Bushes and trees were dedicated to Peko and offerings were placed under them. In some villages in the county of Setumaa the cult of Peko was still kept up even at the beginning of this century.
|
The effigies of the Setu idol Peko,
first and foremost an idol dedicated to fertility,
were usually kept hidden from strangers' eyes in a bin in the farm's granary.
In autumn after harvest time, on Midsummer Day,
and on Candlemas Day ritual festivities were held
in its honour, with burning of candles playing a central role. In the head
of the effigy there are seven small holes
for candles.
Bushes and trees were dedicated to Peko and offerings were placed under them. In some villages in the county of Setumaa the cult of Peko was still kept up even at the beginning of this century. |