, combined with its
areas of parents, have made it afigure of both fear and
fascination within the Slavicfolklore.
Here with this, but I was tryingto read a little bit into it a
little, a little more, and youknow you have, okay, there's, no
(08:58):
, there's no depiction ofwhether that, yeah, okay, gentle
touch is one thing, but thenit's going into the scratching
of its claws.
You know, I can't find itwhether it's just a scratch of
the claws going down or like, isit like a terrifying and full
(09:19):
scratch, like bloodshed, like ohmy God, you've been scarred?
You know, I don't know.
Like I said, there's verylittle information on banick out
there to begin with, and a lotof the stuff is just repeat over
and over.
So it's trying to figure thatout.
But I'm sorry, I don't want toif it's a vengeful, like scratch
(09:39):
.
Of course you know.
If you're getting scratchedhard across your back, yeah, I'm
going to say that you just gottold your future that yeah,
there's misfortune, yeah,there's misfortune that you have
a scratch going across yourback now if you survived it.
You know, it's one of those,those thoughts, it's like I
don't know, it's a lot, that's awhole, another half of thinking
(10:02):
I guess you could say for me.
But there were several ritualsthat were performed in the
bathhouses in order to keep theBannik happy and peaceful.
The most common occurred duringthe steaming or the firing.
Like I said earlier, that wasreserved for the Bannik itself.
Or upon the closing of theBannock for the night, there'd
(10:25):
be offerings of fur, branches,water and soap were usually left
, capped.
Also, you know, I guess youcould say by formal thank you
that the person would utteraloud.
So you'd basically be likethank you, Bannik, you know, for
this or for looking over us.
There's a lot of aspects to it.
The Bannik was often blamed,though, as well, for anything
(10:48):
that went wrong within thebathhouse.
So, let's say, the structureburned down, which back in those
days they really did burn downa lot.
So whenever they would burndown, it was believed that the
spirit had been affronted oroffended in some way and that he
decided to burn the spot down.
(11:10):
Was it the Bannik, or was itjust poor construction or lack
of fire safety back then?
There's no telling what itcould be, but it was believed,
like I said, that they had beenaffronted or offended in some
way.
So in order to appease theBannik, upon the rebuilding of
the bathhouse, a black hen wouldbe suffocated and then left
(11:34):
unplucked and buried beneath thebuilding's threshold.
The people performing thisritual would end it by bowing
and backing away from thethreshold while reciting, I
guess, whatever was theappropriate incantations for
their time and area at thatpoint.
But it goes to show that youknow, there it's.
(11:56):
I'm not going to saysuperstition, because that's
such the wrong word to use inthis but beliefs, and we still
do it.
We all hold on to our beliefsgreatly, and so I can't knock
anybody's belief.
I try to stay very neutral.
But firsthand I grew upCatholic so I see the beliefs
(12:18):
within the churches andreligions and everything, and
I've studied religions to thepoint that we all have beliefs
and we all have rituals, whetherwe believe it or not.
The Catholic Church was greatfor it.
You know the body of Christ andall this stuff and you know
confessions and you know thesign of the cross.
You know we did things, and theCatholic Church still does
(12:41):
things that are rituals when youbreak it down, but I'm not
going to go down that pathbecause that's going to lead to
a tangent.
So I just wanted to put it outthere.
But yeah, so the peopleperforming these rituals would
end it by bowing and backingaway and you know reciting
incantations and hoping thatthis new bathhouse wouldn't burn
(13:04):
down.
Now with the Bannik, like I saidI've said earlier, the elusive
nature of the Bannik makes itsspecific sightings rare and all
the research through folklorehas offered some glimpses into
the ledge counters, but nothingof solid record.
I take the village tales, whereshort stories from rural
(13:30):
communities would basicallyre-encounter encounters with
this mysterious figure in thebathhouse believed to be the
Bannik.
So I want you to close youreyes and I want you to picture
in your mind and imagine in thequiet heart of rural communities
nestled, missed the sprawlinglandscapes, whispers of
(13:53):
enigmatic encounters with aspectral presence echoed through
the village tales, missed theserene and the echoes of the
bathhouse.
Locals speak of eerie incidentsor a mysterious figure believed
to be the Bannik materializes.
The short stories are passeddown through generations,
(14:13):
weaving a tapestry offascination and trepidation,
depicting encounters with aspectral guardian, the welling
within the steam-ladensanctuaries of the bathhouse On.
Villagers' speak of glimpses,but in ethereal form an aged
figure whose presence embodiesboth reverence and caution,
(14:36):
believed to watch over therituals of cleansing, or the
gaze that pierces beyond thephysical realm as twilight
descends upon the village,stories come alive and a
flickering glow of earthscaptivating listeners with tales
of whispers, warnings andsilent blessings by the unseen
guardians of the bathhouses.
(14:56):
These narratives, steeped infolklore and tradition, speak of
the banished dual nature itsbenevolent protection of those
who honor its sanctuary of thebath and its wrath towards those
who dare to disrespect ordefile the sacred spaces.
The village tales carry withinthem the essence of reverence
(15:18):
for tradition, infusing eachencounter with a Bannik with an
aura of mystery and anunwavering respect for the
spiritual connections woven intothe rituals of the bathhouse.
If you are closing your eyes,you can go ahead and open them.
Then you also, like I said,there's not a lot of information
out there, so it was reallyhard.
(15:40):
There's some stuff that I putdown in my notes that I really
wanted to try to find out moreon, but you also add stories
from the bathhouse keepers, andlegends have passed down by the
bathhouse keepers describingencounters of a protective wrath
.
They would recount ominousepisodes of wrathful warning
where transgressions against thesacred space are met with a
(16:02):
ethereal retribution.
To be a reminder that thespirit's guardianship and the
importance of upholding ancientcustoms are handed down through
keepers, to impart a sense ofrespect for the mystic
connection between the banic andthe revered domain of the
bathhouses.
Now, my problem with this isjust like with anything that
(16:26):
involves any type of religion,you have these bathhouse keepers
, and if they are of a religiousaspect, well, just like with
any religion, fear is a keycomponent.
Do this, and if you don't dothis, this is going to happen.
(16:46):
It's across the board witheverything.
I don't think I've reallylooked into a religion that
doesn't have fear as a part ofit out there, and again I'm
going off on a tangent where Idon't need to be.
So I have issues with thelegends passed down.
But just like with anythingthat's passed down, whether it's
(17:08):
our history, there's alwaysgoing to be errors, there's
going to be flaws, there's goingto be mis-telling.
It's like the old telephonegame where you pass one thing
and when it gets around it's notthe same thing it was before,
but there's really.
We have no way because even inwritten history we're human and
humans make errors.
So yeah, I'll move on from that.
(17:32):
The most widely, reports werethrough folklore counts.
You had just depictions intraditional tales and songs,
often symbolizing the banning'srole as a guardian and enforcer
of bathhouse rules.
Now I looked and I searched allover the place for folklore
song or just a song in generalthat mentioned the banning, and
(17:56):
I could not find one for thelife of me.
So, me being ambitious, whatdid I decide to do?
Well, I wrote my own banningsong.
Warning, big warning, righthere and right now.
I am not a singer, but I willshare what maybe a song about
(18:17):
the banning would have been like.
So we'll see how this goes.
And take it from there.
(18:46):
In the heart of the villagewhere tales find their birth
lies a spirit of old upon thesteaming earth Bannik, guardian
spectral, unseen yet near.
In the bathhouse, whispers wavethe tales we hold dear.
(19:11):
Bannik spirit veiled in steam,keepers of secrets and tales we
glean.
Forcer of rules, guardiansmight and folk lords, embrace
you, dance in the night.
From the hearth side stories toancient song.
(19:34):
Bannik's presence lingersmysterious and strong, with each
whispered warning and blessingsshared the spectral form guards
ensuring they are spared.
Bannick spirit veiled in steam,keepers of secrets and tales we
(19:58):
glean.
Forcer of rules, guardiansmight and folk lords, embrace
you dance in the night In echoesof the bathhouse where legends
entwine.
Bannik's lore dances, a tale sodivine, a protective gaze to
(20:20):
wrathful stare In these folkloretunes, your essence we share.
Bannik, spirit veiled in thesteam, keepers of secrets and
tales we glean.
Forcer of rules, guardiansmight and folk lords, embrace
(20:41):
you, dance in the night.
Bannik and eternal in,folklore's hue In songs and
stories.
We honor you, guardian unseenin our hearts.
You reside In the bathhouse.
mystique, your present abides.
(21:18):
Okay, so now that I made acomplete fool of myself and did
that, like I said, I'm not asinger.
I can write stuff out here andthere, all that fun stuff, but
oh well, I'm done it over withand you know I'll probably keep
it in the episode, just becauseand it's a lot easier to just
(21:40):
keep something in and to moveforward and try to edit it all
out.
But sorry for that.
If I lost you, I lost you If Ididn't, hey great.
But don't judge me because,like I said, I gave you a
warning, I am not a singer.
Back to the banic.
You know songs, folklorists,stuff like that.
That's how a lot of stuff waspassed down.
(22:03):
Nowadays, in contemporary times,while the belief in the bannik
as a literal spirit might havewaned a lot, its legacy still
remains out there Bath houses.
Although they've evolved, theystill hold cultural significance
in Slavic communities andreferences to the Bannik can
actually be found in literature,art and cultural celebrations
(22:24):
still within the Slaviccommunity.
So the Bannik continues to be asymbol of tradition and a
spiritual connection betweenhumanity and water, reminding
basically our modern society ofthe importance of respecting
(22:44):
natural elements.
If there's anything that youtake from this, take that.
Take that it's important torespect our natural elements.
It's important to respectpeople as well, and all of
nature.
But you know, it's just.
There's something I don't know.
(23:05):
I have a strong connection withwater to begin with, but that's
just me.
So, as we conclude ourexploration into the realm of
the Bannik, this guardian spiritremains a testament to the
intertwining of folklore,tradition and cultural beliefs.
So, whether as a protector or aharbinger of retribution, the
(23:29):
legacy of the Bannik will endurein the hearts of the Slavic
mythology.
Before I fade out here, I justwant to say thank you for
joining us on this captivatingjourney into the Slavic folklore
and the ematic world of theBannik.
I hope you've enjoyed theexploration into the mystical
(23:50):
guardians of the bath houses.
I know it's not as long of anepisode as the last one.
Like I said, there was a lotthat I just could not unearth, I
couldn't find, but you knowthings will get better.
Like I said, this is onlyepisode two and yeah, I'm a
little rusty still and I willimprove, I promise you.
(24:14):
But until then, if you go,follow us on our Instagram page,
just type legends from theshadows, help pull up our
Instagram page.
You can also look us up onFacebook so hopefully you know
you'll stick around and see whatI have to offer.
So once again, thank you allfor listening.
(24:36):
I'm Eric Dionne and I will seeyou all in a week as our journey
through the mysteriousconcludes.
We step back from the shadows,but their secrets linger.
Remember in the quiet cornersof the world, mysteries still
(24:56):
whisper their tales Until wemeet again.
Stay curious, embrace thedarkness and never forget that
truth often thrives in the mostunexpected places.
As we part ways, may you alwaysfind fascination in the unknown
and the courage to explore thedepths of the unexplained.
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