Tue, Jun 10
|Washington
Profs & Pints DC: Mermaid Tales
“Mermaid Tales,” a discussion of the enigmatic water spirits of East Slavic countries, with folklorist Philippa Rappoport of George Washington University.
Time & Location
Jun 10, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Washington, 801 E St NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
About the event
Profs and Pints DC presents: “Mermaid Tales,” a discussion of the enigmatic water spirits of East Slavic countries, with folklorist Philippa Rappoport of George Washington University.
Be careful out there. According to Slavic folklore, in the late spring the rusalki, an East Slavic version of mermaids, emerge from lakes and streams to water crops and to claim lives. They're mostly beautiful, with wild hair and blazing eyes, and they’re more than happy to drag smitten young men to watery graves.
Join Philippa Rappoport, an expert on Slavic folklore and rituals, for a discussion of the water spirits of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia and the traditions centered around them. She'll describe how rusalki were both revered and feared by people who would sing songs in their honor while carrying protective charms.
You'll learn how East Slavic mermaid lore permeated wedding rituals and parades, inspired the construction of effigies, and reflected beliefs…