The BabaYaga Project

Young adulthood can be confusing as you try to find a career path to follow. How did people in the past embark on their own early careers? This week, we discuss the options available to young people in the past. For the poor, this often looked like being a domestic or farm worker for others until you saved up enough to start your own home and farm. For others, there were apprenticeships or even un...

Adults complaining about "kids these days" is hardly new. For centuries, adults have been wringing their hands and clutching their pearls over the behaviour of the young - from sex, drugs, and rock and roll, to fears about novels corrupting the youth. This week, we explore the ways young people have rebelled against expectations, engaged in risky behaviours, and generally pushed back against the r...

When and how to children come of age? Whether through trials, rituals, or sacred offerings, children would perform the proper rites and from then on be viewed as adults in the community. However, the stage of youth or adolescence increased over time, and coming of age rites became more scarce. Young people began to have a distinct stage of life, where they were neither children nor full adults. An...

How did Western education systems impact the lives of Indigenous children, and how did Indigenous people use these systems to advocate for national sovereignty? And how did Louis Riel, specifically, use educational institutions to his advantage? Today, Margot interviews Max Hamon, a historian at Queen's University, to answer these questions. *Note: this episode focuses on day schools, rather than...

What did it mean to be a boy in the past? What kind of education, play, and social roles would you receive? And how and why have these ideas and roles changed over time? This week, Sonya and Margot discuss all this and more as we look into the lives of boys, from Spartan warriors-in-training to Victorian factory workers, boys have done many jobs and filled many roles in the past. TW: Discussions o...

What did it mean to be a girl in the past? What roles, expectations, and education would you receive? It all really depends on when and where you lived, as well as your parents' status. You might work in a 19th century textile mill, help in the farm in Ancient Greece, or maybe learn how to be a future lady of a manor in the Middle Ages. Girls in the past often faced more rules, restrictions, and l...

Toddlerhood is a dangerous time, when a young child's immune system encounters all sorts of illnesses for the first time. In the past, this resulted in a high child mortality rate, despite the best efforts of parents and doctors to keep children healthy. But, with the creation of vaccines, children were able to be protected from diseases like smallpox and polio. How did people deal with these illn...

Babies don't come with instruction manuals, but societies have always developed rituals and traditions for welcoming (or not welcoming) a new baby. This week we discuss the way infants have been viewed in their societies, from disposable to invaluable. How were newborns and babies taken care of, fed, clothed, and named? And how did they interact with their surroundings? Find out this week as Sonya...

Childbirth is both physically dangerous and emotionally draining. How do people get through this process as safely and comfortably as possible, and how did people approach this task in the past? In this week's episode, we interview Margaret, a midwife, about all the trials and challenges of childbirth! We discuss the dangers, the safety strategies, and much more as we look into how we come into th...

In the premodern world, married women could expect to get pregnant every 2-3 years. How did they cope with such frequent pregnancies, and what did they do to keep themselves healthy? What kinds of foods, drinks, and activities were allowed or forbidden? And when did pregnancy go from being a regular part of life to being seen as a special time? We discuss all this and more on this week's episode!...

Sometimes getting pregnancy happens unexpectedly, and other times it takes time and fertility treatments. How did people in the past understand pregnancy, fertility, and infertility? What kinds of remedies did they use to aid in conception? And why did people have so many kids anyway? This week, we bust some myths, discuss some rituals, and talk about the ins and outs of getting pregnant in histor...

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Margot gives the latest updates on the project and season 2! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The final episode of season 1! Thank you for coming on this journey through the ritualized year with us. This week, Margot and Sonya discuss the big themes of the podcast: the cycles of the seasons, the passing of time, and how folklore and history factor in. We also talk about how to move forward and take these ideas into the future. We hope you've had a great year with us, and we can't wait to e...

What is the history of May Day? And how did the labour movement change from the nineteenth century until now? This week, Sonya and Margot interview David Tough, PhD and Godefroy Desrosiers-Lauzon, PhD about the histories of these movements in both the USA and Canada. We talk precarious employment, labour rights, and solidarity! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Margot and Sonya interview Dr. Elsbeth Heaman, professor of Canadian history at McGill University, and discuss her book "Tax, Order, and Good Government: A New Political History of Canada, 1867-1917". We discuss the history of tax season, taxation, and how taxes have been used by both the Canadian and American governments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Earth Day is coming up, but how did this tradition get started? Join us this week, as Margot and Sonya explore the history of this unique holiday. We talk climate change, environmental activism, and what Earth Day means in the grand scheme of things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we are exploring the history of two important springtime holidays: Passover and Easter. We start with Passover and discuss the origins and observance of this holy time, both historically and in the modern age. Then, we switch gears to talk about Easter. In many languages, the word for Easter is Pasque/Pasqa/etc, all of which are derived from the word Passover. We discuss the origins of...

With April Fool's Day approaching, what better than to talk about the ultimate players of pranks - the trickster gods? Whether Loki, Lugh, or Anansi, tricksters push the limits of acceptable behaviour, and can reveal the beliefs, traditions, and practices of cultures. Greg Wright from The Godyssey Podcast is this week's special guest, and he guides us through the wild world of tricksters! Hosted o...

Roman fertility rites, Slavic death gods, and Valkyrie worship all have one thing in common: the spring equinox! This week, Sonya and Devin talk about ways people have marked this equinox in history. From drowning effigies of the death goddess to a procession for phallic statues, this holiday is anything but ordinary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Margot and Sonya discuss The BabaYaga Proeject Season 2: The Ritual Life! In season 1, we looked at the Ritual Year - we've talked holidays, seasonal activities, and how to mark the passage of time. For season 2, we'e making it personal. We're going to look at everything from the folklore and history of pregnancy, coming of age, growing old, and so much more! We're so excited to explore the circle...

After the long, dark winter, the first green shoots and leaves are beginning to appear. Small flowers begin to bloom, and ivy starts creeping along the ground. Which of these plants are edible for the keen-eyed forager? And what are the myths and legends behind these delicious and nutritious plants? Find out this week, when Sonya and Margot talk all about spring foraging! Hosted on Acast. See acas...

Corn, beans, and squash have been planted together since time immemorial, and make up the staple crops of many Native American cultures. Why are these crops called The Three Sisters, and how do they work together to grow better than they would on their own? What is the legend of The Three Sisters? What is the historical significance behind these foods? And how does companion planting and sustainab...

Lent in the Middle Ages forbade eating animal products, drunkenness, and having sex for the 40 days leading up until Easter. In the 19th and early 20th century, moral reformers pushed for legislature to outlaw alcohol and birth control. What do these practices have in common? The moralisation of food, drink, and sex. This week, Sonya and Margot discuss how these moral frameworks developed, and how...

The days leading up to the start of Lent were traditionally days of feasting and plenty, using up the last of the butter, eggs, and milk before they were forbidden (and before they went rancid after a long winter of storage). But does this ritual have pre-Christian roots? And how did this event evolve from a simple pancake feast to the elaborate festivities seen in New Orleans and Venice? Join us...