Summer Solstice at the Janis Hill of Turaida Museum Reserve on June 21, 2014
SUMMER SOLSTICE
AT THE JANIS HILL OF TURAIDA MUSEUM RESERVE / JUNE 21 / 2014
POWER OF COUPLE - SUPER POWER OF LIGHT
Summer solstice or Jāņi is the celebration of the longest day and shortest night of the year. Jāņi are a somewhat mystic event, as, according to ancient traditions, you have to search for the Legendary fern blossom, wash your face in the grass`s morning dew, and gather herbal plants, which are said to have a special power midsummer. Summer Solstice celebrations date back centuries, when Europeans actively practiced the cult of the Sun. Bonfires and other rituals are not only part of annual traditional celebrations, but also manifest the unity of Cosmic and Earth order.*
Programm:
19:00 GRASS EVENING
WISDOM OF WOMEN
making wreaths / making cheese / latvian bath tradition / power of herbs
WISDOM OF MEN
making torches and sun wheels / making the place for bonfire / lighting the fire with a flint / beer brewering
THEATER FOR KIDS
19.30 performance “Small Janis”
GIVING BLESS
20.00 field and courtyard ritual
20.30 household ritual of Janis
20.50 echoing
21:00 SOLSTICE FIRE
LIGHTING THE FIRE
horn is calling to gather at JanIS hillside /carrying oak garland up the hill / lighting the sun and couple bonfires / sunpath
RITUAL OF OAK
22.30 burning of big Janis fire / games
STORYTELLERS FIRE
22.30 lighting the Wisdom bonfire / starting the Vidzeme storytellers’ night
LIGHT IN THE DARK
23.30 strengthening the couples at their bonfire / singing next to the Sun fireplace
00:00 MIDNIGHT
FIREWHEEL
00.00 ritual in middle of the night / burning of the old crowns
00.30 horn is inviting / firewheel
BONFIRE OF DANCE
01.00 post folk group IĻĢI playing
02.00 dancing with Dandari
NIGHT SINGING
01.00 singing together with Vitolu family next to the Sun fireplace
02.30 jumping over the fireplace
00.30 nght ritual next to Couple fireplace
03:00 THE PATH OF LIGHT
IN FRONT OF THE LIGHT
horn is inviting up in Janis hill
FOUNT RITUALS
going to founts
MORNING DEW
03.30 mornign dew rituals up in Dainu hill and at the end of Mara path
MEETING THE SUN
04.00 meeting the sun next to the scupture “Don’t sleep, the Sun!”
FAREWELL
05.00 puttiing the raft in the Gauja river
PARTICIPANTS
Making wreaths - Daiga Klavina and Margita Poriete, making cheese – Marija Andina and folk group ŪZUĻEŅI, latvian bath tradition – Kaija Brisone, making torches – Raimonds Abele, power of herbs – Zeltite Kaviere, lighting the fire with a flint – Maris Braze , making the place for bonfire - the Kruskopu and the Pavlovsku families, beer brewering – folk group ŪZUĻEŅI, theater for kids – folk group PUTNI
Mens of fire – Eduards and Audars Klints, Sun fire makers – folk group SILAVOTI and Unity of Balts SUN WAY, couple fire makers – folk group DELVE, Wisdom fire makers - the Kruskopu and the Pavlovsku families, storytellers’ night - Vidzeme region storrytellers, Janis father and Janis mother – Ugis Mitrevics and Anna Jurkane
Night concert - postfolk group IĻĢI and the VITOLU FAMILY, dances – folk group DANDARI
Fount ritual - – folk group SILAVOTI and TALSI, Unity of Balts SUN WAY, morning dew ritual – Solvita Lodina and Mara Brante, meeting the sun - SILAVOTI / Unity of Balts SUN WAY / Solvita Lodina and the VITOLU FAMILY
FOLK GROUPS: SILAVOTI from Riga, DELVE from Vidrizi, PUTNI from Ledurga, SAVIEŠI, BUDĒĻI and DANDARI from Riga, TALSI from Talsi, TREJTEKA from Lauciena, RUDZUPUĶE from Launkalne, SENLEJA from Sigulda, LAUKAM PĀRI from Ceraukste, ŪZUĻEŅI from Ozolmuiza, VĪTERI from Rezekne, MEŽĀBELE from Jerceni
INFO: 29541105 / 26572142
ORGANIZERS: www.marasloks.lv / www.turaida-muzejs.lv / www.sigulda.lv
MAP: Places of activities
*www.latvia.travel/en