June 24 – Jāņi in Latvia

nPostednon June 24, 2015

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nEvennthough this holiday celebrates the summer solstice, which generallynfalls on June 21 or 22, Jāņinis celebrated in Latvia on the night of June 23 and the day of Junen24. Apparently the holiday was moved in this way to honor St. John,nwhose Catholic feast day is today. However, Jāņi has nothing to donwith St. John or the Catholic religions, and everything to do withnearlier Pagan beliefs.

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nIt’snthat celebration of the shortest night – and of course longest dayn– that is so common all over the world, especially in northernnEurope.

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nLastnnight, on Jāņi Eve, people go gather flowers and leaves and makenwreaths to wear on their heads. Men usually wear wreaths made of oaknleaves, and women wear wreaths made of flowers.

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nPeoplenalso decorate their house with bedstraw, cow wheat, vetchling,nclover, birch boughs, and branches of oak, rowan, and linden. In thenpast, people even used thorns, thistles, and nettles, apparently tonturn away witches and evil spirits, but aspen and alder twigs werennever used, as they were considered “evil” trees.

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nThenflowers, leaves, and sheafs of grasses often adorn gates and doors,non walls, in barns and courtyards, and behind ceiling joists. n

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nAnotherncommon tradition is staying up all night and burning “Fire of Jāņi”n(candles, tar barrel, or a tarred wheel pole), a custom originallynmeant to give people power and fertility.

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nOfncourse there are feasts and songs and dancing and romancing, too. Onenwebsite I read said that this holiday is more popular in Latvia thannare New Year’s Eve and Christmas! Almost every hilltop and yard innLatvia has a bonfire, and people go from house to house, eatingncheese and drinking and singing and generally having a good time. n

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Inthought it was interesting to read that the ferns are supposed tonblossom for a short while on the night of Jāņi. People arensupposed to search for the blossom; those who find it will have angreat spiritual revelation.

nOf course, if you know botany, younrealize that ferns don’t have flowers.

nInstead, ferns reproduce bynmeans of spores.

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nInnLatvia’s capital city, Riga, there is a Grass Market where people cannbuy all the stuff that countryfolk can more easily find or make fornthemselves: medicinal plants, oak leaves, flowers, Jāņi grasses,nplus pre-made wreaths and crowns, cheeses, beer, and traditionalnLatvian crafts.

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