BY JAUNMĀRUPE PRIMARY SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHERS DAINA MEDIŅA AND KRISTĪNE VILCĀNE

The Latvian Solstice

THE MICHAELMAS

The autumn solstice the Michaelmas is celebrated on 29th September, when the day and night is

equally long. The symbol of this festival is Jumis- the spirit of the fields.

Jumis can be a straw with two ears, two nuts in one nutshell, two mushrooms, berries, apples or other things growing together.

THE MARTINMAS

The end of the autumn and the beginning of winter is marked by Latvian festival Martinmas. It is the time when the autumn works have been finished, the fields have been ploughed, the cattle have settled in the shed, the herd time is over and the winter starts, which usually is the beginning of November.

One of the most important traditions of this festival are the maskers.

CHRISTMAS

Christmas - the winter solstice. It is the festival of the light, when the darkness gives its place to the light. It is also the God’s Birthday.

One of the national traditions is pulling a log at the Christmas Eve. It has an old ritual meaning and for people it means taking care of all the hardness and problems of the last year. The log was pulled along all the places to collect the troubles and the burn them.

SHROVETIDE CARNIVAL

It is the time, when the winter backs off and the spring comes. The festival is usually celebrated in February, when there is still snow. On the Shrovetide day there is a lot of fun with many activities- going down the hill in sleighs, running, jumping.

EASTER OR THE GREAT DAY

Easter or the Great Day is a spring solstice which is celebrated for the coming of spring and the Sun. The Great Day is to be celebrated on 20th or 21st of March when spring comes. It is to be celebrated for three days

In Easter eggs are being boiled and colored.

Easter swinging is a cheerful event; it favours fertility and crop promotion. Easter needs a lot of swing to disperse clouds, to avoid rainy summer and mosquitoes biting.

USINI

in Latvian traditions Usins marks the end of the spring and the beginning of the summer.

Usins is a deity of light, he is not only a trustee of horses, but he also took care for bees, cows, oxen, sheep and sows – woods and barleys.

The Usins Day was celebrated in the beginning of May.

MIDSUMMER DAY

The summer solstice is celebrated on 23rd and 24th of June

Farmstead decoration is very important tradition in the Midsummer Day. Decorations promote fertility. Rooms and doors are decorated with oak branches, birch boughs and with wild flowers bunches.

Bonfires were lit to protect against evil spirit and it associated with the victoryover darkness.

Making beer and caraway cheese at home are traditional in the Midsummer Day.

MARA’S DAY

for Latvians the Mara’s Day is associated with the end of summer and beginning of Autumn.

This day is called the Bread Day because good bread is pride and glory of each mistress.

Mara is the main guardian of the hostesses.