Devince so posebni sveti kraji, kjer prideta skupaj dve “ženski vodi”. Takšen kraj je na primer tam, kjer reka Bača priteče v Idrijco. Na devincah so modre ženske vedrine (čarovnice, prerokovalke vremena) izvajale obrede prehodov deklet v deve. Zadnja vedrina, Inža je povedala, kako se je tak obred odvijal.
Devince so upravljale posebne ženske, ki so jim rekli vedrine, ki so tam vedeževale in opravljale razne obrede. Tako so dekle, ki so ga starejše ženske ocenile, da postaja ženska, ob polni luni v poletnih mesecih odpeljale k vedrini, da bi z njo na devincah opravila obred. Na devince so nato ob temi odšle dekle, njena spremljevalka in ena, ki jo je izbrala mati, stara mati ali teta. Ko so prišle do tja, jih je tam že čakala vedrina, ki je dekletu razložila potek obreda. Dekle se je moralo najprej sleči in stopiti v vodo, kamor ji je rekla vedrina. Po tem je robec, ki ga ji je dala od matere izbrana ženska, zmočila v vodi in jo najprej polivala po glavi, ramenih, prsih in hrbtu. Za tem ji je rekla, naj v vodi počepne in se vanjo še polula. Medtem pa ji je po telesu posipala venčne liste rož. Ko se je dvignila, ji je spremljevalka prinesla kranjcelj, ki ji ga je položila na glavo. Na vedrinin ukaz ga je snela z glave in ga vrgla v vodo. Ko je voda kranjcelj odnesla, je iz nje izstopila in obred je bil zaključen. Dekle pa je postalo deva.
Vir: Pavel Medvešček – Klančar, Iz nevidne strani neba
***
Devince (from deva – young woman) were special sacred places, where two “female waters” came together. One of these places is where river Bača meets river Idrijca for example. On such places wise women called vedrine (witches, diviners of weather) performed rituals of passage to womanhood. The last known vedrina named Inža, told how these rituals were performed.
Devince (sacred places) were managed by special women vedrine, who divinated and performed rituals there. The girl that was considered to become a woman soon, was taken to vedrina in the summer in the time of the full moon. The girl, her female companion and a woman chosen by her mother, grandmother or aunt went to devince in the night. Vedrina was waiting there and she explained the course of the ritual to the girl. The girl took down her clothes and stepped into the water on the spot chosen by vedrina. Then vedrina took the hendkerchief (given to her by the person chosen by her mother, grandmother or aunt), soaked it in the water and poured the water on her head, shoulders, breasts and back. After this she told the girl to crouch in the water and to wee in it. In the meantime she sprinkled the flower petals on her body. When she stood up, her companion brought her flower wreath and put it on her head. When vedrina told her to, the girl took the wreath down and threw it into the water. When the river carried it away the ritual was finished. And the girl became a deva (young woman).
Source: Pavel Medvešček – Klančar, Iz nevidne strani neba
Volhva 