Vedmak Explained

Vedmak
Aka:	Vidmak
Folklore:	Slavic paganism
Country:	Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Russia

In Slavic mythology, a vedmak(Belarusian: вядзьмак, вядзьмар;^[1] Bulgarian: вещер

Croatian: vještac

vědmák

Macedonian: вештер

Polish: wiedźmak

Russian: ведьмак

Serbian: вештац

^[2] Ukrainian: відьмак^[3])is a warlock or male witch, the female equivalent (witch) being vedma,^[4] but unlike the latter, the vedmak may also possess positive qualities. This role greatly focuses on the Shamanic aspects of Slavic Paganism.^[5]

For example, they treat people and animals.^[6] On the other hand, they are thought to be people connected to the devil, and are capable of bringing harm by sending illnesses, killing cattle, spoiling a harvest, etc.^[7] The word was also used as an insult.^[7] A vedmak can turn into any animal or any object.^[7]

Etymology

Vedmak stems from Proto-Slavic *vědět ("to know") and Old East Slavic вѣдь ("knowledge; witchcraft", compare the use of the term "cunning" in English folklore).^[8]

Name

polish	wiedźmak	wiedźmarz
belarusian	вядзьмак	вядзьмар	ведзьмак	ведзьмар
bulgarian	вещер
croatian	vještac
czech	vědmák
macedonian	вештер
russian	ведьмак
serbian	вештац
ukrainian	Відьма́к	відьма́р	відьма́н	відьма́ч	відьмун

The Witcher

Under the influence of The Witcher fantasy saga by Andrzej Sapkowski, the term vedmak is sometimes also rendered as "witcher" in English in certain contexts. The word used for "witcher" in the original Polish version of the novels, "wiedźmin", was coined by Sapkowski himself as a neologism, while the word "wiedźmak" (cognate of "vedmak") is used in the books only as a derogatory term for witchers. "Ведьмак" is also the word used to translate "wiedźmin" in the Russian translation of the books.^[9]

See also

• Witch (etymology)
• European witchcraft
• Slavic mythology
• Krsnik (vampire hunter)
• Shamanism

Notes and References

1. Слоўнік беларускай мовы. Менск: Беларуская навука, 2012.
2. Book: Bilbija, Zarko G.. Aspects of contemporary Ukraine. 1955. Human Relations Area Files . 9780598542106 .
3. https://hrinchenko.com/slovar/znachenie-slova/7503-vidmak.html Словник української мови в 4-х т. — К. : Вид-во Академії наук Української РСР, 1958, том 1, ст. 235 // Dictionary of the Ukrainian language / Ref. with addn. own of material by B. Grinchenko: in 4 volumes — K.: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, 1958. Volume 1, Art. 235.
4. News: Wood Besant. Annie. January 1903. Theosophical Review Magazine. Kessinger Publishing. 401.
5. Web site: Dworski . Lamus . 3 'specializations' of spiritual leaders in Slavic Native Faith . Wordpress . 5 March 2017 . Lamus Dworski . 2023-02-18.
6. [Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language (Ushakov)|Ushakov's Dictionary]
7. Yefimova's Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian language, 2000.
8. Book: Fasmer, M. Dictionary of Russian language in 4 volumes. 2. 1987.
9. https://sapkowskipl.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/stworzylem-wiedzmina/ Stworzyłem wiedźmina