A Sweeping Curve of Sound

The Baltic Times has an interesting article up about a joint Pagan-Christian Advent celebration in Lithuania.

“Vidury lauko grusele” (Pear-Tree in the Middle of the Field) is the title of the event in Vilnius City Hall where two creative folk groups … will perform songs and traditional folk dance … Some of the lyrics in Advent songs describe birds in a nest, trees, a garden, the sun and relationships … six women will sing fragments from the 33 traditional songs that unlock magic that can lead to a wealthier life and good fortune in the new year … The dancing for both events will feature soft movements mixed with those that are upbeat and loud.

Kulgrinda performing a sunset chant.

“Advent is a special time in Lithuania – a time to relax and spend time with family before the feast of 12 meals starts on Christmas Eve. The Latin word “advenire” is a time of waiting and preparing for the arrival of the Christ child. And for the pagans, it is a time for renewal of the season and of the human spirit.  “In pagan times, Advent is also a time of death in nature. Light and darkness are fighting, and in the pear-tree song we will sing about the transformation because people didn’t know when the sun would return again, so they sang about the tree of life,” explained Daila Urbanavicene, a Kulgrinda dancer. “ 

Participating in the event will be renowned Pagan folk group Kulgrinda, along with the Keisto Folkloro Grupe and folklore and dancing troupes Kursiu Ainiai and Sedula. Certainly a change of pace from the ongoing Christmas wars raging in America. Maybe if we all had to participate in folk-dancing there would be less bother over specific idealogical stances. For more commentary on this story, check out my blog “The Wild Hunt”.