Lithuanian folklore, traditions, mythology

You will learn to:

• Identify the essential features and sources of traditional Lithuanian culture.
• Discuss the main genres of Lithuanian folklore within their cultural context.
• Briefly describe the key characteristics of the Baltic mythological tradition and its ancient pantheon.
• Explain the main traditional calendar, work-related, and family celebrations and their development over time.
• Recognize the elements of Lithuanian ethnic material culture and assess their historical transformations.

Learning topics:

• Traditional Lithuanian culture and its sources. Core cultural features, the formation and transformation of folklore in the 21st century, history of research and key figures.
• Folklore. Oral and sung folklore: legends, songs, contemporary folklore and narratives.
• Baltic mythology. Features of mythological worldview, the ancient Baltic pantheon, the relationship between mythology and Christianity, and modern revival in Lithuania.
• Festivals and customs. Calendar and life-cycle celebrations: from Christmas to Midsummer, christenings, weddings, funerals.
• Material ethnic culture. Rural homesteads, memorial monuments, crafts, food, clothing from the 19th–20th c., and cultural change in the late 20th–21st c.

Study period:

15 weeks, spring semester: from February 1 to May 22. (English language, online)