The sayings,"Home is where the heart is" and Your home is your castle", are both apt when describing your home. Homes have greatly changed over the centuries. Ftom caves to mansions and everything in between, homes have always been a ind of sanctuary for those who lived there. Many cultures across the world have their own versions of "House Spirits" and it is interesting to study the different beings associated, but for today, I would like to explore the traditional Lithuanian household Spirits and how their presence can be reflected in our dwellings of today.
Fire of Goddess Gabija
Traditional Lithuanian homes not only housed the living but also the dead and several other different Spirits who were honoured seasonally and/or even daily. The first Spirit that I would like to mention is the Fire of Goddess Gabija. Most, if not all, Lithuanians viewed Fire as being a spiritual force which was paramount to the survival of the family and eventually this spiritual force became so important that Fire became a Goddess. The image of Goddess Gabija has changed over the millennia, from Zoomorphic to anthromorphic where once She was viewed as a cat, (or numerous other animals), to now being seen as a woman in a red dress. I believe that, due to the importance of Fire that it has been exalted from a Spirit to a Goddess. The image of Gabija as a Goddess has been reflected in folkart and many Lithuanian folktales.
Fire played an important role, especially to early people. Fire gave warmth on long cold, Winter nights. Fire cooked the food to be edible and even cooked the daily bread needed. Fire was also an effective way to light up the night so you could see and allowed a person to make their path safer. Lithuanians also believed that the Fire of Goddess Gabija is a protector of the home and family but could be vengeful if disrespected by burning down the house.
Fire is no longer crucial people of today as much of its functions have been replaced with electricity but Fire is still important to us a race. Nature still needs Fire. Some plant seeds in Australia won't germinate without it. Some people still use Fire to heat their homes with Fire places and various types of wood heaters. A campsite wouldn't be complete without a campfire for warmth and cooking. So, although we don't rely on Fire as much as our ancestors, it's still important to us today.
Gyvate (pron. give- ut-eh) (Snakes)
Gyvate (Snake) is another Lithuanian :House Spirit who brought luck, protection and fertility to the house and its occupants. In Lithuania, it was considered to be fortunate if a Snake were to take up residence in your house. This attitude towards Snakes is very different n traditional Lithuanians to that of Australians. Most Australians wouldn't be as comfortable with a possibly venomous and deadly snake in their home. Most snakes in Lithuania are smaller and not as venomous so it is easy to see the difference in attitudes towards them.
So getting back to the Lithuanian belief of Snakes. Snakes were seen as animals of Saule, the Sun Goddess, as they were often found to be basking in the Sun and were also believed to be able to visit the ancestors in the Underworld as Snakes often lived underground. Snakes also produced eggs which is a powerful symbol of fertility and new life. So you can see that Lithuanians considered Snakes to be special animals indeed that deserved protection and care.
Apart from the Snake offering the house and its occupants certain protections and blessings, the house Snake was also invited to participate in the Pusiauziemis feast, (Midwinter feast). The dishes that the Snake ate from were considered to be blessed and so everyone would share those dishes.
Spirits/Echoes/Shades of the ancestors
Many old lithuanian homes are ancestral homes where generations of the same family lived and sometimes died. Wakes with open coffins were often held in Lithuanian homesteads. Whether it be in the Granary barn or the house, friends and family were able to grieve and lament the death of that person. Good byes were said and requests to pass messages to deceased people, on the other side, were often given and libations of beer spilled on Mother Earth also were given. All this, over hundreds of years, has built up an energy of the ancestors which is reflected in several types of Lithuanian folk art that is displayed in the home. Sometimes, only a resident can identify a rug woven by a particular ancestor or a wooden spoon whittled by another ancestor. There are always tell tale signs around the house of an ancestors work.
The Spirits of the ancestors were honoured in a literal sense in traditional Lithuanian homes and were often invited to partake in a feast in their honour. Such feasts were known as Velines, Kucios and even in the Springtime Easter celebrations. The Spirits of the ancestors would even be given a place at the table with their own plate, cup and cutlery. The gratefulness and memory of their ancestors is never ending in a traditional Lithuanian home.
The ancestors could also be connected to another common household object, in the traditional Lithuanian house, called a "Soda", (pron. Sow-dah). The "Soda", (garden) is a geometrical straw representation of the Cosmic or World Tree that is often adorned with straw ornaments including other geometrical features, plants, animals and celestial bodies. The ancestors are often represented as straw Birds, perched in its branches. The designs of the "Sodai",(Plural) are really quite interesting and are generally hung either, above cradles of babies to bestow on them all the happiness in the world, over the wedding table to wish happiness and fertility to the newly wed couple or over the family table to encourage Harmony and happiness in the family.
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| Lithuanian Soda |
Mythological Beings known to live in some Lithuanian households
Many cultures across the world have different mythological beings that inhabit their homes. Traditional English peoples believed that a "Hob" could live in their house. Traditional Scottish knew House spirits who were called a "Brownie","Broonie","Brunaich" or Gruagach which were little "Hobgoblin" type beings. Spanish peoples have a Goblin known as "Tragsu" living in their homes. The Finnish people knew of household Spirits called "Kotihaltia" who were described as little house gnomes that protected the house. In general, House Spirits were known to be helpful but can be nothing but tricksters.
Lithuanian peoples weren't without their unique mythological beings who were known as "Kaukas", "aitvaras" and "Bartsukai", I will briefly describe each being, starting with:
Kaukas who is known as a House Spirit in western Lithuania and is seen as a dwarf . These beings originally lived in the forest but can be coaxed to live in your home. A Kaukas can bring fortune, good luck and good crops but can lash out in anger if mistreated.
An "Aitvaras" can be seen as several things. Sometimes an Aitvaras can be seen flying through the night sky as a Rooster with a flaming Snake tail which appears as a "shooting star". An Aitvaras can also appear as a black Rooster when on earth and has a skill for acquiring wealth/grain, whatever, by stealing from others. They required daily offerings lest they turn against you and cause strife in your life. Having an Aitvaras was not seen as a positive thing for the community and people tried to avoid becoming attached to one.
The last household Spirit that I'd like to mention is the "Barstukai" who are known to live under Elder bushes and are seen as hairy gnomes who like to knot your hair at night if they are displeased.
These Lithuanian mythical Beings/Spirits live on in traditional folk tales from the past but I see as having little relevance to how we live our lives in our modern homes. I can acknowledge that these Beings/Spirits were part of the home life of my Lithuanian ancestors but that's all, really. It would be nice to think of having domestic chore helpers.
What we can do to include Lithuanian household Spirits to enrich our homes and lives.
There are several things that we can do daily to foster Lithuanian House Spirits in our living space. First thing is to light a candle. This creates a great ambiance to the room and can be mesmerizing. Lithuanians still have a lit candle on the table during special meals and can be a way to bring the Spirit of Fire into your life.
Not many people, that I know, have a house Snake or keep them as pets but I wouldn't be adverse to seeing the image of the snake displayed in several places of my home. I see the Snake image in lots of Lithuanian folk crafts, like wood work and metal work, so I assume Lithuanians also saw the image of the Snake to be sacred.
The Spirits of the ancestors always had a big part in the general atmosphere of the home. I also believe that it's important to be grateful to them and their contribution to who I am today. I don't live in an ancestral home but there are lots of things that I can do to ensure that they are never forgotten. I place photos of deceased relatives around the house. I am lucky enough to have a blanket from a Lithuanian relative who spun the thread and wove it artistically into a beautiful blanket. My Lithuanian ancestors are always in my thoughts and never far away.
I feel that I am fostering a good relationship with the traditional Lithuanian Household Spirits. I feel that my home has a good "feel" to it as a result of connecting myself and my home with traditional Lithuanian House Spirits. I feel that I am better connected to my own heritage and ancestors which adds to the harmony within myself which is also a principle of Romuva.
Let there always be Harmony!
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