Show notes
29.1.24Paranormal Pajama PartyThe Rusalka | 2Get ready for a spooky episode as Steph delves into the Slavic legend of the rusalka. Although often associated with water, these spirits are far from the mermaids we might imagine. Instead, they're more like zombies... permanently trapped in puberty. It doesn't sound fun.At tonight's pajama party, we'll explore the origins of the rusalki and their connection to both fertility and death. We'll also discuss the in-between state these spirits inhabit, caught between girlhood and womanhood, river and field, and life and death. There will be dancing, tree-climbing, hair-styling, and a deadly amount of tickling.Key moments:1:09 Ivan and the rusalka6:29 Meet the rusalki9:25 The unclean dead12:48 Green Week14:49 Rusalki pubertySources from today's episode:Rusalka (Wikipedia)Slavic folklore (Wikipedia)Slavs (Wikipedia)Supernatural beings in Slavic religions (Wikipedia) Ivanits, L. J. (1989). Russian Folk Belief.Dynda, J. “View of Rusalki: Anthropology of time, death, and sexuality in Slavic folklore” Macaulay, A. “What Do Aquawomen Want?”Green Week (Wikipedia)A transcript of today's episode is available here.If you’re enjoying the show, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review Paranormal Pajama Party to help others discover it!View all my sources for each episode and read the episode transcipt here.Follow @ParanormalPJParty on Instagram.