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Vievis church, Lithuania
  Shoved successively between the giant Russian state and the Nazi post, this tenacious little country stunned the world when it won its independence just over a decade ago. This picturesque country of rolling hills, rivers, numerous forests, streams and lakes is the largest and southernmost of the Baltic States. The Lithuanians are a group of the Indo-European family of nations, distinct from both the Slavic and German branches, with a unique culture and language. They lived here on the shores of the Baltic Sea long before the Christian era, and at the dawn of European history had attained a level of civilization equal to that of many other European peoples of that age. It is home to 3.5 million people of whom 80% are Lithuanian, the rest being mostly Russian and Polish. Lithuania was established as a state in the 14th century under its only king - Mindaugas. In the 15th century the Grand Duchy of Lithuania attained the height of its existence, reaching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. The subsequent union with Poland lasted over 200 years until Russia gained control over Lithuanian lands at the end of the 18th century. Lithuania enjoyed a brief period of independence between 1918 and 1940. This experience allowed Lithuanians to develop cultural and political institutions which were vital in preserving and strengthening their national consciousness and will to persevere, despite overwhelming odds and hostile, powerful neighbors. Thanks to the independence period, Lithuanians managed to survive the worst of the Stalinist horrors and emerge as a compact, nationally-conscious people determined to regain their rights to self-determination. Under Soviet leader Gorbachev's policy of "glasnost", Lithuanians have been able to express their long-buried national sentiments and desires to control the destiny of their homeland. The present atmosphere in Lithuania is in some respects truly revolutionary, thus making travel there all the more fascinating and informative. Lithuanian Cuisine The Lithuanian cuisine developed over many generations and is deeply rooted in the countryside where it was closely linked with the common people's life style and customs. Most festivities, private and public, center around a table, where good food and good company go hand-in-hand. Locals seldom patronize restaurants, preferring instead the familiar comforts of home. Moreover, going out tends to be quite expensive for most local inhabitants, although Western travelers will find the prices very reasonable, even in the better quality restaurants. If invited to a Lithuanian's home, be prepared to spend the entire evening at a heavily-laden table, where the hosts (Lithuanians pride themselves on their hospitality) will relentlessly urge you to "have a little more" ("Dar truputi!"). Hors d'oeuvres are popular, including various salads (misraine), marinated mushrooms (grybai), herring (silke), cold meats and sausages. Skilandis is an excellent smoked sausage which is to be eaten with the local dark rye bread. A variety of soups are also served, a specialty being the cold beet soup (saltibarsciai), which is especially popular, and refreshing, during the summer. Potato dishes are common and prepared in a variety of ways. These include the following: cepelinai - grated potato dumplings stuffed with meat, cheese or mushrooms topped with fried bacon bits (the name means zeppelin, which is appropriate, given their cylindrical shape); vedarai - a type of potato sausage; potato pancakes; and kugelis - a potato pudding which came to Lithuania from Germany. Boiled potatoes also accompany many of the chief entrees, such as saltibarsciai, rugusis pienas (sour milk), varske (cottage cheese) and pasukos (buttermilk). Another popular dish is virtinukai - small dumplings stuffed with meat, cheese or mushrooms. Lithuanian farmer's cheese comes in many tasty permutations: fresh, dried, sweet or flavored with caraway seeds. It is still the custom in some rural areas to welcome an unexpected visitor by serving farmer's cheese accompanied with honey. Later the hosts bring out ham, sausage and scrambled eggs, often with a bottle of "something stronger". Because Lithuania was traditionally an agrarian country, the dishes tend to be on the heavy side (to provide enough energy for field work), but also appetizing and prepared with care. For dessert try a kompotas (fruit compote), kisielius (a type of fruit pudding, especially popular around the Christmas holidays), pyragas or tortas (cake). Locals are especially fond of the ice cream sold by street vendors, which, though delicious, comes in only a few basic flavors. Lithuanians take pride in their confectionary, which although not quite up to the standards of the finest Swiss chocolate, nevertheless is genuinely of high quality. Ask for the Baltoji meska (Polar Bear) or Pauksciu pienas (Bird Nectar) varieties. Also worth a try are gira (a refreshing beverage made by fermenting grains or fruit), and midus (mead). Lithuania also produces several decent liquors, including Palanga and Dainava (both of which are similar to brandy) as well as Zagares (a cherry liqueur). But beware of samagonas, a powerful and often nasty-tasting home brew or cheap wine! Climate Lithuania's climate is moderate. Summer brings temperatures of 65-70" F. and plentiful rain, with July being the warmest month. The winters can be cold and foggy, with average temperatures of 20° F., but the sea tends to moderate local climatic conditions somewhat. Average annual rainfall amounts to 26 inches. Land Lithuania is characterized by gently rolling hills, flat plains, many forests, rivers and streams, and clear lakes. The country lies on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea approximately at the same latitude as Denmark, Scotland and southern Canada. A relatively small country with an area of 26,173 sq. mi., it is nonetheless the largest of the three Baltic States and also larger than Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium. Its neighbors are: Latvia to the north; Byelorussia to the east and south; Poland and the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Republic (historically Lithuania Minor) to the south-west. The territory of Lithuania is an extension of the western part of the great East European plain. Retreating Ice Age glaciers formed the rolling landscape and left chains of moranic hills. Glacial deposits contain natural resources such as clay, dolomite, sand, gravel, chalk, gypsum and limestone. Lithuania is criss-crossed by more than 700 rivers and creeks, the largest being the river Nemunas. Historically the Nemunas was an important shipping route through Lithuania and therefore of strategic importance. A string of fortresses and castles was built along the river. East of the town of Jurbarkas in central Lithuania are the 16th-17th century castles of Raudone and Panemune, and the two castle hills of Veliuona, which offer the traveler a beautiful vista. Today the Nemunas is still important as a transport route, a source of energy at the Kaunas hydro-electric station and as a recreation resource. Lakes are numerous in Lithuania as well. Of the approximately 3000 lakes found in the country, the majority are in eastern Lithuania. The district of Ignalina is also the location of Lithuania's first national park. Most lakes are shallow, gradually spreading into surrounding marshes or swamps. In southern Lithuania lies the Zuvintas wildlife preserve. Lake Zuvintas is ringed by large swamps which are home to more than 200 species of birds including herons, sea gulls, grouse, ducks, geese and swans, the pride of Zuvintas. Art Twentieth-century Lithuanian art has not forgotten that the present is rooted in the past. Lithuanian artists have often sought to extract from their national cultural heritage that which uniquely expresses the national consciousness, a primeval ethnic world view, so as to infuse a powerful expressiveness and originality into their art, which has increasingly come under the influence of modern art. Whereas early in the century various European artists found new means of expression in the "primitivism" of the Middle Ages, Oceania, or African art, artists in Lithuania sought inspiration and new forms from early Lithuanian folk art, folk lore, in general from archaic, often not wholly finalized ethnic cultural strata. The passage of time, together with the ever changing existential and artistic situation of the Lithuanian nation understandably perfected, expanded, and brought about changes in this tendency. In present-day art there are numerous examples illustrating that this reflection on the archaic and primitive is no longer narrowly ethnocentric. Lithuanian artists incorporate a variety of international cultural traditions and motifs into their works, and are making use of widespread iconographic prototypes. It is not uncommon to come across mythical world views, including an anthropocentric cosmos, the juxtaposition of living and non-living objects, the demoniacal, sacralized ritualistic scenes, anthropomorphic figures, and so on. Lithuanian artists seek to express the universality of being through various means: the use of parallels to well-known myths, newly created myths or a myth-like interpretation of present-day reality, etc. In these aspects Lithuanian art retains genetic contact not only with the archetypes of mankind's collective consciousness, but also reflects the problematical, and often catastrophic condition of modern man - his dramatic and paradoxical sense of self. The viewer will notice that in such instances, the means of self-preservation and source of spiritual strength in Lithuanian art is the unity between Man and Nature. Music The Lithuanian musical scene ranges from the most archaic forms of folk music to highly innovative 20th century expressions. These two extremes are not mutually exclusive, but rather interrelated in new and unexpected ways. Visitors to Lithuania should not pass up the opportunity to experience the wide spectrum of musical offerings. Music accompanied the life of the Lithuanian peasant from dawn to dusk. Folk songs were sung on holidays and they accompanied daily tasks such as reaping, herding, ploughing, milling, spinning and weaving. Weddings, Christenings and funerals had their own repertoires, including beautiful laments, lullabies and ballads. Most are lyrical, restrained, modal pieces with very irregular rhythms and free meters. The texts are poetic gems: imagery often metaphorically likens events in nature with characters. Young maidens take the form of a snow-white lily, while their young suitors might be compared to falcons. Although Lithuania covers a small geographic area, each region has developed its own unique style. Southeastern Dzukija is known for its intricately ..ornamented, melodic monodic songs. Songs of northwestern Zemaitija are improvisatory and rhythmically free. Northeastern Aukstaitija features a unique form of polyphonic rounds, called "sutartines", which are not found in any other region of Lithuania or in neighboring countries. The individual voices of these songs interact contrapuntally and imitatively, often resulting in major seconds, sevenths and tritones, defying traditional harmony and sounding very dissonant. The rhythms are syncopated. These "rounds" represent the most original and ancient in Lithuanian folklore. Instrumental folk music is not as rich as the vocal tradition, but it is also very interesting. Unfortunately, research in instrumental music came late, many of the instruments have been lost, and few musical examples have been written down. The "kankles" (psaltery) is one of the oldest Lithuanian string instruments. According to pagan legends, the kankles melody is the voice of a dead soul. They are constructed from wood in the form of a trapezoid. The oldest ones contained as few as five strings. The "birbyne" is a hollowed out wooden pipe with an animal horn attached to the end as a resonator. The Baltic Coast The Baltic coastline of Lithuania extends about 55 miles. The sandy beaches attract many tourists, especially to the resort of Palanga. The Neringa peninsula makes up more than half of the coast, separating the Kursiu Marios, a large Baltic lagoon, from the Baltic Sea. Neringa is exceptionally beautiful with majestic dunes and extensive pine forests. The fishing villages of Nida and Juodkrante on the lagoon's shores have become favorite summer vacation spots. The Kursiu. Marios is the largest inland body of water in Lithuania. The river Nemunas flows into the Kursfq Marios, whose semi-fresh waters are rich in fish. The lagoon is connected to the Baltic Sea by a narrow strait, where the Baltic port of Klaipeda (Memel in German) is situated. "Lithuanian gold" or amber is cast out by the sea onto the shores of Lithuania. Baltic amber, an organic gemstone formed over millions of years from fossil resin, is usually found in shades of yellow with tints of orange and brown. Fossilized insects and plants are sometimes visible inside. A piece of this "Lithuanian gold" is a beautiful souvenir from "The Land of Amber". Flora and Fauna Plant life in Lithuania is varied and rich. Woodlands cover one-fourth of Lithuania's territory, of which 41% is pine, 20% spruce, 18% birch and 12% alder and maple. Oak, ash and linden are also found. The Stelmuze oak tree, the oldest oak in Lithuania and one of the most ancient in Europe, measures 39 feet in circumference and is said to be approximately 1500 years old. In southern Lithuania forests make up about one half of the territory. This is the area where several natural treasures are located: the Varena-Druskininkai pine forests, the Cepkeliai swamp, the largest swamp in Lithuania, and the historic Rudininku Forest. This forest, now an historic landscape preserve, was the favorite hunting ground for Lithuania's dukes and lesser aristocracy. The rebels of the 1831 and 1863 uprisings against Tsarist rule operated out of these woods. Rudininku Forest covers an area of 40,000 hectares and is the largest forest in Lithuania. A variety of animals, including elk, beaver and wild boar, make this and other forests of Lithuania their home. Berry and mushroom picking is a popular pastime for many Lithuanians. Wild strawberries, raspberries, chanterelles, and the extremely popular European mushroom, the steinpilze, can be found in the woods. Mushroom picking is best left to those who are acquainted with the art. Others can simply take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the beauty of Lithuania's many forests. A large area of the country is covered by meadowland and grassland, which is used for the country's important livestock sector. The forests, plains and waters of Lithuania are home to 60 species of mammals and 300 species of birds. Elk and bison, fox and wolf, wild boar and deer, beaver and mink are all a part of the wildlife found in the country. Aside from the already mentioned birds found in the Zuvintas preserve, owls, hawks, falcons, nightingales, and the great white stork are frequently seen. The white stork is the most popular bird in Lithuania, which according to the locals, never roosts at the home of an evil man. The cuckoo, by contrast, foretells misfortune. Various frogs, toads and snakes make their home in the extensive swamplands. Approximately 50 types of fish, including the eel, which is a delicacy found in the Kursiu Marios, inhabit the inland waters of Lithuania. Thus the wildlife of Lithuania, although not unique, is diverse and numerous. Conservation is of utmost importance in the minds of Lithuanians, and has found prominent expression in the program of the popular Sajudis and Green movements. Lithuanian Language Lithuanian, a Baltic language similar only to Latvian, is one of the oldest living Indo-European languages in the sense that it has retained many archaic forms that other related languages have long since abandoned. The Lithuanian written (literary) language dates back from the 16th century, the first documents being a translation of the Lord's Prayer and Ave Maria (1525). The modern language is written in a 32-letter alphabet and is based on the High West Lithuanian dialect (Suvalkieciu). This dialect was declared the official language of independent Lithuania in 1918. During the years of Soviet occupation Russian increasingly displaced Lithuanian in Lithaunia's cultural, economic, administrative and political life. Lithuanians were becoming alarmed that, increasingly, major government institutions were operating exclusively in Russian. The greater part of recent Russian-speaking immigrants to Lithuania, guaranteed full access to Russian-language schools, cultural amenities and social services, was reluctant to acquire even a minimum working knowledge of Lithuanian. In mixed working enterprises, for example, even where Russian-speakers formed a minority, the authorities required the use of Russian. Analogous language safeguards for Lithuanian minorities in Byelorussia or the Kaliningrad region are virtually nonexistent. But in 1989, in an effort to keep in step with the ongoing national reawakening in Lithuania, the government reinstated Lithuanian as the official language of the republic, requiring, among other things, that officials staffing public institutions and economic enterprises develop a working knowledge of the language within several years. The general idea apparently is tq ensure that Lithuanian speakers have the right to use their language in local government offices, cultural institutions and workplaces, without, however, discriminating against non-Lithuanian speakers. Under the new language law, Russian speakers, for example, would retain the right to be served in government offices in their own language, while retaining the existing network of Russian-language schools and cultural institutions. It is too soon, however, to determine how energetically the regime will implement this vital (for Lithuanians) legal act. | |
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