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The Construction of Pagan Identity in Lithuanian “Pagan Metal” Culture

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The Construction of Pagan Identity in Lithuanian “Pagan Metal” Culture VYTAUTO DIDŢIOJO UNIVERSITETAS SOCIALINIŲ MOKSLŲ FAKULTETAS SOCIOLOGIJOS KATEDRA Agnė Petrusevičiūtė THE CONSTRUCTION OF PAGAN IDENTITY IN LITHUANIAN “PAGAN METAL” CULTURE Magistro baigiamasis darbas Socialinės antropologijos studijų programa, valstybinis kodas 62605S103 Sociologijos studijų kryptis Vadovas Prof. Ingo W. Schroeder _____ _____ (Moksl. laipsnis, vardas, pavardė) (Parašas) (Data) Apginta _________________________ ______ _____ (Fakulteto/studijų instituto dekanas/direktorius) (Parašas) (Data) Kaunas, 2010 1 Table of contents SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 4 SANTRAUKA .................................................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 8 I. THEORIZING ―SUBCULTURE‖: LOOKING AT SCIENTIFIC STUDIES .............................. 13 1.1. Overlooking scientific concepts in ―subcultural‖ research ..................................................... 13 1.2. Assumptions about origin of ―subcultures‖ ............................................................................ 15 1.3 Defining identity ...................................................................................................................... 15 1.3.1 Identity and ―subcultures‖ ................................................................................................. 16 1.3.2 Construction of identity: ―modern and post-modern subculturalists‖ ............................... 16 1.4. ―Subcultural capital‖ concept ................................................................................................. 17 II. DEFINING NEO PAGANISM .................................................................................................... 20 2.1. Definitions of terms ................................................................................................................ 20 2.2 Forms of Paganism in the world .............................................................................................. 21 2.3 Forms of neo Paganism in Lithuania ....................................................................................... 23 III. ENTERING METAL CULTURE ............................................................................................... 25 3.1. ―Rise of metal: history of subculture.‖ History of metal subculture in western world and in Lithuania. ....................................................................................................................................... 25 3.2 ―Rocking the world‖: Metal music .......................................................................................... 27 3.2.1. Music Genres.................................................................................................................... 28 3.2.2 ―Words are power‖: Song lyrics........................................................................................ 31 3.3 Looking like ―metalhead‖: Metal image .................................................................................. 38 3.3.1 Black uniform: Clothing, footwear and jewelry................................................................ 39 3.3.2. Symbolism ........................................................................................................................ 41 3.3.3. ―Corpse paint‖ .................................................................................................................. 45 3.4. Being ―metalhead‖: Worldview .............................................................................................. 47 3.4.1. Protest ............................................................................................................................... 47 3.4.2. Religiosity ........................................................................................................................ 48 3.4.4. Satanism ........................................................................................................................... 48 3.5. ―Metal tribe‖: Community and lifestyle ................................................................................. 50 3.5.1. Gathering places and parties ............................................................................................ 51 3.5.2 Behavior and slang ............................................................................................................ 51 3.5.3 Bad habits .......................................................................................................................... 54 3.5.5. Community ....................................................................................................................... 54 3.5.6. Communication ................................................................................................................ 57 3.6. Attitudes towards society ........................................................................................................ 57 3.6.1 Relationship with other alternative cultures ...................................................................... 58 3.6.2 Relationships with youth from ―pop‖ culture ................................................................... 58 3.6.3 Relations to mainstream society ........................................................................................ 59 3.6.3.1 Attitudes of ―metalheads‖ towards mainstream society ................................................. 60 3.6.3.2 Stereotypes and reactions ............................................................................................... 60 2 IV ―PAGAN METALHEADS‖......................................................................................................... 62 4.1. ―Pagan metal‖ music and lyrical content ................................................................................ 63 4.1.1. ―Pagan metal‖ lyrics ......................................................................................................... 63 4.2 ―Pagan metal‖ style .................................................................................................................. 69 4.2.1 Clothing ............................................................................................................................. 69 4.2.2. Symbols ............................................................................................................................ 70 4.3 Worldview ............................................................................................................................... 73 4.3.1 ―Pagan metal‖ and view to Christianity ............................................................................ 73 4.3.2 Nationalism and ―Pagan metalheads‖ ............................................................................... 74 4.4 Mythology and rituals .............................................................................................................. 75 4.5 ―Pagan metal‖ festivals ............................................................................................................ 76 4.5.1 “Kilkim Žaibu” – „Kriskim plūgu“ ―Pagan metal warriors‖ ............................................ 77 4.5.2. “Mėnuo Juodaragis“ ....................................................................................................... 77 V. ―RELIGIOUS NEO PAGANISM‖: ............................................................................................. 80 INTRODUCING ―DEVYNIARAGIO ROMUVA‖ COMMUNITY ............................................... 80 5.1 Worldviews .............................................................................................................................. 80 5.1.1 Veneration of nature and harmony .................................................................................... 81 5.1.2 Nationalism ....................................................................................................................... 82 5.1.3 Sobriety ............................................................................................................................. 83 5.2 Mythology and rituals .............................................................................................................. 84 5.2.1 Mythology ......................................................................................................................... 84 5.2.2 Pantheon ............................................................................................................................ 86 5.2.3 Rituals................................................................................................................................ 87 5.2.3.1 Performing a ritual ......................................................................................................... 88 5.3 Festivals: the wheel of the year ................................................................................................ 92 5.4 Group relations ........................................................................................................................ 96 VI. COMAPRING ―PAGAN METAL‖ AND RELIGIOUS PAGANISM ...................................... 98 CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................. 100 BIBLIOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................................................
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