carnival – Vilius’ Notes

From the childhood I know that a special Tuesday comes around the time when winter is about to finish. Firstly, this day is about pancakes. You have to bake some, or at least get them from somewhere (canteen, mother, neighbors, name it)!

In Lithuanian this Tuesday carry Užgavėnės name, while internationally it is known as Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.

There are other great reasons to celebrate Užgavėnės besides delicious pancakes.

Twofold carnival happens that day. For kids it is time to dress up in Halloween-type of outfit and go to neighbor houses, sing/dance and demand candy, pancakes, or money. Make as much noise as possible, and be first to visit people – to gather most goodies that evening!

For adults the carnival is a gathering to kick out winter from the yard – kill/burn Morė – the symbol of winter and all the bad&ugly. You get to experience a fight between Lašininis and Kanapinis, where victory of Kanapinis means approaching unavoidable spring. Often the carnival party is moved to the closest Sunday to the Užgavėnės.

Last week Lina and I celebrated Užgavėnės in Rumšiškės, Open Air Ethnographic Museum. Please enjoy the pictures of the event covering fair, pancakes, and greet together the coming spring after full white Winter!