Pagan Lithuanian Folk Beliefs
By the time the Thirteen Colonies were fighting, their war of independence
from Great Britain, Lithuania had been a considerable force in Eastern
European history and politics for over 400 years. The Grand Duke Mindaugas
established the first Lithuanian State in 1230, in response to the growing
threat that was presented by the presence of ever increasingly proselytising
Germanic Teutonic and Livonian Christian military orders. In 1252, Mindaugas
accepted Christianity, so that he could be crowned king; he was the first
and only king of Lithuania. Some of his contemporaries doubted his sincerity,
– according to one Russian chronicler, "Mindaugas’ baptism was hypocritical.
He continued to sacrifice to his gods secretly. When Mindaugas was riding
through the fields and a hare ran across his path, he would keep away from
the undergrowth and take care to not break a single branch. And he sacrificed
to his gods, and burned the bodies of the dead, and openly practised his
paganism." Christianity was not fully established into the higher orders
until Duke Jogaila’s time, one hundred years later. The Christian faith
did not filter down to the lower orders, just in the rest of Europe, until
the beginnings of Industrialisation. Lithuania was the last country in
Europe to be christianised, and there still remain pockets of pagan beliefs
and practises to this day.
The Grand Duke Gediminas, 1316-1341, is credited with founding the capital, Vilnius, at the confluence of the Neris and Vilnia rivers.
There is a story that surrounds the founding of Vilnius. Gediminas went out hunting with his friends in a sacred forest. While twilight was creeping in, Gediminas spied upon a large bull. Gediminas hunted the bull and finally caught up with it on a hill -standing where the Neris and Vilna Rivers meet. Here it was that Gediminas made his kill.
The hunt for the bull took so long that night had fallen. Gediminas and the rest of the hunting party decided to camp in the woods for the night.
In the morning the Grand Duke awoke saying, "An amazing dream did I dream this night! I dreamt of a great Iron Wolf, standing on that hill. His howl was so great and terrible; his voice was that of one hundred wolves. Who would know what this dream means?" No one could interpret his dream, but know it he would. Not far from the hill lived "Kriviu Krivaitis" - the High Priest of Lithuania. Gediminas decided to ride out to his homestead and ask him to interpret the dream. Kriviu Krivaitis heard the dream and said, "Most noble Grand Duke, the Iron Wolf symbolises a large and formidable city, and it must be built on that hill. That city will be as strong as iron. The wolf’s howl -the city’s life and strength. Build it!"
That city was Vilnius, the new capital of the Grand Dukes.
Lithuania reached its peak with the accession of Grand Duke Vytautas Didysis, who ruled from 1392 to 1430. Under his rule, the borders of the Grand Duchy stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. It also included much of modern day Ukraine and Russia, excluding the Duchy of Muskovy. In 1410, together with his cousin Jogaila, he beat back the Teutonic Order at the battle of Tannenberg -he celebrated his victory with the building of Trakiu Pilis.
Jogaila married the Queen of Poland, Jadvyga, and together joined the two royal families. Lithuania and Poland formed a Federation, which lasted for two hundred years more. The rest of the history of Lithuania consists of internal struggles with the Polish nobility and the gradual extinction of the language and culture. The Russian Empire eventually annexed Lithuania, and it was in the 19th Century that there was an upsurge in demand for the Lithuanian language and culture. Vincas Kudirkas, along with other academics, revitalised the literary traditions of the country.
As to what is known about the ancient religion of Lithuania, there is very sketchy information extant. There has been, since Independence was won a few years ago, an increasing interest in her history. What is known about her can be found by 16th and 17th century chroniclers, but according to one academic (Jonas Balys), some of the reports are fabricated or misunderstood. Though the chronicle by Malala in 1261 mentions the gods Perkunas, Telvelik (Kalvelis –the heavenly smith, who forged the sun) and Zvoruna.
One academic, Prane Dunduliene, has made a study of this area and has come up with some interesting findings. She writes:
"The history of Lithuanian faith and mythology can be subdivided into three epochs. The first epoch is that of the early matriarchal tribal system, during which religious imagery (totem, animist and craft cult imagery) connected with feminine supernatural beings appeared in the hunters’ and gatherers’ society. The second epoch was that of the late matriarchal tribal system, based on hoe agriculture, during which religious imagery connected with the cult of feminine deities and the Sun, the Moon, the Earth developed as well as those representing fertility and water…. The third epoch was the period of the patriarchal tribal system and its disintegration, followed by the formation of a class society."
Following the official christianization of the Grand Duchy, for several decades and even centuries it was reported by observers that "..The Christians of that district buried their dead in the groves and holy fields, and they worshipped inanimate objects -oaks, stones, rivers and reptiles". This not only continued for a few decades after Mindaugas’s conversion, but well into the twentieth century.
I found this quite true, when I visited my mother’s home in Poland back in the summer of 1988. My mother comes from an area in Poland called Suwalki, near a little town called Punsk. In the area there are many Lithuanians who have lived there for several generations –as in the case of many European countries, the borders have shifted over the centuries, and what was once Lithuanian territory is now Polish. While visiting with my relatives, I happened to experience an important festival for them, celebrated during the Ides of August. The villagers would parade around the village, marking and reminding themselves of the outlines of the village borders. It was a religious ceremony in that there was a Priest at the head of the procession and it ended at the village church. The people had made wheat dollies, images of the Virgin Mary, and many flower bouquets, which were to be offered to ensure the fruitfulness of the villagers’ harvests. In many ways, this was an amalgam of Catholic beliefs and pagan rites.
Lithuanian mythological beliefs can be divided into four categories, gods, spirits and demons (low mythology), worship of nature, and the worship of the dead.
The supreme god was called "Dievas", which quite literally means god, and comes from the same root as that for "Devi" which is Hindi for god as well, or Deus in Latin and so forth. In later times the title "Dievas" was used to denote the Christian god, while the other Lithuanian deities were relegated to becoming lesser gods and goddesses. Sometimes the deities became demons -as in the case of Gabija, goddess of the hearth fire. The most important god, after Dievas, was Perkunas (or Perkons in Latvian). He was master of the atmosphere and the waters of the sky, as well as the fecundity of flora, human morality and justice.
Perkunas has five functions within the mythos cycle. He is first a fertility god. His name means, literally, Thunder. In addition, he is associated with rain, lightening and thunder. In 1610, a catholic cleric (D. Fabricius) wrote: "During a drought, when there hasn’t been rain, they worship Perkons in thick forests on hills and sacrifice to him a black calf, a black goat, and a black cock". When killed, the people would come together from all the surrounding countryside, to eat and drink. They would pay homage to their thunder god by first pouring him beer, which is then brought around the fire, and then poured it into this fire, asking Perkons for rain.
His second function was in the realm of morality. There was an ancient custom, which sought to preserve water, keep it unpolluted. This was associated with the belief that various deities lived in water: mermaids, spirits, and souls, especially those of the drowned. Jurate was the Queen of the Baltic Sea, but Perkunas killed her for loving Kastytis, a son of earth.
Another set of myths surrounding Perkunas’s responsibilities, vis-à-vis morality, was in his ongoing struggle with the devil. Now, I have to make one point of clarification, the Lithuanian devil is very different from what the word conjures up in people’s minds today. When most people think of the Devil, the first image to pop into our minds is that of a cloven footed creature, a fallen angel excluded from God’s grace. The Devil is Yahweh’s polar opposite, equal in the continuing struggle between good and evil. On the other hand, the ancient Lithuanians’ conception of a devil was that of a mischievous, rather stupid and easily tricked creature.
Perkunas is also a participant in the Heavenly Wedding, a Latvian tale of the Sun’s daughter’s wedding. Sometimes Perkunas is a guest of the Sun or a guest of the Moon. In the story, the Moon kidnaps the Sun’s daughter’s, bridegroom, Aukseklis’ (morning star). To my mind, this is the Latvian explanation for why the Sun and Moon refuse to see each other, there is another, which is Lithuanian. But as to Perkunas, while on his way to the wedding he strikes a golden oak. Some theorise that this may mean that by striking the oak Perkunas was performing an exorcism to repel evil spirits (Velnias frequently hides under the roots of an oak). In Latvian wedding songs, when a bride comes to her new home, the husband’s relative cuts a cross in the doorpost with the same intention.
His fourth function is that of the Heavenly Smith. There are two views on this topic: one, that the Heavenly Smith is an independent god, and a servant of Perkunas; and two, that Perkunas is the Heavenly Smith. It was the Smith who created the Sun and Moon, hammering them into existence (their eventual division).
Perkunas’ fifth function is highly debated between academics, whether he is a war god. Though Perkunas is well armed, he is not involved in war affairs. There is no true consensus on the issue, but there is agreement over his using his weaponry in creating thunder and lightening in his persecution of the devil.
Since I have already mentioned the two main celestial bodies, it would seem to be apropos to discuss them. Within each culture, these two celestial bodies are portrayed in varying ways. In Lithuanian mythology, the Sun is feminine and the Moon is masculine.
The Heavenly Wedding is but one example of how the Sun and Moon came to a disagreement. The Sun accused the Moon of kidnapping her daughter’s bridegroom, according to Latvian myths. In Lithuania the Sun and Moon were not rivals, but husband and wife -and, their daughter was Zemyna, the Earth. The two were divorced, over the Moon’s inability to stay faithful to his wife.
In the "Liaudies Dainos" there is a folk-song, which tells of this:
Menuo Sauluze vede
Pirma pavasareli
Sauluze anksti keles
Menuzis atsiskyre.
Menuo viens vaikstinejo
Ausrine pamylejo
Perkuns, didziai supykes,
Ji kardu perdalijo
-Ko Sauluzes atsiskyrei?
Ausrine pamylejai?
Viens nakti vaikstinejai?
This is why the Sun shines during the day and the Moon at night. Though divorced, both want to see their daughter.
The Sun is Saule, and is one of the most powerful of the goddesses. She it is who provides the warmth of nature, and fertility. As well, Saule is patroness of all misfortunates, especially orphans, since she is the only substitute of a mother’s warmth.
The Moon, called Menulis, her ex husband, receives prayers for healing. He is known alternatively as Young God or Prince. When the new moon is seen, there a few prayers which can be said, such as: "Moon, moon, dear moon, bright little god of the Heaven, you must become round and I remain healthy. Give him the fullness and me the realm of Perkunas." Alternatively "I bless you, bright dear moon I wish brightness to you and beauty for myself; I wish you the qualities of a god, and give me the qualities of a man." The former used against all diseases and the latter for gaining beauty.
The next important deity is Laima, the goddess of Fate and Luck -both good and bad. Within the Latvian myths, there has been an attempt to associate Laima with a triple goddess. Whereas there has not been such an association attempted within the realm of Lithuanian myths.
Laima is a weaver, much like the Greek Fates. She weaves out the life for all creatures, and controls the most important events of a person’s life, such as birth, death and marriage. She is also the patron of pregnant women and a good pregnancy is assured so long as she is in the house.
Her counterpart was Giltine, goddess of death. When the time of death comes, she is there at the dying person’s head. Barriers of any kind cannot stop her. Appearance wise, she is visualised as being tall and slim, and with an insatiable appetite. Much like Kali, she has a poisonous tongue, which lolls about. Dressed in a white sheet, she collects poison from the bodies of the dead in graveyards. If she licks a person’s face, he or she will instantly die. "Giltine" is derived from a root, which has a double meaning, that of stinging and the colour yellow. Yellow is the colour death since it is the colour of bone.
Returning to Laima, according to Marija Gimbutas, in her The Language of the Goddess, up until the second half of the nineteenth century, there was a birthing ritual practised in the sauna. It was presided over by the family matriarch, and only women were permitted to the ritual. "After the birth, a hen was sacrificed to.. Laima. The grandmother killed it with a wooden ladle. Kneeling down, the participants then ate the chicken." Gifts to Laima were linen towels, woven belts, and spindle whorls -quite similar to what a bride would receive on her wedding day.
The next goddess is Zemyna, the daughter of Saule and Menulis. According to importance, Zemyna is the second most important of all the deities, following Perkunas. Since all life springs from her, she was honoured at the birth of every child. Her image was kissed reverently in the morning and in the evening. Food offerings were laid in front of stones, tied to tree branches, or flung into a flowing river to give her thanks for the new life.
Her name means "Earth" and the poetry exalts her productiveness by calling her "Bloomer", "Bud Raiser", and "Flower Giver". As her name implies, her main responsibility was plant life -not only agrarian, but weeds, trees, algae, and arctic lichen. Connected to Zemyna were trees with three leaves or nine branches, and the oak, linden and spruce were her favourites. It was believed that women were represented or personified by lindens and spruce; men by oaks, maples, and birches. Young virgins by lilies, and village ancestors would reside in fruit trees.
August 15th is the most important day, a day of triumph for Zemyna and all other "Earth Goddesses". It is the feast of herbs, flowers, a corn richly celebrated to this day throughout Europe. In Lithuania, bouquets of flowers and ears of corn are brought to church for the goddess to bless (or Mary).
The Earth is the holiest of holies for Lithuanians, and one cannot joke with her or give offerings at irregular intervals. In 1582, it was reported that a family member or farm animal in eastern Lithuania could become paralysed or a huge snake could obstruct the entrance to a household if one was lax in his offerings to the Earth.
Twin to Zemyna was Zemepatis, her brother. Zemepatis was also a god of fertility, but also the protector of cattle and the farm. He is not of great power, as his sister is, and it is to her that all prayers for the fertility of the land go to.
There is a whole slew of other deities, such as Gabija, who is the goddess of the hearth-fire and her counter part Gabijauja who was the fire in the threshing barn. Medeine, whose name means Lady of the Trees, goddess of the woods and hares; and her twin, Meiden, god of animals and of the forest -rather similar to Herne. This brings to mind the Vanir twins in Norse myths, Freya and Freyr.
There are also many stories, which can be classified as lower mythology. One such story group is that of the Laumes, the fairies who interestingly enough have birds’ claws for feet. They usually appear in groups of three. They are able to do women’s work perfectly, and are especially skilled in weaving and spinning. They love children, respect industriousness and help those in need. They punish those who ridicule them, and those who are lazy. One story which illustrates this well is called "Laumes ir Kudikis/The Fairies and the Babe".
The Laumes can foretell the future as well. In one story, called "Laumes nulemia naujagimio ateiti" the foretell the future of 3 newborns.
There are other "creatures" which fall under this category of low mythology. They are the cobolts and dragons (Kaukai ir Aitvarai), both of which are household spirits. The aitvaras is first mentioned in written texts in 1547. He brings to his master stolen goods, mostly corn, milk and coins. Appearance wise, while flying he appears fiery and while within the house he is a cock. To gain possession of an aitvaras it must be either bought or brooded from a seven-year-old cock’s eggs. He must be fed an omelette, and when once in the house it is very difficult to get rid of him. The cobold is similar to the Germanic Puk, small and dwarfish in appearance, and performed the same function as the aitvaras. The grass snake, Zaltys, was also a symbol of good fortune, and it was bad luck to kill a snake -and they were the beloved creatures of Saule. This explains what happens to the children in the story, Egle Zalciu Karaliene.
The symbolic awakening of the snakes was on January 25th, The Day of Serpents in Lithuania, Kirmeline, when the serpents come out of the forests and return to the houses. On that day, the people would shake the apple trees in the orchard so that they would more fruitful and knock on beehives, waking the bees from the winter slumber.
Greimas states in his work:
Honouring them as deities, at a certain time of the year they invite them to the table with seers’ prayers. Crawling out from their sleep they lie down on the clean cloth and make themselves comfortable on the table. There, tasting a little every dish, they slither and return to their hole.With the retreat of the snakes, the people happily eat the dishes that have been tasted by them, confident that at that time everything will go well for them. And if, in spite of the seer’s prayers, the snakes do not break away or do not come to taste the laid-out dishes -then they believe that in those years a huge misfortune will befall them.
There are other beliefs, such as in witches and magicians, but these beliefs are prevalent throughout Europe therefore can be viewed elsewhere.
The ancient Lithuanians also practised a form of Ancestor Worship. Formerly, the Lithuanians did not fear the dead. The living and the dead were parts of a society within the frame of a big family. The dead were thought of as living in the grave with many of the same needs as the living. The dead were feasted at burial, one year later and at big feasts. The Lithuanians’ belief in reincarnation is similar to that of the rest of the ancient world. The dead could be reborn into any form, be it human or vegetable matter or animal. The dead must climb a high mountain and thus it was of great value to have long fingernails. There is no underworld in Lithuanian mythology. Purgatory or Hell was where a spirit would be trapped, be it a rock or a flower.
As one can surmise, there are some facets of Lithuanian mythology, which distinguishes it from that of other cultures; and there are elements which bind the Lithuanian culture to that of the rest of Europe and other Indo-European Peoples. Eventually, given time, there will be enough information out there for us to read and enjoy.
