Jaunimo gyvenimo raiška
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Jaunimas; Branda; Apeigos; Bendravimas; Gyvensena; Pramogos; Kalendorinės šventės; Bažnytinės šventės; Papročiai; Tradicijos; Šiaurės Lietuva; Etnografija; Tyrimai; Youth; Maturity; Rites; Communication; Lifestyle; Amusements; Calendar holidays; Church festivals; Customs; Traditions; Northern Lithuania; Ethnography; Research.
ENThe study analyzed the customs of young people that lived in the villages and small towns of northern Lithuania in the end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. The beginning of young age was marked by the ceremonies showing the physical and social maturity. Having analyzed the ceremonies of the interwar period we divided them into those intended for girls (after the first menstruations, when they independently baked the first loaf of bread and when their elder sister got married), for boys (during a party when they joined young people) and church ceremonies (confirmation of Evangelists Reformers). However, young people did not gain their full economical independence then. Usually they became independent only when they got married. The life of young people was always linked with entertainments which performed not only the function of relaxation but also the one of the community. During their free time they not only had a good time but looked for a husband/wife, and they also tried to attain the common object - to keep the positive status of the young people of a certain village. That united the young people into communities of age, territory and common interests. The main entertainments of a youth community were singing, dancing and amusement parties at weekends and on festive days to which came the young people of that village or small town; young men from other places came too. The young people were also united by invited parties, public evenings with performances, indoor needlework in the evenings, the Advent and Lent game parties, picnics, entertainments at weddings, after the Church festivals, collective help, May church services and meetings in the markets. They had a nice time while visiting girls at night, during pasturing horses for the night and gathering at the swing.They also kept company with the others during the agricultural work done by all young people of the village at the same time. The youth life was in full swing during their free time. So they especially waited for calendar festivals when various traditions and having ritual meaning customs were given from generation to generation. However, in the year cycle the youth life became stagnant during the periods of Advent and Lent. The Advent period started on the day of St Andrew, on the night of which the girls tried to guess the happiness of their married life, and it ended with the preparation for Christmas entertainments. Christmas started the festival period (from Christmas till Three Magi) with a lot of entertainments, marriage guesses, an opportunity to show exceptional attention to young women, various outdoor and ritual games. During Shrovetide people disguised themselves, and this was more popular in Samogitia, however, festivities were organized everywhere in Lithuania. It was a good occasion to dance before Lent that lasted a month and a half. It was the end of a marriage season, so particular attention was paid to unmarried women. At the end of Lent young people enjoyed themselves - gatherings at the swing, Easter night merriment, then started Easter entertainments, Easter egg rolling, however Whitsunday caused more merriment, especially the beer festival. In many parts of northern Lithuania young people waited very much for Midsummer's Day. Hubs of wheels, bonfires and other entertainments caused a festive mood. The Midsummer's Day's entertainments could be very important: it was thought that if a pair starts their friendship on that night they will get married. After Midsummer's Day the biggest work of the year started, and young people entertained themselves only at weekends, Church festivals and on the evenings after collective assistance.The entertainments after work were the most intensive in Samogitia. Aukštaičiai (Highlanders) entertainments after collective work were the most intensive in the north of Aukštaitija - in the beginning of the 20th century there took place the richest in Lithuania ritual entertainments of flax pulling season. In other places of Aukštaitija the young people enjoyed themselves after threshing. After the Soviet occupation many old customs of young people disappeared. As our way of life has changed we will not be able to revive most of work customs. However, some calendar customs and the forms of youth intercourse could adapt to the rhythm of today s life and form the local identity of the inhabitants of a certain region and develop civic consciousness. [From the publication]
