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    Lithuanian Roots

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    Lithuanian Roots

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    Lithuanian Roots

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    rinkejas

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    ROOTS RO mee CLIC Traditional Cultu : LITHUANIAN ROOTS ‘An Overview of Lithuanian Traditional Culture ca RT Likemostpeoples Lithuaniansare proud ‘heir roots and eactions Sever! historic and _gcogzaphicfactoscontributedeo the sedentary lifeofthe BakicrsbesiivinginLithuaniaduring ‘the frsmillenium which was characterized by ‘the migration of nations, Lithuanians were the last pagan people in Europe, accepting Chrs- tianity only inthe H4eh century. Asa esl the ‘ethnic foundation of Lithanian traditional culture remained quite homogenous, quite a few ancient cultural relict stil survive among ‘today's traditions. Due wo common origins and ‘questionably, Cheistianiey had a significant ‘impact on Lithuanian traditions. Western in- [peasant farmers. Ingeneral peasants held onto [iehuanian waits while the upper classes as- similated into the euleares of powerful neigh: boring nations. fee ‘Often when we speak of Lithuanian ta- dlicional culeure, we mean that which was ‘characteristic of 19th to early 20th cencury ‘peasants. Te wis during tha time period that Cichuanian national identity evolved and that the independent Lithuanian state was rebora, Iinaddition, moreinformatin fom this age has ‘survived to our day chan from any other earis ‘time periods. Thus we have made taidional culture ofthe 1th and early Och eencury the focus ofthis booklet. Tn the chapter called “Land and Origins” ‘you will find general information abet ove proud off How did we sing? Whatisasuarin? What kinds of folle instruments and dances ‘existedin Lishusnia? You willfind theanswers { these and other questions in the chapter “Word, Music and Dance”. “The Calendar Cycle” will present broad ‘our ancestor” colorful holiday garments. “The Table” describes how Lithuanians conducted fests as well as ordinary meas. sso enumerates what foods were served and ‘whatritualssurrounded everydaybread.Inchis chapter you wil also find several eaditional covered, and how Easter eggs were decorated will be described in the chapter entitled “Ap- plied Art ‘What sa pirtiaanda oda? Wich whackinds ‘of pictures did farmers decorate theis houses’ interiors? Why is Lichuania called the country (of crosses? You will find these questions an- ‘swered in “Architecture and Figurative Ar Finally, the chapter named “The Present Day, Folklore and Folklore Studies” willout- line which traditions sealivetoday, and which arenot how tradiionaleuleurehasbeearebora {new forms and how iis researched. LAND AND ORIGINS GEOGRAPHIC SITUATION Lithuania isa small country located on the eastern shore of the Bale sea. Ie occupies the same lat tude a Seodand and Denmark. Ieisinteresting nots that 25 km north of Vilnius ies the geometric ‘entre of Europe. Lithuania's longest north-south span i 276 kn, and east-west is 373 km. With 2 Tan area f 65,200 sq kn, iis lightly lager than Belgium or Switzerland. STATE STRUCTURE ithuania is a presidential democratic republic headed by the Srimar(Pariamend, the Executive and the Coure. Local goverament is executed ‘through a system of terntoral and adminiswative divisions. The country is divided ino 4 dseiees which ae further demarcated inco 423 apylnké, (ural government unis). There are 11 cies of rational jurisdiction. The largest ofthese isthe ‘capital, Vilius (pop. 06 millon) which was fst ‘mentioned in historical sources in 1323, The sec ‘ond largestcity according ro population is Kaunas, tnd the third the pot ety of Klaipeda, The state language is Lichuanian THE STATE EMBLEM “The official emblem of the Republic of Lithuania is called the Vs. In its pic tured a white knight moune- dona steed seragunstared background. This charging knight first appeared asthe state emblem in 1366 on A firdas’s, Grand Duke of Lichuana’s seal. This early form of the Vie probably depiced the most powerful Lithuan Aeityofthartime the godof thunder, Perkinas,who ‘was similaly visualized in ether Indocuropean Caltures, During Lithuania's incorporation into the Poish-Lithuanian commonwealth and the Rasslan empire, che Vas wasaddedvo these states! emblems. In 1918-19, dusisg the reinstaement of the independent Lithvanian state the Fr again be came the national symbol. Te remained 50 until 1940 when Lithuania was forib'y occupied snd incorporated into the Soviet Union. During the Period of Soviet rule, displaying the Tyait was Considered a protest agaist the new government fnd sas brutally punishable. After March 11 of 1980, the Vyas again became theofficial sate em blem ofthe Republic of Lichuania Ieisinerestingonoe thatthe Pi the Pogoia) iachenatonalsymbolofthe Republicof Byelorussia 8 well This is de t the fact that historically Byclorussa was « pat of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania HE LITHUANIAN FLAG The national Nag of the Re- public of Lihuania consists Of a receangular cloth onto Which are applied three ‘equally sized! horizontal Stripes: (From top 0 bot tom) yellow, green and red. ‘These colors symbolize Lithoanian nature and ide sls they often recur in folk ar ‘Hiseorically, Lithuania has had many diferent fags. For example, during the battle of Zags (Grnwald, the fiag of the Grand Duchy of, Lithuania was the Vs. The current w-colored flag was created at the beginning of the 20h ceneiry, and became the offical sate agin 1918, With the advent ofthe independence movement fn 1988, once again became the state fag NATURE LLichuania is located on the western edge ofthe Eastein European plan, leis a county of lowland plaine broken by hilly uplands. Juozapine bill (292 m) isthe highest point in Lithuania. Often ‘one hears Lithuanians referring to thie couney’s ‘Galea (mountains) alchough these are really never ‘more than snl ils Lichuania boasts one of Burope’s densest ake lsrices located in the exstcrn regions in all, he ‘country contains over 3000 lakes. The largest “4.8 sq km), deepest (Tauragnas, ind longest (Asvej, 21.9 kr) lakes well as one of Lithuania's five national parks are also located inthis region. Lakes and res mars (seas) are popular in Lichuanian folklore. “Aconcentratedand complexsiversystem drains the heavy precipitation which fllschroughout the year. A major portion of Lithuania es within the [Nemunasrver basin. This rivers the largest and longest (937 km) in Lithuania. I is often men- ‘oned in folksongs and folklore fac Lithuania {soften called the lan ofthe Nemunss. ‘Once al of Lithuania was covered wih forests which contained many oak groves which were ‘considered sered. Today only 28% of deciduous ‘nd mixed forests remain, while cultivated fields ‘occupy therestofthe land. The Labsnoras,Dainava tnd ocher woodlands ae sil relatively intact, snd te fall of mushrooms and Deis cach yea. In Some ofthe larger forests and remote areas, ne ‘an stil find wolves, foxes, wild boars, deer, elk, tnd other large mammals as well as rare birds. ‘Bisons, once common in Lichuania, were driven © textintion, Recent attempts to restock the bison fiom other essrer herds have been successful ‘The aurochs (Bos primigenius), ancestor of do- ert cate, disappeared inthe 17th century. POPULATION Lithuania's population was 38 million in 1991, (69% of which lived in cies. The average amount ‘of people perqkmin 8, whichis slightly lesthan the European mean, Thisis mostly due tothe fact ‘that population growth was halted inthe first half ‘of ehe 20ch cencury during the World Wass. From 19400 1958 Lihuanialose! milion people through ‘emigration, deportation or death; oly in 1969 did the population once again reach pre-war level. In 1958.39 267,000 people mostly Russians or Rus- sian speakers, immigrated int) Lithuania. This influx sccounted for 265 of those years" populs ‘on growth, constitute a majority ofthe coun- try’sinhabitants (abou milion in 1989)- Mostof them consider Lichvanian thee fist guage. Mo- ‘der day Lithuania s somewhat smallerthanithad been history. Ava result, many ehaic Lith fans now reside in neighboring counties clud- ingPoland, Byelorussia, andthe KaliningadDiserct. [Rsslane make up Lithuania's second largest xh ie roup. They number 344,500,608 of whom ive in urban areas, Poles are the thie largest ethnic ‘1oup numbering 258,000 mort of whom reside in Vilniuandsoutheastera Lithuania People ofother ethnic backgrounds are few. ‘Lithuania's dominane religion is Roman Ci ‘holism, although Evangelical Lutherans Evan- selical Reformists, Russian Orthodox believers find others are also quite active. ‘THE FIRST PEOPLE OF LITHUANIA © territry which Lithuanis encompasses today ‘was setded relatively late as most of Northem Ensope had been covered with glaciers throughout the Ice Age. Eventually, the ice withdrew tSean-

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