Ukrainian Folk Games as Evidence of Ancientness of Pagan Ritual Ceremonies

Abstract

In raising of the problem the question about the unexplored side of the transformation of active games from ritual and ceremonial actions into folk games is put. As exactly in a folk game the hidden ceremonial actions were saved from the ancient times on the Ukrainian territory. As exactly the man of the past tried to influence on forces of the nature by means of playing active actions. As in the ancient  times a man, being the object of the influence of the environment, began to build himself and his playing history. Why the folk games, that have remained till now, contain magic motions of ceremonial actions of the ancient Ukrainians, where myths, legends, narrations, relations, labour and military events are traced. The aim of the work consisted in finding out of the pre-conditions of the origin of the folk game and clarification of the vision of the world of ancient slavs by means of active actions. In the summary of the main material it is said with the transformation of ritual and ceremonial game show into folk games as phenomenon of holistic and universal product, as the centre of constructing relations of the collective with nature. The outlook of the ancient slavs is outlined, namely how by means of movement in the game the man of the past wanted to influence the powers of nature; how movement combined myths, legends and tales in ritual-game shows; in what modern games mythical ritual ceremonies are concealed, which with the passage of time were rebuild into folk games and entertainment. The game is regarded as the means of regulation, preservation, reproduction and development of human relationships and values in social and cultural area. In the conclusion the relationship of the ritual and ceremonial active actions of the ancient Ukrainians and of forces of the nature and also transformation  of those actions (over historical time) into folk games is stated, and which are the remains of the mythical vision of the world of the ancient Ukrainians.