In Lithuania, Easter is called Šv. Velykos, which means "Holy Easter" in Lithuanian. It is an important Christian holiday celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring and lasts five days. Traditions include children decorating eggs and playing games, receiving presents from Easter Granny, and using natural plant dyes to paint eggs with traditional wax-removal patterns, as well as singing songs during the five-day celebration following the Lent period called Gavėnia.
Lithuania has a long history dating back 12,000 years when the first settlers arrived. In the Middle Ages, Lithuania established the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and adopted Christianity in 1387. Lithuania experienced its peak of power in the 15th century when it defeated the Teutonic Knights and stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Lithuania established the first written constitution in Europe in 1791 but was later partitioned and occupied by Russia. Lithuania declared independence again in 1918 but was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. It endured Soviet repression until reestablishing independence in 1990 through peaceful protests in the Singing Revolution. Lithuania then joined the EU and NATO in 2004.
Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. Some top attractions in Spain include running with the bulls at the Fiestas de San Fermin in Pamplona and the annual tomato fight festival in Bunol. Food is an important part of Spanish culture and brings together regional dishes and influences from Moorish and Arab settlers. Traditional Spanish customs include flamenco, which blends song, dance, and guitar into passionate rhythms.
Easter traditions in Lithuania include making palms from branches of juniper and willow to "beat" others for good luck on Palm Sunday. Decorating and painting eggs is also important, with families coloring them together using onion peel or other plant dyes. Children look for Easter eggs left by the Easter Granny, sometimes finding two eggs hidden in baskets or beds. Games played include trying to break another person's egg in an egg-breaking contest or rolling eggs to tap another player's egg and claiming it.
The document describes various Easter traditions celebrated at the Karmelava kindergarten "Zilvitis" in Lithuania. The children participate in educational activities like visiting an ethnographic museum and historic farmhouse to learn about Easter traditions. They make palms from branches, produce Easter eggs, roll eggs on the yard, peel and eat eggs in competitions. The kindergarten celebrates with an Easter Granny, drama performances, singing, dancing, and eating a butter lamb for the beautiful festival of Easter.
In Lithuania, Easter is called Šv. Velykos, which means "Holy Easter" in Lithuanian. It is an important Christian holiday celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring and lasts five days. Traditions include children decorating eggs and playing games, receiving presents from Easter Granny, and using natural plant dyes to paint eggs with traditional wax-removal patterns, as well as singing songs during the five-day celebration following the Lent period called Gavėnia.
Lithuania has a long history dating back 12,000 years when the first settlers arrived. In the Middle Ages, Lithuania established the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and adopted Christianity in 1387. Lithuania experienced its peak of power in the 15th century when it defeated the Teutonic Knights and stretched from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Lithuania established the first written constitution in Europe in 1791 but was later partitioned and occupied by Russia. Lithuania declared independence again in 1918 but was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. It endured Soviet repression until reestablishing independence in 1990 through peaceful protests in the Singing Revolution. Lithuania then joined the EU and NATO in 2004.
Spain is located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. Some top attractions in Spain include running with the bulls at the Fiestas de San Fermin in Pamplona and the annual tomato fight festival in Bunol. Food is an important part of Spanish culture and brings together regional dishes and influences from Moorish and Arab settlers. Traditional Spanish customs include flamenco, which blends song, dance, and guitar into passionate rhythms.
Easter traditions in Lithuania include making palms from branches of juniper and willow to "beat" others for good luck on Palm Sunday. Decorating and painting eggs is also important, with families coloring them together using onion peel or other plant dyes. Children look for Easter eggs left by the Easter Granny, sometimes finding two eggs hidden in baskets or beds. Games played include trying to break another person's egg in an egg-breaking contest or rolling eggs to tap another player's egg and claiming it.
The document describes various Easter traditions celebrated at the Karmelava kindergarten "Zilvitis" in Lithuania. The children participate in educational activities like visiting an ethnographic museum and historic farmhouse to learn about Easter traditions. They make palms from branches, produce Easter eggs, roll eggs on the yard, peel and eat eggs in competitions. The kindergarten celebrates with an Easter Granny, drama performances, singing, dancing, and eating a butter lamb for the beautiful festival of Easter.
Education, youth and labor market in the era of globalization. Baltic States.Marina Kudasova
The document provides an overview of the history, politics, economics, and education of the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. It discusses that the Baltic states gained independence after WWI but were occupied by the Soviet Union from 1939-1990. Since re-gaining independence, the Baltic states have transitioned to market economies and parliamentary democracies. They experienced economic growth in the early 2000s but went into recession in 2008-2009 during the global financial crisis.
This document discusses Lithuanian Easter traditions. It describes how on Palm Sunday, Lithuanians weave branches into decorative palms to bring to church instead of palm fronds. On Holy Thursday, homes are vigorously cleaned to ensure health and prosperity. Holy Saturday involves blessing fire and water believed to have miraculous healing powers. Families color eggs, sometimes using natural dyes or wax resist techniques. The Easter meal includes foods like ham, eggs and bread, with traditions like egg rolling games. Children search for treats left by the Easter Granny and many superstitions surround the holiday.
This document provides an overview of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. For each country, it includes sections on general data, economic data, development highlights, and either foreign investment, labor market, or migration trends. The document aims to introduce key facts and recent history for understanding the Baltic region.
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was a Soviet republic that existed from 1940 to 1990. It was established as a puppet state after the Soviet army occupied Lithuania in June 1940 based on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Between 1941-1944 it was dissolved during the German occupation of the Soviet Union, but Soviet rule was re-established after the Germans retreated in 1944-1945. Lithuania remained under Soviet rule for nearly 50 years, during which time the Soviets made reforms to make Lithuania permanently dependent on the Soviet Union politically and economically.
Education, youth and labor market in the era of globalization. Baltic States.Marina Kudasova
The document provides an overview of the history, politics, economics, and education of the Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. It discusses that the Baltic states gained independence after WWI but were occupied by the Soviet Union from 1939-1990. Since re-gaining independence, the Baltic states have transitioned to market economies and parliamentary democracies. They experienced economic growth in the early 2000s but went into recession in 2008-2009 during the global financial crisis.
This document discusses Lithuanian Easter traditions. It describes how on Palm Sunday, Lithuanians weave branches into decorative palms to bring to church instead of palm fronds. On Holy Thursday, homes are vigorously cleaned to ensure health and prosperity. Holy Saturday involves blessing fire and water believed to have miraculous healing powers. Families color eggs, sometimes using natural dyes or wax resist techniques. The Easter meal includes foods like ham, eggs and bread, with traditions like egg rolling games. Children search for treats left by the Easter Granny and many superstitions surround the holiday.
This document provides an overview of the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. For each country, it includes sections on general data, economic data, development highlights, and either foreign investment, labor market, or migration trends. The document aims to introduce key facts and recent history for understanding the Baltic region.
The Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic was a Soviet republic that existed from 1940 to 1990. It was established as a puppet state after the Soviet army occupied Lithuania in June 1940 based on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Between 1941-1944 it was dissolved during the German occupation of the Soviet Union, but Soviet rule was re-established after the Germans retreated in 1944-1945. Lithuania remained under Soviet rule for nearly 50 years, during which time the Soviets made reforms to make Lithuania permanently dependent on the Soviet Union politically and economically.
This document summarizes the activities of a Nordplus Junior project called "Let's Act Together" involving schools from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. It describes three student exchanges where participants learned about each other's cultures and spent time together in each country. Activities included lessons in partner schools, visits to cultural sites, workshops making crafts and videos, and social activities. The goal was for students to explore meaningful ways to spend free time and get to know youth culture across the Baltic region.
The document summarizes activities from a Nordplus Junior project called "Let's act together" involving schools from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Students visited each other's countries for a week at a time, participating in lessons, cultural activities, and excursions. In Lithuania, they visited sites like the Hill of Crosses and Hill of Witches, had art and music lessons, and went to an art gallery. In Latvia, activities included lessons in Kusa school and trips to Madona and Cesvaine. Their visit to Estonia consisted of lessons, trips to museums and science centers, and bowling. The visits aimed to share cultures and make friends across borders through school collaboration.
The document summarizes a group's week long trip to Lithuania from March 26th to 31st, 2017. On the trip, the group visited several educational and cultural sites around Lithuania including the Hill of Crosses, a school where they learned about Lithuanian culture and performed dances, the city center and river, an amusement park, Nida for the Hill of Witches and sand dunes, and an art gallery. The group participated in music, dance, art, and sports lessons and activities during their time in Lithuania before thanking their hosts and looking forward to their next destination in Latvia.
Kursiu Nerija National Park is a 97 km long sand spit located along the Baltic Sea coast in western Lithuania. It was established in 1991 to preserve the unique landscape which includes drifting sand dunes, pine forests, beaches, and old fishing villages. The park protects rare habitats and species and is part of international conservation programs. Throughout its history, the landscape has been shaped by both natural forces and human efforts to stabilize the sand dunes through reforestation. It provides an important habitat for migratory birds and is a cultural landscape featuring traditional fishing settlements and burial markers.
Participants of a Comenius multilateral partnership project visited JSC "Gintaro baldai", one of the largest upholstered furniture manufacturing companies in Lithuania. The company employs 400 staff and produces furniture in a modern 11,000 square foot production workshop. During the tour, the participants learned about the various roles in furniture making including tailors, tissue cutters, foam cutters, upholsterers, erectors, and quality control staff. They also saw the large variety of furniture tissues and tried some of the comfortable finished furniture. The company aims to produce ecologically friendly furniture and seeks to reduce its environmental impact through cleaner technologies, waste reduction, efficient energy and material use, and controlling raw materials.
Kuršių nerija National Park is located on the Curonian Spit in Lithuania and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The 26,464 hectare park is comprised of 9,764 hectares of land and 16,700 hectares of water. It contains rare and endangered plant and animal species and offers opportunities to explore the area's unique dune landscapes, cultural sites, and engage in environmentally friendly activities like wildlife observation and sustainable tourism. Popular destinations include museums, galleries, and an ethnographic farmstead that attract many visitors each year.
Lithuanian folk songs, dances, and games are an important part of Lithuanian folk culture. Folk songs often reflect nature and the hardships of life, accompanied by lyrical and sometimes sad melodies. Folk dances include round dances and rituals related to work and celebrations, with distinctive regional styles. Folk games develop children's senses while connecting them to traditions, and include didactic, mobile, and traditional games played in a circle like "Jurgelis meistrelis."
St. Casimir is the patron saint of Lithuania and Vilnius province. He was a member of the Gediminas dynasty born in 1458 in Cracow and died in 1484 in Grodno at age 26. He was canonized in 1522 for his piety. The Kaziukas Fair was started in Vilnius in the 17th century to celebrate St. Casimir's Day on March 4th, the day he died. It is an annual fair where people sell traditional handicrafts and features music, dance, and celebrations across Lithuania.
This document provides information about the traditional national costumes of the Žemaitija region in Lithuania. It describes the distinctive styles of clothing worn by both women and men, including the women's long shirts with geometric patterns, wide pleated skirts with distinctive stripe designs, and decorative aprons, as well as the men's wool caftans, leather belts, boots or clogs, and felt hats decorated with feathers. It also briefly mentions that clogs were commonly worn by peasants in Lithuania until the early 20th century due to their waterproof quality.
This document summarizes the traditional national costumes of the Klaipėda region in Lithuania. It describes the clothing worn by women, men, and children, including specific details of the materials, styles, and accessories that comprised their outfits. It also provides some brief historical context about Lithuania Minor and interesting facts about distinctive elements of the regional costumes like the decorative "delmonas" handbags worn by women.
Women in Dzūkija traditionally wore colorful, finely patterned skirts and bodices with embroidered details. Their headwear included bonnets, headbands, and scarves, with married women favoring intricate bonnets. Men wore shirts decorated with embroidery and caftans that widened at the bottom. Footwear included leather shoes but also local styles like bast shoes and crocheted čempės. Traditional clothing was worn in Dzūkija into the early 20th century and distinguished by its bright colors and small patterns.
The document summarizes the traditional costumes of the Suvalkija region in Lithuania. It describes that the costumes incorporate styles from the Kapsai and Zanavykai peoples who settled the region after it was laid waste. The women's costumes are noted as being the most colorful in Lithuania, featuring brightly decorated aprons, wide skirts with stripes, and bodices made of expensive fabrics. The men's costumes include dark coats, shirts, sashes, boots, and hats. The document provides pictures and details on various elements of the traditional costumes.
The document provides information about the traditional costumes of the Aukštaitija region in northeastern Lithuania. It describes the modest men's clothing of grey or brown woolen caftans and boots. It also details the traditional women's clothing which was dominated by the white color, including long white linen shirts with red ornamentation, wool or linen skirts with red or green borders, and decorative aprons. The components of the traditional Aukštaitija costume are also listed and described, including headdresses, sashes, bodices, and gloves.
Lithuanian straw gardens are intricate hanging artworks made of straw, horsehair, and wax that symbolize heavenly order and ideal gardens. Considered worthy of UNESCO heritage status, they recall the famed Hanging Gardens of Babylon in their complexity and harmony. Traditionally hung in homes during holidays and celebrations like weddings and Easter to symbolize joy and create a festive atmosphere, the simplest designs feature rhombuses or pyramids with beads, while more complex versions fill the inside with beads.
Easter eggs are a traditional folk art where eggs are colored and decorated. There are two main methods - scraping patterns into dyed eggs using knives or drawing hot wax designs that are then dyed different colors. A wide variety of natural dyes were traditionally used to produce patterns in brown, green, and yellow hues. The designs often featured geometric symbols and motifs representing nature like the sun, crosses, spirals and birds. Colored and decorated eggs were traditionally gifted during spring festivals and holidays and used in games and celebrations to welcome the new season.
2. Įžanga
Klaipėdos kraštas sudaro savarankišką geografinį
vienetą: tai yra siaura juosta, vakaruose apribota jūros,
pietuose - Nemuno, rytuose - Telšių plynaukštės. Šios
juostos plotas 2451 km2 (su Kuršių nerija 2848 km2), jos
ilgis 140 km, o plotis kai kur tik 15-20 km.
Šio nedidelio ploto istorija labai permaininga: pradžioje šis
kraštas priklausė baltams, vėliau Kryžiuočių ordinui, po to
savarankiškai Prūsijai, vėliau pastarosios sujungtai
Vokietijai, vienu metu buvo valdomas prancūzų, po kiek
laiko grįžo lietuviams ir po trumpo vokiečių įsiveržimo
galiausiai iki šių dienų yra teisėta Lietuvos dalis.
3. Klaipėdos kraštas iki XX a.
Iki XIII a. antros pusės Klaipėdos kraštas priklausė baltų gentims
- šiaurėje kuršiams, pietuose skalviams, dalis išvis nebuvo
gyvenama.
Vokiečiai nutarė perskirti prūsus ir žemaičius 1252 m. Livonijos
ordino pavestas Eberhardas von Seinas įkūrė Memelburgo pilį
(Memel - vokiškas Nemuno pavadinimas, bet senoji tos vietos
sodyba buvo vadinama Klaipėda). Žemaičiai tuojau suprato
statomos pilies pavojingumą ir ėmė pulti ją tebestatomą. Bet ir
dažnais puolimais jie nesugebėjo jos išgriauti. Tai pavyko tik
prūsams Didžiojo prūsų sukilimo metu (1260-1274).
Nuo tada iki XX a. Klaipėdos kraštas praktiškai priklausė
vokiečiams. Tiesa, Livonijos ordinui buvo sunku susisiekti su
Klaipėda, todėl 1328 m. ši pilis buvo perduota Prūsų
kryžiuočiams.
5. Klaipėdos krašto statusas, jo priklausomybė keitėsi
kartu su ordino statuso kitimu, jo vystymosi į
Prūsijos kunigaikštystę.
Nors Vytautas Didysis ir labai stengėsi, bet
nepajėgė prisijungti Klaipėdos krašto.
Nuo 1466 m. ordinas atidavė Lenkijai dalį savo
žemių kartu su Klaipėdos kraštu.
1525 m. Klaipėdos kraštas tapo dalimi vis
stiprėjančios Prūsijos.
6. Klaipėdos kraštas XX a.
Taigi XX a. pradžioje Klaipėda - sudėtinė
Vokietijos imperijos dalis, tačiau ši šalis
visiškai nesistengė šio krašto vystyti.
Vokietijai daug svarbesnis buvo
Karaliaučiaus uostas, o Klaipėdos kraštas
buvo užkampis. Dar XIX a. nebuvo net
tinkamo kelio iš Prūsijos į Klaipėdos kraštą.
7. Paskelbus Lietuvos nepriklausomybę, 1923m. lietuviai
prisijungė Klaipėdos kraštą.
1939 m. kovo 23 d., Hitleriui pareikalavus, Klaipėdos kraštas
buvo perduotas Trečiajam reichui.
1945 m. sausio 28 d. Raudonoji Armija įžengė į Klaipėdą, o
vasario 4 d. ir į Kuršių neriją. Po to Klaipėdos kraštas tapo
Lietuvos TSR dalimi.
Klaipėdos kraštas, Lietuvai atgavus nepriklausomybę, tapo
dalimi laisvos, nepriklausomos Lietuvos.
8. Santrauka
Klaipėdos krašto lietuviai kovojo jau nuo XIII a., ši
svarbi Lietuvos juosta labai neilgai priklausė jai.
Nuo 1990 m. kovo 11 d. Klaipėdos kraštas - pirmą
kartą pilnateisė nepriklausomos Lietuvos dalis.
Tikėkimės, kad niekada daugiau jokia šalis
nebesikėsins į Lietuvos žemę ir Klaipėdos niekada
nebevadins Memeliu.