Discovering the Spirit of Romuva-Gender and the worldview of the ancient Lithuanians

Peace, Peace, Strength, Feminine, Feminine, masculine, in harmony, in harmony

The Lithuanian chant similar to the Aum.

The Lithuanian worldview can be gleaned from the many songs and folktales collected by Lithuanian*ethnographers in the 19^th and early 20^th century. There is no date on the creation of these tales and songs collected, their origin is archaic and timeless. The tales and songs and have a simplistic and refreshing form. The events are retold like they could have happened yesterday!! Previously it was purely an oral tradition and nothing was written. I believe that Lithuanian cosmology and mythology has 2 distinct influences from 2 different civilisations. That of the PIE tribes and the indigenous European tribes. I believe that knowing of the assimilation of these 2 tribes, allows researchers to deduce from which of these 2 tribes, the song or tale, most probably developed. Those who wish to strive towards Romuva would do well to learn more about the worldview of our Baltic ancient ancestors so that we can apply their wisdom in our own lives.

The first era, is that of the patriarchal Proto Indo Europeans (PIE) They came from across the waters, from where they came, nobody knows! Historical linguistics along with the material evidence of archeology and archeogenetics, have determined that PIE culture and language existed in a pure form in the mid to late neolithic period, (5500-4000 BCE), before they started to diverge with other cultures from around 3500 BCE. It is believed that the PIE tribes had a class system warrior, priests and peasant/husbandmen. Their culture was patrilineal and when they brought with them skills in animal husbandry and domestication of livestock such as cows, sheep and dogs. They were also skilled in agriculture and cereal crop growing. Many races and cultures developed from them across Europe and the world*. Lithuanians, among the other Baltic tribes are descendants of the Proto Indo Europeans (PIE) who settled on the shores of the Baltic sea many thousands of years ago. The PIE tribes also brought with them their own pantheon of Gods and Goddesses that included many celestial/atmospheric Gods which was assimilated with the native Europeans largely female terrestrial pantheon. I believe, the Goddesses of the native Europeans were much more numerous than the Gods and the opposite could be assumed of the PIE.I believe, the etiological tales also come from this period also because they speak of the time at beginning of time when creation was still changing. The Australian Aboriginals would call these, tales the "*Dreamings of the Dreamtime", when it is explained how the Swallow got its fork in it’s tale or why the Wood pecker is colourful. All land features, creatures and plants in creation have a tale/legend. These tales are not pretending to be a scientific explanation but an expression of the *worldview/worldfeeling of our own ancestors. 

I have to remark, at this point that I am impressed that there was enough religious and social *tolerance which lead to this sort of assimilation, rather than annihilation and genocide. The historical chroniclers have recorded many instances of the latter.

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Most famous Lithuanian etiological tale-Egle Queen of Serpents
In another time, long ago lived an old man and his wife. Both of them had twelve sons and three daughters. The youngest being named Egle. On a warm summer evening all three girls decided to go swimming. After splashing about with each other and bathing they climbed onto the riverbank to dress and groom their hair. But the youngest, Egle, only stared for a serpent had slithered into the sleeve of her blouse. What was she to do? The eldest girl grabbed Egle’s blouse. She threw the blouse down and jumped on it, anything to get rid of the serpent. But the serpent turned to the youngest, Egle, and spoke to her in a man’s voice:

-Egle, promise to become my bride and I will gladly come out.

Egle began to cry how could she marry a serpent? Through her tears she answered:

-Please give me back my blouse and return from whence you came, in peace.

But the serpent would not listen:

-Promise to become my bride and I will gladly come out.

There was nothing else she could do; she promised the serpent to become his bride.

After three days the family saw that every serpent in the land had come to their farm, bringing with them a wagon. The whole family was scared, while all the serpents began to slither around in wild abandon. One of the serpents entered the house to meet with the old man, Egle’s father, and to discuss the terms of the union. At first the old man hemmed and hawed, refusing to believe that this could be happening; but when all the serpents in the land have gathered in one man’s farm it does not matter how one feels, so he promised to give his youngest and most beautiful daughter over to the serpents. But the old man held treachery in his heart. He asked the serpents to wait a little while; as quickly as he could he ran to the local wise woman and told her everything. The wise woman said:

-It is easy to trick a serpent, instead of your daughter give him a goose and send the wedding presents.

The old man did as the wise woman advised. He dressed a white goose in Egle’s clothing, and together father and ‘daughter’ climbed into a wagon and began their journey. A short while later they heard a coo-coo bird in a birch tree, singing:

-Coo-coo, coo-coo, you have been tricked. Instead of a bride, he has given you a white goose. Coo-coo, coo-coo!

The serpents returned to the farm, and angrily threw the goose out of the wagon and demanded the bride. The parents, on the advice of the wise woman, dressed a white sheep up. Again the coo-coo bird sang:

-Coo-coo, coo-coo, you have been tricked. Instead of a bride, he has given you a white sheep. Coo-coo, coo-coo!

The serpents return to the farm in great anger and again demanded the bride. This time the family gave the serpents a white cow. The coo-coo bird tells the serpents of the father’s deception and again the serpents return -but this time in a towering rage. The serpents threatened famine for the disrespect shown by the parents. Inside the house, Egle cried. She was dressed as was appropriate for a bride and was given over to the serpents. While taking Egle to her future husband the serpents heard the coo-coo bird sing out:

-Drive, hurry, the groom awaits his bride!

Eventually Egle and all her chaperones came to the sea. There she met a handsome young man who was waiting for her by the beach. He told her that he was the serpent that had crawled into her sleeve of her blouse. Soon, they all moved to a nearby island, and from there they descended underground, under the sea. There could be found a lavishly decorated palace of amber. It was here that the wedding was held, and for three weeks they drank, danced and feasted.

The serpent’s palace was filled with guests, and Egle finally calmed down, became happier and completely forgot her homeland.

Nine years went by and Egle gave birth to three sons -Azuolas, Uosis and Berzas – and a daughter -Drebule – who was the youngest. One day while playing the eldest son asked Egle:

-Dearest Mother, where do your parents live? Let’s go and visit them.

It was then that Egle remembered her homeland. She remembered her parents, brothers, and sisters. And she began to wonder if life was good to them; are they healthy? It had been a long time and maybe they were all dead. Egle desperately wanted to see her homeland. It had been many years since she saw that land of her birth; she yearned to see it again. Her husband, the serpent, did not even want to listen to her entreaties.

-Fine, he said, go and visit but first spin this tuft of silk, and he showed her the spindle.

Egle was at the spindle. She spun during the day, she spun all night. Spin, spin but it would not be spun. She saw that she had been tricked. Spin, spin but it will never be spun. Egle went to an old woman who lived nearby, a known soceress. Egle lamented:

-Grandmother, dear heart, teach me how to get that tuft of silk spun.

The old woman told her what to do and what was needed for the task:

-Throw it into a fire when next it is kindled, elseways you shall not be able to spin the silk.

Having returned home, Egle threw the silk into a bread oven, recently fired up. The silk went up in flames and in the centre of the oven where the silk once was there was a toad. The toad was creating silk, from its body. Having woven the silk, Egle returned to her husband pleading to allow at least a few days for a visit with her parents. Now, her husband drew out from beneath his bench a pair of metal boots:

-When you wear these down, then you shall travel.

She put on the boots and walked, stomped, and even dragged along the stone floor, but the boots were thick, hard and were not at all worn down. Walk or do not walk the shoes will forever last. Going back to the sorceress, she pleaded for more help. The old woman said:

-Take them to a blacksmith and ask that he wear them down in his furnace.

And Egle did as she was instructed. The boots were heated well and within three days, Egle had worn them down.

Having worn the boots down she approaches her husband so that he may allow her to visit her homeland.

-Fine, said the serpent, but for the journey you must bake at least a rabbit-pie for what shall you give to your brothers and their children?

In the meanwhile the serpent ordered that all the cooking utensils be hidden so that Egle not be able to bake the pies. Egle began to think how shall she bring in water without a bucket and make the dough without a bowl. Again, she returns to the old lady for advice. Grandmother says:

-Spread out the sifted leavening, immerse the sieve into water, and within it mix the dough.

Egle did as she was instructed; she mixed, baked and had the pies ready. Now, she bid a farewell to her husband and went out with the children to her homeland. The serpent lead them part of the way, and got them across the sea and said that she be no longer than nine days in her homeland and that she is to return at the end of those nine days.

-When you return go alone, just you and the children and when you approach the beach then call for me:

-Zilvine, Zilvineli,
If alive, may the sea foam milk
If dead, may the sea foam blood….

And if you see coming towards you foaming milk then know that I am still alive, but if blood comes then I have reached my end. While you, my children, let not the secret out, do not let anyone know how to call for me.

Having said that, he bid farewell to his family and wished for them a swift return.

Returning to her homeland, Egle felt great joy. All her relatives and in-laws and neighbours gathered round. One after another asked many questions, how did she find living with the serpent to be. She just kept describing the many aspects of her life. Everyone offered their hospitality, their food and good talk. She was in such great spirits that she did not even feel the nine days pass.

At this time Egle’s parents, brothers and sisters began to wonder how to keep their youngest amongst their midst. They all decided -they must question the children, how their mother having arrived at the beach would call for her husband. So that they could go down to the seashore, call for the serpent and kill him.

Having agreed upon this, they called upon Egle’s eldest, Azuolas and praised him. They cornered him and questioned him but he said that he did not know. Having failed they threatened the child to not tell his mother of their actions. The second day they led out Uosis, then Berzas, but from them too the adults could not get the secret. Finally they took Drubele, Egle’s youngest, outside. At first she did as her brothers, claiming to not know the secret. But the sight of rod frightened her, she told all.

Then all twelve brothers took their scythes with them and went towards the sea. Standing at the shore they called:

-Zilvine, Zilvineli
If alive, may the sea foam milk
If dead, may the sea foam blood…

When he swam up, then all the brothers fell to chopping the serpent to pieces. Then, returning home, they kept the secret of their deeds from Egle.

Nine days passed. Egle, bidding farewell to all the family and friends, went off to the sea and called for her serpent.

The sea shook and floating towards Egle was foam of blood. And she heard the voice of her beloved husband.

-Your twelve brothers with their scythes cut me down, my call was given to them by our Drebule, our most beloved daughter!

With great sorrow and thundering anger Egle turned to her children and said to Drebule:

-May you turn into a willow,
May you shiver day and night,
May the rain cleanse your mouth,
May the wind comb your hair!

To her sons:

-Stand, my sons, strong as trees,
I, your mother, will remain a fir.

As she commanded so it came to be: and now the oak, ash and birch are the strongest of our trees, while the willow to this day will shake at the slightest whisper of a wind for she quaked before her uncles and gave away her true father.

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I believe, in this later period the folktales to reflect the development of assimilation which reveal many more tales of varied terrestrial Goddesses of Earth, nature and included atmospheric Gods of Sky. It was during this period that the Indo Europeans developed in many areas of *Europe and the world, but Baltic people remained closest to the original PIE peoples in language, mythology and cosmology because of their geographic isolation. The result can be seen in the rich and diverse mixture of Lithuanian/Baltic songs and tales that reflect this union of Sky and Earth, Male and Female. 

Another indication of this assimilation of PIE and the native Europeans were many tales where many of Goddesses had been paired with male spouses. Some examples are the Sun Mother Goddess who was seen as wife of the Moon God and sometimes his Sister in folktales. Bee Goddess *Austeja has a husband called *Bubilas. The many, many, Goddesses in the Lithuanian pantheon still honoured to this day, are testament to Lithuanians deep love for their mothers and in fact have 80 different names for Mother in Lithuanian language!

I believe that the tale of Perkunas to wed the Rainbow Fairy can be seen as another representation of the assimilation of PIE and the indigenous Europeans.  This assimilation of Old European Earth Goddesses and the PIE Sky Gods can be seen in a Lithuanian tale about the Perkunas the Thunderer. Perkunas was to wed a Fairy Goddess of the Rainbow, (Vaiva), on Thursday but a Devil God called Velnias kidnapped her and took her away to the Underworld. To this day, whenever there is a thunderstorm, it is said that Perkunas is still looking for Velnias to punish him. In Lithuania, Thursday is still the most popular day for weddings.

I understand that this article may be controversial among academics. This was not my aim but to present a plausible theory to the development of Lithuanian oral folktales and songs from both the PIE culture of celestial Gods and the native Europeans culture of terrestrial Goddesses. The conclusions offered in this article is based on my own research into Lithuanian mythology and my own first hand observations when visiting Lithuania. My own conclusions may also support many of the research and theories of the renowned Lithuanian archaeologist, Marija Gimbutas. One of her theories stated that Old Europeans had a peaceful matriarchal culture that expressed their religious beliefs in the art in jewellery, on pottery and ceramics. Marija Gimbutas theorised that the matriarchal Old Europeans, over time, were subjugated by the male dominated warriors of the Indo European tribes. Many of her theories were also very controversial among archaeologists of her day and I believe that her theory is not wrong on the whole but probably does not apply to all areas of Europe, such as those on the Baltic shores, where the Indo European tribes settled. I believe that folktales of the Lithuanians indicate that the Indo Europeans of the Baltic area assimilated with the Old Europeans in relative peace. Their pantheons combined and to this day, Lithuanians still practise the earth customs of their combined ancestors. The culture of Lithuanian devotion to their terrestrial mothers reflects a time in history when the mythological Goddess mothers were widely venerated. I have personally observed while I was travelling in Lithuania, that the divine masculine is balanced with the divine feminine, where the latter weighs heavier on the scale. Women are given more respect in Lithuania than I have seen anywhere else in the world. In Lithuania, men are obligated to be chivalrous towards women. Men will offer to carry anything heavier than a handbag, open doors and extend common courtesies to women, not out of disempowerment and domination but love, honour and respect.

This wisdom has taught me that harmony between the sexes and ideologies is achievable if we strive for it. Sky meets Earth and a better connection within ourselves, to our community and with our universe, becomes one step closer. Lasting Peace can be found when we are constantly striving for harmony. Women of matrilineal cultures have been oppressed by men of patrilineal cultures for many centuries. Goddess veneration was outlawed and replaced with God veneration in a very calculated and clever way. In many countries across the world,largely in the 3rd world, the gap between womens rights and that of mens is still too large. Women are still denied education and basic rights. Women in the western world are faring much better in comparisson. It gladdens me to see that women and men in the western world are reclaiming the civilisation of the Goddesses and reclaiming the honour deserved to both sexes. It is here, in the western world, that I believe humankind has evolved to a point where ideals of exclusive feminine roles or masculine roles are no longer necessary, but instead to aspire to the ideals of community and humanism. Alas the demands of today in our work and our ongoing need to pay the bills doesn't leave a lot of time for community minded activities but I believe that people need to strive to re establish connection with each other which is one of the main tenets of Romuva-to strive for Darna-Harmony within ourselves, with our community, with our Gods and Goddesses and with our Ancestors. Understanding and honouring the balance of the *gender roles, I believe, will lead to harmony within our community and individual inner peace.

References

* PIE didn't make written records and historically, Lithuanians themselves did not keep written records. Most of our records have been written by various foreigners and the Teutons. The more well known chroniclers of Lithuania are the

 Malala Chronicle,

Tacitis Germania,Ipatijus manuscript write about the Lithuanian Gods honoured by Mindaugas (Pagan King of Lithuania 1251-1263.)

Foot notes

*Ethnographers- There was many people in Lithuania who collected many of stories and songs from the older people in numerous areas of Lithuania. The efforts of these people managed to record these tales and songs which led to the revival of the Baltic way of life, as a reflection of the traditional customs and values of their ancestors. forgotten. The more well know Lithuanian Ethnographers Jonas Balys, Norbertas Velius, Marija Gimbutas 

*Languages that developed from the language of the Proto Indo Europeans (PIE) and ,I believe, were most probably descendants of the PIE peoples.

-Baltic, Slavic, Germanic, Celtic, Italic, Anatolian, Indo Iranian, Indian, Tocharian, Hellenic, Armenian and Albanian.

*Tolerance- many examples of religious tolerance from resettlement of Prisonners of war and given religious freedom to practice their own faith, to the Battle of Zalgiris/Grunwald/Tannenburg when Christians, Catholics and Pagans fought and decimated the Order of Teutons.

*Dreamtime definition- According to Aboriginal mythology, this is the ancient time of the creation of all things by the sacred ancestors whose spirits continue into the present. The Dreamings are the individual tales.  

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dreamtime

*worldview/worldfeeling is the outlook of the world by an indivual group people. How people see and relate to the world around them. 

*Not to say that they were push overs! Quite the contrary, they were great warriors and tacticians, who defended their right to live the way they chose and pray to their own Gods and Goddesses for around 300 years during the Baltic crusades. A Lithuanian proverb says that:

if someone throws a rock at you, throw it back twice as hard so they will think twice about doing it again

*Just to name a few Lithuanian Earth Goddesses, there are:

-Zemyna, Earth and the Goddess of Earth

-the Laimes, Fairy Goddesses known for their spinning and care of lost children,

-The regeneratrix Goddesses known as Ragana the Witch responsible for the seasonal decline of nature every year. Ragana is the necessary evil.

-Laima and her sisters, Goddesses of Fate, herald of destiny.

-Giltine, Grim reaper Goddess of death.

-Medeina, Goddess of all life that lives in the forests.

The list of Goddesses is quite numerous and I believe that some tales allude to the assimilation of PIE and Old Europeans.

*Lithuanian celestial/atmospheric Gods and Goddesses

-Perkunas, Thunder God of Oak and rain, punisher of wrong doers.

-Dievas, Shining Sky God now the Lithuanian name for the Christian God.

-Saule, The word for Sun and Sun Goddess. Some research suggests that the Sun Goddess may come from an earlier period of time qnd probably came from the indigenous Europeans

-Menulis, Moon God,

-Zvaigdes, Star Sisters, daughters of Moon God and Sun Goddess

-Vejas, Gods of Wind, 4 brothers called the North, South, East and West winds.

-Fire was thought to be a gift from the sky as Fire was most probably a gift received from *Perkunas the Thunderer.

*The many roles of ancient peoples were gender based but today, are not completely restricted by the biological gender of an individual. For example, Women were traditionally the gatherers, nurturers, chefs, spinners and weavers. A suxxesful Lithuanian homestead was determined by how industrious the woman. Today, in the western world, any of these roles can be filled by men and vice versa, women can fill many of the roles traditionally performed by men, but. 

Bibliography

*Saule, (pronounced Sow-ley).She is the Mother Sun Goddess

*Zvaizde, (pronounced Zvay-g-zdeh) sister Stars

*Gabija, (pronounced Gub-ee-ya)

*Menulis, (pronounced Men-oo-liss), Moon, Moon God.

*Austeja, (pronounced Ow-ste-ya), Goddess of Bees and honey.

*Bubilas. (pronounced Boob-ill-us), Drone Bee God, Husband of Austeja.

*Perkunas, (pronounced Pair-koon-us), Thunder God.

*Vejas, (pronounced vey yus),