The First Thunder As a Hierophanic Experience in Lithuania
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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‖ ................................................................................................ -
Transformations of the Lithuanian God Perk\Nas
Transformations of the Lithuanian God Perk\nas Nijol] Laurinkien] In the article, later substitutions for the god Perkunas are analysed. Most frequently appear the names of the prophet Eliah (Alijošius) and St. George (Jurgis) as the Christian replacements diffused from the Lithuanian region, which borders on Belarus where converting to Christianity began earlier. With the fall of the old culture a great many traditions indicated the god of thunder as undergoing a complete transformation into new characters, mostly those of modern religion. Lithuanian mythology also gives evidence of similar processes. The article aims at an analysis of further equivalents of Perk'nas, which reflect the mentioned process, as well as an attempt to delineate the possible reasons for these substitutes obtained by the god of thunder and their prevalence in Lithuania. The most common substitutes of Perk'nas are the prophet Elijah (Elijošius, Alijošius) and St George (Jurgis). These Christian characters as equivalents to the god of thunder are also known among eastern Slavs. Therefore, a logical question follows on the nature of such a peculiar concurrence, which will receive due attention in the article. Lithuanian folklore often observes Elijah mentioned together with Enoch (both, as the Bible suggests, having been so close to God that they were brought to dwell in heaven when still alive). Legends about Elijah and Enoch feature them being related to the motifs of old religion and those of Christianity (LPK 3459). From the latter, associations of the mentioned characters with the god of thunder can be obviously defined: when Elijah or Enoch rides in the heaven, it thunders and lightning is flashing: Seniai, labai seniai, kada dar Adomo ir Ievos nebuvę, Dievas sutvcrc AlijošiC ir Anoką. -
A Reconstructed Indigenous Religious Tradition in Latvia
religions Article A Reconstructed Indigenous Religious Tradition in Latvia Anita Stasulane Faculty of Humanities, Daugavpils University, Daugavpils LV-5401, Latvia; [email protected] Received: 31 January 2019; Accepted: 11 March 2019; Published: 14 March 2019 Abstract: In the early 20th century, Dievtur¯ıba, a reconstructed form of paganism, laid claim to the status of an indigenous religious tradition in Latvia. Having experienced various changes over the course of the century, Dievtur¯ıba has not disappeared from the Latvian cultural space and gained new manifestations with an increase in attempts to strengthen indigenous identity as a result of the pressures of globalization. This article provides a historical analytical overview about the conditions that have determined the reconstruction of the indigenous Latvian religious tradition in the early 20th century, how its form changed in the late 20th century and the types of new features it has acquired nowadays. The beginnings of the Dievturi movement show how dynamic the relationship has been between indigeneity and nationalism: indigenous, cultural and ethnic roots were put forward as the criteria of authenticity for reconstructed paganism, and they fitted in perfectly with nativist discourse, which is based on the conviction that a nation’s ethnic composition must correspond with the state’s titular nation. With the weakening of the Soviet regime, attempts emerged amongst folklore groups to revive ancient Latvian traditions, including religious rituals as well. Distancing itself from the folk tradition preservation movement, Dievtur¯ıba nowadays nonetheless strives to identify itself as a Latvian lifestyle movement and emphasizes that it represents an ethnic religion which is the people’s spiritual foundation and a part of intangible cultural heritage. -
Prussian Romuva Decoded
Prussian Romuva Decoded VYKINTAS VAITKEVIČIUS The description of Romuva1 in the Chronicle of the Prussian Land (Chronicon Terræ Prussiæ) written by Peter of Dusburg in 1326 has been the subject of debate by scholars for decades. There is hardly any work on Baltic religion without at least a reference to the sacred site called Romuva. Researchers have usually focused on one aspect of Romuva, that is, whether it was a real or fictitious temple or what the competence of the chief priest Krivis was, etc. This article probably for the first time presents parallels to Romuva in the region of the Baltic Sea and draws the conclusion that the subject-matter of the Romuva legend cannot have been invented. The institution of assembly (in modern Lithuanian called sueiga) was very well known in the lands of the Prussians and other Balts. There is a strong presumption that the Prussian Romuva actually existed in the thirteenth century. INTRODUCTION The Chronicle of the Prussian Land is indisputably considered to be a reliable source for Prussian history. Peter of Dusburg already referred to some earlier sources (Labuda 1982: 161-4; Batūra 1985: 36-49; Matuzova 1997: 231-40), but both they and his own chronicle drew on oral tradition for material on the Prussians, their character and religion (Mannhardt ed. 1936: 90-1; Matuzova 1997: 239). Actually it is not quite clear whether the legend about Romuva was first recorded by Peter of Dusburg or by the chroniclers before him (cf. Friederici 1876: 251). The legend about Romuva and Krivis is differently regarded by different researchers. -
Globalizacija Ir Lietuvių Tautos Saviteigos Kultūra
Globalizacija ir lietuviø tautos saviteigos kultûra: santykio trajektorijos Romualdas GRIGAS Sociologinës kritinës áþvalgos motyvacija sime numatyti ir ávertinti destruktyvaus prado padarinius. Todël nedera pernelyg koneveikti intelektualus uþ jiems Lietuvos valstybë deda daug pastangø, kad integruo- labiau nei kitiems bûdingà opozicinæ laikysenà. Tam jie ir tøsi á Europos Sàjungà ir informacinæ visuomenæ. Ðiose intelektualai, kad, bûdami nepriklausomi arba maþiau pri- srityse, taip pat siekiant demokratinës kultûros sklaidos, klausomi nuo politiniø struktûrø ir nuo savinaudos ins- pasiekta tikrai daug, taèiau visuomenei nerimà kelia ne tinkto, gali (ir privalo) objektyviau vertinti besiklostanèià tik dorovinës kultûros nuosmukis, ðeðëliðkumo ásitvirti- situacijà. nimas ar nepakankamai stabili valstybës vidaus padëtis, Apskritai sociologijà að linkæs vertinti (sekdamas bet ir jos pamato – lietuviø tautinës savimonës, jos kultû- R. Nisbetu, P. Bergeriu) kaip socialinës realybës diagno- rinio identiteto bûklë, nacionalinio patriotizmo, orumo zavimo ir jos vaizdo konstravimo bûdà, kaip priemonæ, stygius. Regime akivaizdþià bendruomenës sutarimo, na- padedanèià nustatyti tas erdves, tas socialinës organiza- cionalinës vienybës, organizuoto pilietinio veiksmo, jo kul- cijos (toliau – SO)* vietas, kuriose reiðkiasi destrukcijos, tûros stokà. Pasaulis keièiasi neátikëtinu greièiu, iðkelda- deformacijos arba kokios kitos susirûpinimà kelianèios ir mas aibæ naujø, neatidëliotinai spræstinø problemø. Ðalia iðskirtinio dëmesio reikalaujanèios trajektorijos. -
The Alkai: Research in to Baltic Sacred Places
THE ALKAI: RESEARCH IN TO BALTIC SACRED PLACES VYKINTAS VAITKEVIČIUS SUMMARY sacred place is something more than just a h ill or a stone. Usually sacred places have their names and are enwrapped in unheard-of legends and Äbeliefs. There are still believers that these places may bring happiness and health. Sacred places immortalize a contact between Nature and Culture, History of Gods and People. Therefore, sacred places should be regarded as one of the most won derful realia of Lithuania. This book based on the doctorate defended at the Lithuanian Institute of History in 2000 is dedicated for those who are eager to learn more about sacred places. INTRODUCTION In scientific studies the problems o f the Baltic sacred places play a rather mod est role, since the realia of religious culture are usually analyzed separately from sacred places. So far only a few special studies were devoted to sacred places, there fore most commonly their definition bases on a few written sources and their wide variety is all in all illustrated by one or two examples o f excavated monuments. Sacred places are directly related to the conception o f the Baltic and Lithuanian religion, its genesis and development. Most objects with sacral status are o f natu ral origin and often do not contain any remarkable remains left by rituals. After Conversion in 1387, the attempts were made to destroy ancient sacred places or to give a Christian sense to their existence. In the 19th - 20th centuries only a few sites of this type were recorded. In most cases place-names, place-legends or be liefs bespoke their existence, but very rarely they are recognized from a specific exterior, from finds discovered there or from episodic rituals, which people still perform there. -
Defining Religion to Be Recognized by a State
Defining religion to be recognized by a state The case of neo-pagan community “Romuva“ in Lithuania Lukrecijus Tubys Master thesis Religion, conflict and dialogue programme Faculty of Theology Helsinki University 2020 2 3 Tiedekunta – Fakultet – Faculty Koulutusohjelma – Utbildingsprogram – Degree Theology Programme Religion, conflict and dialogue Tekijä – Författare – Author Lukrecijus Tubys Työn nimi – Arbetets titel – Title Defining religion to be recognized by a state. The case of neo-pagan community “Romuva“ in Lithuania Oppiaine/Opintosuunta – Läroämne/Studieinriktning – Subject/Study track Työn laji – Arbetets art – Level Aika – Datum – Month Sivumäärä – Sidoantal – Number of Masters and year 11, 2020 pages 82 4 Tiivistelmä – Referat – Abstract Lithuanian neo-pagan community “Romuva” approached the Lithuanian parliament to grant it state’s recognition. According to the Ministry of Justice, the religious community met all necessary requirements – it has been registered for 25 years, its customs and creeds do not contradict law and morals, and it has support in the society. However, the Lithuanian parliament voted against granting the new status. This thesis aims on how was the legal recognition of the “Romuva” argued for and against in the public media and the Lithuanian parliament and what kind of understanding of neo-paganism in particular and religion in general was constructed in these arguments. To achieve the goal two sets of data were analyzed: all articles related with “Romuva” recognition appeared on the most popular as well as pro-christian and pro-romuvian media sites from 2018-2020. Also public records from the Lithuanian parliament during submission and consideration phases, letters to parliamentarians. The data was also structured in a timeline to track the development of arguments. -
Lithuania 2018 International Religious Freedom Report
LITHUANIA 2018 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT Executive Summary The constitution provides for freedom of religion, freedom of religious practice, and state recognition of religious organizations, provided they do not contradict the constitution or the law. The government extends special benefits to nine “traditional” religious groups and more limited benefits to four “recognized” religious groups. Religious groups must register with the government to gain legal status. Parliament had not yet considered the recognition application by the indigenous religious group Romuva, following a favorable recommendation by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and again did not vote on the recognition application of the United Methodist Church, pending since 2001. The government allocated funds to begin the conversion of a Soviet-era sports palace built atop a Jewish cemetery into a conference center. The Lithuanian Jewish Community (LJC) supported the project, but its Vilnius branch and other Jewish groups issued a statement against it and two other projects on former Jewish cemetery sites. Parliament removed the ombudsman for academic ethics amid allegations of anti- Semitism. The government again paid 3.62 million euros ($4.15 million) to the Foundation for the Disposal of Good Will Compensation for the Immovable Property of Jewish Religious Communities (Good Will Foundation) as compensation for nationalized Jewish communal property and 1.2 million euros ($1.38 million) to traditional religious groups. Senior government officials participated and spoke at Holocaust remembrance events. Some participants at a nationalist march of 1,000 persons in March wore fascist symbols and carried banners of Lithuanian partisans who critics said were Nazi collaborators. Some participants at another nationalist march of 300 persons in February carried a banner with a picture of a World War II (WWII)-era anti- Semite, Kazys Skirpa. -
2019 M. MOKSLINIO TYRIMO DARBŲ
LIETUVOS KULTŪROS TYRIMŲ INSTITUTAS MOKSLINIO TYRIMO DARBŲ 2019 m. ATASKAITA Ilgalaikė programa 7.1. LIETUVOS DAILĖS, MUZIKOS IR TEATRO TYRIMAI: PAVELDAS, NAUJI REIŠKINIAI, KONTEKSTAI (12,23 norminio etato) Publikacijos Studijos – 2: Gyvūnas – žmogus – robotas (Animal – Human – Robot), parodos knyga, sudaryt. ir teksto autorė Erika Grigoravičienė, Ugnė Paberžytė, Vilnius: MO muziejus, 2019, – 270 p. Natalevičienė (Šatavičiūtė), Lijana. Salvinija Giedrimienė. Kelias (Way), Vilnius: Lietuvos dailininkų sąjunga, Lietuvos dailės muziejus, 2019, – 144 p. Šaltinių publikacijos – 1: Pažaislio kamaldulių vienuolyno XVIII-XIX a. vizitacijų aktai [serija: Lietuvos istorijos šaltiniai, t. XIV], parengė Mindaugas Paknys, Vilnius: LKTI, 2019. Taikomieji mokslo leidiniai – 1 (2 tomai): Po Italijos saule. XVIII a. – XX a. pirmos pusės Lietuvos dailininkai Italijoje, katalogas, sudaryt. Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, Rūta Janonienė, Dalia Tarandaitė, Vilnius: Lietuvos dailės muziejus, 2019, t. 1: 376 p., iliustr.; t. 2: 264 p., iliustr. Tekstai: Jankevičiūtė, Giedrė. Kelionė į Italiją ir jos atspindžiai XX a. pirmos pusės Lietuvos dailėje, Po Italijos saule. XVIII a. – XX a. pirmos pusės Lietuvos dailininkai Italijoje, katalogas, sudaryt. Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, Rūta Janonienė, Dalia Tarandaitė, Vilnius: Lietuvos dailės muziejus, 2019, t. 1, p. 89–129. Tekstai: Jankevičiūtė, Giedrė, skyrelių „Svetimšalio žvilgsniu“, „Kalnai ir jūra“ įvadai, kūrinių aprašai, XX a. pirmos pusės Lietuvos dailininkai Italijoje, katalogas, sudaryt. Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, Rūta Janonienė, Dalia Tarandaitė, Vilnius: Lietuvos dailės muziejus, 2019, t. 2, p. 53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 69, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89, 93, 95, 97, 99, 101, 103, 131, 133, 139, 141, 143, 145, 149, 159, 161, 167, 169, 171, 173, 175, 177, 179, 239, 241, 245. Sudaryti mokslinių straipsnių rinkiniai: 2 Excellentia virtutum: šventieji Lietuvos kultūroje (serija Religinės kultūros paveldo studijos, 4), sudaryt. -
Paganism and Its Discontents
Paganism and Its Discontents Paganism and Its Discontents: Enduring Problems of Racialized Identity Edited by Holli S. Emore and Jonathan M. Leader Paganism and Its Discontents: Enduring Problems of Racialized Identity Edited by Holli S. Emore and Jonathan M. Leader This book first published 2020 Cambridge Scholars Publishing Lady Stephenson Library, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2PA, UK British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Copyright © 2020 by Holli S. Emore, Jonathan M. Leader and contributors All rights for this book reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. ISBN (10): 1-5275-5770-7 ISBN (13): 978-1-5275-5770-3 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Illustrations ................................................................................................. vii Preface .................................................................................................................... viii Helen A. Berger, Ph.D. Introduction .......................................................................................................... xiv Holli S. Emore and Jonathan M. Leader Chapter 1 ................................................................................................................... 1 Arguing with the Ancestors: Making the Case for a Paganism without Racism Keynote -
1. Introduction 2. Burial Rites in Thirteenth-Century Lithuania
K VAITKEVIČIUS THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE STATE RELIGION IN THIRTEENTH-CENTURY LITHUANIA 1. Introduction Hitherto there has been much talk about the formation of the Lithuanian State of the late 12th — early 13th centuries (Fig. 1). A more thorough study has included the issues on the period concerning the state foundation and its strengthening, on the personalities of the Grand Dukes, on the mode of the policy etc. Historical studies have commonly presented the image of the state through the realia of «military culture*, with the research on its ideology and religion lacking behind except for some solitary notes and indirect polemics on the issues of different kind. Only some researchers have assumed that during the reign of the first Lithuanian ruler — King Mindaugas (ca. 1240-1263) the attempts were made to unite different religious systems of the Baltic tribes. Investiga tors of Lithuanian mythology (A. J. Greimas, V. N. Toporov) argue that during the foundation of the state the instances of the reform of the religion emerged, though these assumptions have been based exceptio nally upon the analysis of mythological sources. This article provides a concise set of the results of the research on the religion of the Lithuanian State in the light of the written evidence, the myths and archaeological material. Some conclusions as well as an extensive analysis on mytho logical data have been published in the Lithuanian press (Vaitkevičienė, Vaitkevičius 2001). 2. Burial rites in thirteenth-century Lithuania The mode of burial known throughout Lithuania's early years reflect regional varieties in terms of the burial tradition and also illustrate the distinctions in the religious systems of the Baltic tribes (Fig. -
Introduction
Introduction Context Is EverythingContext Is Everything: Plurality and Paradox Plurality and Paradox in Contemporary European Paganisms Kathryn Rountree Modern Pagan and Native Faith groups and movements have sprung up across Europe – as in the rest of the world – in recent decades, yet comparatively little has been published about them compared with the extensive literature on British and American Pagans and Pagan traditions.1 This is beginning to change, especially in relation to Central and Eastern Europe.2 All such movements, wherever they are, share some important characteristics – especially the valo- rization of human relationships with the rest of nature and poly- theistic cosmologies – and could be said to belong to a global new religious phenomenon, albeit one that frequently invokes ancient religions.3 But local expressions are extremely diverse – even within a single country – in terms of their beliefs, practices, values and politics. The relative importance of ecology, magic, ethnic politics and indigenous tradition varies enormously. Amidst this variety, large numbers of Pagans and Native Faith followers participate in global communities and communication networks via the Internet, bypassing cultural and geographical boundaries.4 Thus they have it both ways, asserting the primacy of the local while enjoying con- nections with, and often borrowing from, their counterparts in other places. This volume examines a variety of such groups and movements across the European region, many of whose goals involve the con- struction