Čuma or kuga ( Serbian: чума, куга) is the personification of plague in Serbian mythology. [1] It was imagined as an old (rarely, as young) woman dressed in white. [1] Mentioning čuma was avoided, so euphemisms kuma (godmother) or teta (aunty) ( Serbian: кума, тета) were used. [1]
Čumas were believed to live in a far away land, from where they set out to infect people. [1] They hate dirtiness and are especially eager to infect a dirty house, hence if plague would appear in the vicinity, it was believed that every house and its occupants must be thoroughly cleaned; [1] which was a useful belief that actually helps with real plague. Offerings of food, clean water, basil and a comb could also be made to her. [1]
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Čuma or kuga ( Serbian: чума, куга) is the personification of plague in Serbian mythology. [1] It was imagined as an old (rarely, as young) woman dressed in white. [1] Mentioning čuma was avoided, so euphemisms kuma (godmother) or teta (aunty) ( Serbian: кума, тета) were used. [1]
Čumas were believed to live in a far away land, from where they set out to infect people. [1] They hate dirtiness and are especially eager to infect a dirty house, hence if plague would appear in the vicinity, it was believed that every house and its occupants must be thoroughly cleaned; [1] which was a useful belief that actually helps with real plague. Offerings of food, clean water, basil and a comb could also be made to her. [1]