COMENIUS projectCOMENIUS project

Meeting in ItalyMeeting in Italy

2010-20122010-2012

History, History, traditions and traditions and customs of the customs of the region region

Our beautiful landOur beautiful land

LITHUANIALITHUANIA

Our history

The beginningThe beginning• The first time Lithuania

was mention in a medieval German manuscript, the Annals of Quedlinburg, in an entry dated 9 March 1009.

• The original document has disappeared, surviving only as a 16th-century copy held in Dresden.

• In 2009 we celebrated the millennium of Lithuania.

• Lietuvos Didžioji Kunigaikštystė - The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th/ 13th century until 1569.

• The first ruler of Grand Duchy, Mindaugas was crowned as the King of Lithuania in 1253.

• By the end of the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe.

The Soviet Union• The Union of Soviet Socialist

Republics (USSR) also known as the Soviet Union was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.

• With an area of 22,400,000 square kilometres, the Soviet Union was the world's largest state.

• Lithuania was in the Soviet Union (SSRS) since the 1939 until the 1990 March 11th.

SSRS LTSR

Flag

Emblem

Flag

Emblem

Lithuanian national character

Lithuanians should not be grouped Lithuanians should not be grouped among the dynamic or particularly among the dynamic or particularly expressive nations. Traditionally, expressive nations. Traditionally, they are reserved, calm, modest they are reserved, calm, modest proud people. Lithuanians are proud people. Lithuanians are hard working and devoted to their hard working and devoted to their families. Hospitality is another families. Hospitality is another characteristic feature of our characteristic feature of our nation.nation.

Hard working

Love for family

•There are There are four regions four regions in Lithuaniain Lithuania•Aukštaitija Aukštaitija (highlands)(highlands)•Žemaitija Žemaitija (lowlands)(lowlands)•DzūkijaDzūkija•SuvalkijaSuvalkija

Ever

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has

Ever

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has

it’s

it’s

own

folk

clo

thes

own

folk

clo

thes

Aukštaitija

Žemaitija

Suvalkija

Dzūkija

National celebrations

All Souls’ Day

All All Souls' DaySouls' Day

All Souls' Day is on 2nd of November and follows All Saints' Day. People visit the graves of their relatives, who passed away.

People light candles...People light candles...

Bring flowers...

And pray.And pray.

In winter we celebrate In winter we celebrate Christmas EveChristmas Eve

OnOn Christmas Eve streets in Lithuania... Christmas Eve streets in Lithuania...

llookook like this.like this.

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the day is the day that, that, according to according to modern modern calendars, calendars, contains the contains the first evening, first evening, of Christmas, of Christmas, a widely a widely celebrated celebrated festival festival commemoraticommemorating the birth of ng the birth of Jesus of Jesus of Nazareth. Nazareth.

In some parts In some parts of Central and of Central and Eastern Eastern EuropEuropeesuch as such as Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Poland and Poland and Lithuania, Lithuania, twelve twelve traditional traditional meatless meatless dishes dishes are are served served during during Christmas EveChristmas Eve suppersupper

And this is And this is the most the most popular drink popular drink on on Christmas Christmas Eve Eve table.table.

Made from cranberries.

On Christmas Eve, people give each other presents andOn Christmas Eve, people give each other presents andwish all the best…wish all the best…

Some people in Lithuania open their presents in Christmas morning.Some people in Lithuania open their presents in Christmas morning.

One of the One of the most most famous famous festivals in festivals in Lithuania isLithuania is Kaziukas

Fair

That’s interestingThat’s interesting

Kaziukas Kaziukas FairFair, is a , is a large annual large annual folk artfolk art and and craftcraft fair fair dating to the dating to the beginning of beginning of the 17th the 17th century.century.

Kaziukas fair Kaziukas fair also features also features music and music and dance, it dance, it attracts attracts thousands of thousands of visitors.visitors.

Wha

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buy o

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buy o

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in

Kaziu

kas

Kaziu

kas

Fair

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Fair

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You can buy You can buy

POTTERY…POTTERY…

Baskets…Baskets…

PalmPalms…s…

HONEY HONEY COOKIECOOKIES…S…

Candies…

And And moooooooooomooooooooooooore ooore CANDIES!!!CANDIES!!!

Let’s say Let’s say goodbye to our goodbye to our spring spring celebration. celebration.

What’s What’s next?next?

It’s SUMMER

It’s SUMMER

time!time!And it means that our next CELEBRATION is

Saint John’s Festival (Eng.)

St. John's Day is a St. John's Day is a midsummer folk midsummer folk festival celebrated on festival celebrated on June 24th all around June 24th all around Lithuania.Lithuania.

The traditions include The traditions include : singing songs ,: singing songs ,The traditions include: The traditions include: singing songs,singing songs,

dancing until the dancing until the sun sets,sun sets,

trying to find the magic fern blossom at midnight,trying to find the magic fern blossom at midnight,

jumping over jumping over bonfiresbonfires,,

floating floating flower flower wreaths in wreaths in the water of the water of rivers or rivers or lakes.lakes.

The Linen Times, we could say are unending; lasting from pre-historical times up until the present.

Swaddling-clothes Swaddling-clothes for new bornsfor new borns

Bride’s shawls

Wive’s headdresses

Everyday and feast-clothes

Life’s end

The work of processing the Linen and everything related to it- like spinning and weaving- was women’s work. In Lithuania only women and girls wear allowed to attend the evening gathering to spin.

The work of processing the Linen

Made from Made from LinenLinen