Of Gods & Holidays. The Baltic Heritage

218 Pages·1999·48.778 MB·English

by  Jonas Trinkunas

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GODS &
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HOLIDAYS
THE BALTIC HERITAGE
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GODS&
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HOLIDAYS
THE BALTIC HERITAGE

Edited by Jonas Trinkunas
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TVERME
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Copyright © 1999 by Tverme ■'
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All rights reserved.
Printed in Lithuania. i
Editor: Jonas Trinkunas
Design: Gintaras Jocius
Photographs: Klaudijus Driskius, Saulius Gudas
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ISBN 9986-476-27-5 ■
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Content
PREFACE. 8
OF GODS AND GODESSES....................................... 13
Religion and mythology of the Balts. M. Gimbutas.......... 18
Mythology and religion of the early Lithuanians. N. Velius. 48
Religious reforms oftheBalts. G.Beresnevicius............... 59
Dievas.......................... 65
Perkunas...................... 68
Velnias......................... 72
Saule............................ 75
Zemyna........................ 80
Gabija.......................... 85
Ragana......................... 88
Veliona......................... 92
Laima........................... 93
Austeja......................... 99
Kaukai, aitvarai and oters, 101
OF HOLIDAYS...................................... 105
The main traditional holidays.......... .110
U2gavenes - escort of winter.......... 112
Spring celebrations....................... 115
Rasa-Lithuanian Summer Solstice, 120
Velines - remembrance and communion with the veles of
ancestors...................................................................... 127
Kudios and Kaledos - Winter Solstice.............................. 130
THE LIVING HERITAGE..................................................... 137
Romuva - Lithuanian Baltic religion. A. Dimdzila, J. Trinkunas. 145
The basis of Lithuanian Baltic Religion.......................... 146
The Name................................................................... 147
History........................................................................ 148
Romuva...................................................................... 149
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The religion of Baltic Romuva............ 152
Respect of ancestors and man’s destiny. 155
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Dama as principle of morality............. 158 '
The calendar, priests and Romuva....... 160
The lyrical and epical in Latvian and Finnish poetry. V Vike i
Freiberga, 163
Dievturiba - the ancient Latvian religion. J. Tupesis....... 179
Introduction..................................................... 179 1
God/Dievs....................................................... 184 i
Values and codes of conduct.............................. 189
Sacred ritual.................................................... 190
Ultimate metaphysics/metaphysics of the ultimate. 192
Conclusion.................. 194
WORLD CONGRESS OF ETHNIC TRADITION IN VILNIUS....197
THE DECLARATION OF THE WCER. .201
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A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON BALTIC MYTHOLOGY
ANDFOLKLORE......................................................... 205
GLOSSARY.................................................. .207 :
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GODS &
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HOLIDAYS
THEBALTIC HERITAGE
Preface
Until fairly recently reliable information about ancient Baltic
culture, its mythology and religion has been scarce. The occupation
of Lithuania and Latvia by the Russian-Soviet Empire in 1940 cut
off these two countries from the Western world and made them a
part of communist Russia. Even now, uninformed observers from
the West regard the Baltic people as “Russians”. Nothing could be
further from the truth. They differ from the Russians, in language
(which is not Slavic), in culture, religion, customs, and historical
experience. It is worth noting that during the past two centuries, one
of their defining characteristics has been their efforts to free them­
selves from the Russian (first czarist, then communist) empire.
The differences become even more prominent if one looks
deeper into the history of these countries. Analysis of place-names
shows that in early times the Balts lived in an area which extends
far to the east of their present territory. Today these lands are in­
habited by Belorussians and Russians. When one thousand years
ago their Slavic neighbours accepted Christianity, the Balts retained
their pagan religion for another four centuries. During that period