Lithuanian Earth Traditions in Australia- extract 1 from this talk at MoonCourt in the Blue Mountains, Australia. 2012

Song and Tale
Lithuanian World Tree as researched and portrayed by  Norbertas Velius in his book titled,  World Outlook of the Ancient Balts 
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Norbertas Velius was an Ethnographer who found a clear representation of the Baltic World Tree in Lithuanian in every aspect of Baltic tradition from textiles to architecture ornamentation, mythology and religion. Some of the first chroniclers of the Lithuanian traditions come from Christian missionaries and so their interpretations may have a little slanted and even tried to liken the Baltic pantheon to the Roman pagan Pantheon  Records are also taken at different times. The Pantheon in the East in the area of Aukstaitija was recorded in the 13th century whereas the western Baltic lands which included Prussia and western most Zemaitija was in the 16th century but it was found to be good enough to draw some conclusions, which were quite enlightening.

For the purpose of this study Norbertas found that the generalizations made for the whole of Lithuania was a wrong assumption. It was only when he looked at regional differences could the whole picture be seen and illuminated to an ancient and archaic world view that still pervades Lithuania culture to this day. From dress to religion. It is very interesting and I shall try to summarise the findings of his research as I really could be here a day just on his studies.

To summarise, The ancient world tree can be laid down on the Baltic lands as you can see in this image, with the roots of the Tree in west Lithuanian lands and the branches of the Tree in the East.

Now the world tree was a universal symbol or better referred to as a glyph. It is multi dimensional, timeless and spaceless. The Tree has come to us from the beginning of time. The Tree was here before animal and man. It was our shelter and much of the time the source of food. Bee hives could be found, and sweet nectar extracted. Edible birds and grubs, and not to mention the fruit and nuts that can produce food without any toil. Nuts produce oil and the sap of some trees creates wine.(Birch) It is easy to understand why the mighty Oak Tree is one such tree that is revered all over Europe as one of the early food sources. He was magical, he appeared to die in Autumn and be dead in winter, but he would resurrect in the springtime anew like a miracle of new life. And life was viewed in this way spiritually mentally and physically. Lithuanians have always likened themselves today as trees. Oaks are men and Linden are Women. People are referred to as trees. The connection with trees is very intimate. Folk superstitions believe that your soul can be linked to a tree that is planted when you are born, but not necessary.

Such was the forest Lithuania knew […]

The trees all merging in one vista grand

As Lithuanian hearts in one homeland.

Our folk have always lived at one with trees

And know few closer friends than these.

Right from the Neolithic stone age to the Paleolithic age of agriculture, wood from the trees has always been of utmost importance. First it was used to cook the meat and then to build their shelters as the moved away from hunter/gatherer to settlements and agriculture and animal husbandry. Instead of toiling and chasing our food, we learnt how to cultivate it and create a life of subsistence rather than the struggle of chasing food.

The parameters of his study included the oppositions that must have existed in Neolithic times. These oppositions that were considered in his study and how it was reflected in regional culture and how the world view and mythologies. For the purpose of his study he was focusing on the Baltic lands in and East/West orientation as a first opposition with an intermediary area called Central Baltic lands. Baltic lands included what is now known as Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Belorussia, and Prussia. There are so many tribes in this area who have their own dialect and version of the Baltic culture.

Here is a map of the numerous tribes and their areas. 

The lands are divided into 3 main cultural areas Eastern Lithuania, Central Lithuania and Western Lithuania. In an east/West orientation. North/South was not taken into account in his study for deliberate reason. It just wasn't necessary to over complicate his study. So we start with the oppositions that he chose in his study:

East/West with an intermediary area called Central

High/ low
*Roof poles
*Burials - cremations on hills in the east versus burials in mounds in Central to burials in burrows in the west.
*Oven heights- On the ground in the west/above the ground in the East.
*Settlements-In the east,settlements still on hills where as in the west the people came down from the hills.
*performances of Dainas in Trees and high places
*Mythology
*Chests-taller in the east, short in west

Light/Dark
*Clothing colours and ornamentation
*Mythology of Breksta in the east- Goddess of the Dawn versus common mythology of Vakariene in the west- Goddess of the dusk.

Day/Night
*performances of the dainas (songs), by day versus the many folk tales told at night

Stone/Wood
*Poles with wood bases versus those with stone bases
*boundry fences of wood or stone
*Stone features more in burials of the west.

Young/Old
*Songs sung by the Young,Tales told by the Old.

The numbers one, two and three
*Gable poles vary in number from 1 in the east, 2 in the Central area and 3 in the west.
*Number of rings of stones around burials. 3 in the west,2 in central and 1 in the East.

Sky God/Earth God
*Records of the Baltic Trinity are listed in order of importance to the people.

In the east the order was recorded as: 

Patulas, Perkunas and Pikolas. 

Spring God, Thunder God and God of the Underworld. 

In central Lithuania the order of importance started with 

Patulas, Zemyna and Pikolas. 

Spring God, Earth Goddess and God of the Underworld. 

In the west it was,

Pikolas, Perkunas and Patulas. 

God of the Underworld, Thunder God and Spring God. 

This also alludes to the idea that mythology of the Underworld was more popular in the west of Lithuania, where the roots of the Tree are said to lie. The Thunder God takes precedence in the East.

Distribution and frequency of folk traditions such as story telling, riddles, songs known as daina are consitent across the land but stories and riddles seem to be more slightly more numerous in the west of Lithuania and number of recorded songs seem to be slightly more numerous in the east.

The conclusion of his study was that there was a system of Indo European society that had an unique worldview that was reflected in every aspect of society. There were many regional differences because of geography and features of the land and even though there wasn't a national religion as such, it was a diversified to the seemingly logical variation with in each zone.

Ah, but the sighs of the forest are lovely,

It rustles and surges, rushes and questions;

By midnight it reaches a stillness so silent

You can hear the break of a bud into blossom,

The holy word of each tree to its branches;

Watchful, the stars glow, mournful, the dew falls.

So peaceful the heart, it deadens the senses

With prayer that lifts the spirit towards heaven.

The light in the east at daybreak swells upward,

The head of each plant, dew-heavy, bends lower;

Into such silence, the forest awakens

And slowly the day starts its holy discourse.

(Jonaitis 63)

And what does this ancient mythological world view teach us as modern pagans? Well ecology of our trees certainly has been returning at a steady rate. The general public is fairly well educated when it comes to understanding the need for the trees to maintain healthy ecosystems. This idea is a main feature of the prayer of the palubskaite sisters.

“To plant trees at weddings births deaths and to visit trees on holy days.”

Another more abstract ideal within the worldview of the tree is the balance and harmony of the 3 parts to the tree is an instruction for us as individuals to find that same harmony with in our own lives. Balance of the 3 parts from the roots of the Tree where we find the past, deceased, Ancestors and Underworld and the Earth where we toil together in our communities like the Bees and the Gods and heroes of the branches in the Sky. We must find balance within all spheres of existence and true harmony leads to a connectedness with the earth and the universe and the universes in between.

It also teaches us that we can slot into our own section if you are drawn to a certain Pagan custom and lifestyle. We don’t necessarily need to be eclectic in all aspects of a single Faith. I wanted to learn about everything Baltic from folklore and pantheons and magic and rites. The area is quite vast and even peoples back in the day didn't practice everything.

Everyone had the position in society and the universe. There was no one saying that you should follow our own section of Baltic Faith because it was understood to be part of the whole and not something separate. The Tree has many parts but it is the roots in the Earth that connects us all.

I would like to show you just how connected we really are when it comes to our ancestry.



Show Indo European Language tree and explain.


So as you can see that as any of us here in Australia come from many of these language groups and so are connected genetically. We don’t need to convert or be converted because our nook in the Tree is secure and the way it should be. I rejoice in the inter faith co operation that is happening in our community and is certainly a step in the right direction to recreating a worldview of the cosmic tree and celebrating diversity with humility, knowing that we are all in our own part of the Tree struggling along with all life and humankind constantly trying to establish and maintain harmony within the whole Tree.