On 9th of February 2016, Lithuania celebrated Užgavėnės. What does it mean Užgavėnės? First we need to know that Lithuanian folklore has a calendar of events which include also Christmas (Kalėdos) and Easter (Velykos).
Užgavėnės as the word suggest in Lithuanian language (už: before and gavėnė: lent or fasting), is a festival in Lithuania that takes place seven weeks before Easter. The celebration corresponds to Roman Catholic holiday traditions in other parts of the world, such as Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and Carnaval.
Užgavėnės as the word suggest in Lithuanian language (už: before and gavėnė: lent or fasting), is a festival in Lithuania that takes place seven weeks before Easter. The celebration corresponds to Roman Catholic holiday traditions in other parts of the world, such as Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, and Carnaval.
KAJC (Kauno Arkivyskupijos Jaunimo Centras), have organized a party to celebrate the Užgavėnės. It was an unforgettable event. This party started by some folk dances organized by Goštauta (KTU folk dance ensemble), which invites all of us to take part in it.
Then we were invited to eat free blynai (pancakes) with all different shapes, styles, and also different jams. After that we continued to dance and from time to time Goštauta ensemble was singing.
Then we were invited to eat free blynai (pancakes) with all different shapes, styles, and also different jams. After that we continued to dance and from time to time Goštauta ensemble was singing.
Later on a famous show of the Užgavėnės began: the battle between Lašininis (fatty) personifying winter and Kanapinis (hempen man) personifying spring. Lašininis was a fat guy with sausages who ate before fighting, while Kanapinis was tin and strong man. The fight was like a box fight. The two wrestlers needed to be blindfolded and each of the fighters had a girl to cherish them, along with the audience who was divided. And of course according to the tradition Kanapinis won and Lašininis fell to symbolize the end of the winter. After that we continued to dance until the end of the event.
Moreover I would like to mention that Užgavėnės is also traditionally celebrated in Rumšiškės, in an open-air ethnographic museum. On the Saturday before Užgavėnės, we went to an excursion to this museum where a market for Lithuanian traditional dishes with Lithuanian folk music playing was held. At 15.00, an effigy that represented the winter (called Morė in Lithuanian), was burnt also to symbolize the end of the winter.
Written by Belmehdi Mohamed Zakaria
Written by Belmehdi Mohamed Zakaria