Spring Wells Revived

The cleaning usually took place after Easter and before Pentecost in May. Young people from a specific area gathered and donated their time to clean all of the forest and field wells in the region. Usually there were many of these, as Slovakia is famous for its mountain springs in the forests and good resources of drinking groundwater in the lowlands so every village or even field would typically have good access to drinking water.

This tradition dates back well before the 11th century as part of a pagan sacrifice practice. Villagers would bring food and small animals to the wells and forest springs as a sacrifice for the water spirits and fairies. It was believed that a clean well would provide for the health of the family and livestock. These beliefs were officially banned in the 11th century with the rise of Christianity. However, the tradition of volunteering and cleaning persisted, along with the folk belief that whoever cleaned the well or spring would benefit from good health for the whole upcoming year. It was also customary to symbolically wash one’s hands and face in the clean well after the work, or to drink from it to invite general well-being.

In some villages the cleaning itself would be done solely by young men. But in other areas the tradition was performed by young women or even widows. Most frequently, the groups would be mixed. The rest of the community would provide the workers with gifts, food and entertainment, and the tradition merged with the celebration and dances of the Christian Pentecost. 

Nevertheless, the tradition remained popular in Slovakia until the 1960’s, when it began to decline. It is currently having a revival in some regions of Slovakia, such as Novohrad, Malohont or Horehronie. In some cases, this is associated with a more general cultural revival, such as singing of folk songs and some folk dancing, but  it has also been recast under the mantle of environmental stewardship. The tradition also provides a good opportunity to protect and revitalize water resources, making them more accessible and attractive for hikers or locals.

Contributor: Veronika Soltinska