Lithuania celebrated Mardi Gras

Kids from Kaunas Valdorf school at the celebration

 Lithuania celebrated Mardi Gras (Uzgavenes it is Lithuanian name) on Tuesday. What kind of celebration it is? Mardi Gras is a traditional winter festival, which aims to banish the winter.  This is one of the funniest celebrations for me. It is not just a Lithuanian festival, it is celebrated in other European countries. Clearly it is more rural cultural phenomenon, but usually is celebrated in the cities. Immediately after Mardi Gras begins Lent and fasting time.

Celebrations participants dress up, it is important to use non-routine clods. Faces are concealed by masks, which is constructed of paper, cardboard or wood. All the most important players in the Mardi Gras were taken from daily rural environment. Usually masks had old, ugly human traits. Usually man liked to dress as woman, and women – often as men. The people depicted and mythological beings, animals, birds. Especially popular was the "Jews," "Gypsy," "horse," "goat", "Crane", "devils", "witch", "Reaper".
Celebrations players pull through villages making jokes. Singing songs. Traveling to the main festival site, where it was built Mores sculpture. More - a fertility deity, which pyre burned for a subsequent rebirth. With her ​​"expelled" the accumulated evils together and bored winter.
More is burning

 Another two important heroes are Lašininis Flitch and Kanapinis Hemp.
Hemp, Kanapinis wont the fight


Flitch is thick and symbolizes winter, and Hemp is thin, he has to join in the fight with Flitch. In this fight Hemp is usually pushed, grappling, until finally Flitch is defeated. All of this represents unwillingness of winter to leave. Fighting Hemp represents people who missing so much spring.

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