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“If we look at the traditional archaic concept, a woman must prepare for childbirth like death. She has to purify herself, apologize to everyone, discover spiritual peace. Basically, the bath walk is designed to help a woman to relax after all her pregnancy, which is not easy for most, to eliminate all that difficulty of having a baby.
From the women who participate in the ceremony, he receives tenderness, service, they wash their legs, they bathe, wash, massage, comb their hair, and there is such a complete liberation. All this is necessary for a woman to give birth successfully, “says ethnographer J. Bytautė.
red_a_photo / Jūratė Bytautė’s photo
Performed in the sauna just before giving birth
According to her, in the past this ceremony was performed in a sauna. Just before the birth, the women gathered: the pregnant woman and her friends and close relatives who had already given birth performed the washing and cleaning ritual, and finally the woman in the sauna gave birth. Ms Jūratė says that the whole essence of baths has remained the same today, only that they are now prepared not at the last moment before delivery, but before, and they are performed in various places, not necessarily in the sauna.
“We don’t wash in the sauna because we don’t have them.” If the weather permits, we prepare them in such a cozy place in nature near the Altoniškės mound, where the Ova stream flows. Depending on the circumstances, the bath can also be prepared in other places ”, says the interlocutor.
Not born can now participate
When asked if only women who gave birth can participate in baths, J. Bytautė says that it is easier to see today.
“Previously, only women who gave birth were strictly involved in this ceremony, helping their girlfriend or relative prepare for childbirth, enter that transformation of childbirth, relax. It happens in every way today. Every woman knows who is near her.
As for the women who have given birth, it would be good for those for whom childbirth was easy to attend this ceremony. Because the person who had difficulties giving birth is afraid for his girlfriend that everything will be fine for him and causes some tension. And in this case, everyone needs to relax as much as possible. I have three children, I gave birth easily, so I think I can perform this ceremony, – says Ms Jūratė.
– An unborn woman can also participate, it will be a great lesson for her, because one day she will be a mother. So I don’t think it’s wrong to be involved and not give birth. “
How are the washes going today?
J.Bytautė prepares the bath with a group of contract singers, so according to her, she has the opportunity to use something as wonderful as contract singers in this ceremony.
A woman must return to her roots during childbirth, as I say, in the wild state of a woman, so that everything can happen easily.
“The whole ceremony begins with the confidence of the woman preparing to give birth and her friends, we sing to them. As not all the guests get used to wearing dresses, we tie them with ribbons to introduce them a little more to that purity, femininity and antiquity A woman must return to her roots during childbirth, as I say, in the wild state of a woman, so that everything can happen easily, says the ethnographer with a smile.
– We take the guests we meet to the party place. We have a fireplace there. A woman preparing to give birth is prepared like a throne: a beautifully covered bench. We build a horse next door, we prepare meadows, medicinal and non-medicinal, just what we find in the meadow to enrich the washing water.
Personal File Photo / Browsers
As we sing, we light the fire of the ceremony, pour salt on a handful of women preparing to give birth, and ask her to pronounce all her sorrows and everything else in that salt. The woman is sitting, remembering. I ask the same of your friends: I think it is good for everyone, and women always become very strong when we join in a circle with some purpose.
Then the woman is combed. We do it all in one row. Every haircut tries to relax that woman, there is talk of something beautiful, that moment is really sensitive. The woman in the comb receives gifts.
And then we wash it. There is a stream nearby, so I use its water. When I put grasslands, I talk about the meaning I give to each one of them. The woman has to undress, we wash her and talk to her body: that she is beautiful, that there is milk, that the door opens easily, that the legs are light when it is necessary to carry the baby.
All the women gathered for the celebration participate in this process. There are many beautiful and warm words, wishes, much love for this woman during this ceremony. If a woman wants, she can dive into the stream.
After all the purification rites, the woman is wrapped in a so-called maternity shirt, sewn and embroidered by her girlfriends. It is embroidered with signs or on the fly, but also with best wishes, “says ethnographer J.Bytautė.
red_a_photo / Delivery shirt
I ask between conscious women
There is no limit to the number of women participating in the baths, but, according to the interlocutor, this ceremony is quite intimate, so only close friends should be present, and generally there are not many.
“I don’t think there are many people at this ceremony, because it is intimate after all.” And there can be no spectators here, because it is not an exhibition celebration, ”says the ethnographer who prepares the bath.
J.Bytautė herself has also attempted these rites when she was expecting one of her children, and claims that giving birth was very easy.
“I felt how strong it affected me, how it was easier for me to give birth. There was peace, I knew everything would be fine. That was the case. However, you want to do these rites because you understand how much you can help a woman ”, the ethnographer is convinced.
When asked if this rite is popular with women, the interlocutor says that she is very interested in it and that they love those who consciously observe the birth, give birth on their own and do not imagine that the doctor will do everything for them:
“Women are different and think differently. It is here that those who realize that they are giving birth on their own discover that they are responsible for their own birth, not the doctor or other people, that everyone around them they are just helping them. “
Photo by Raimonda Strazdienė / Prrausynos
Are the sinks like a baby shower?
The so-called “baby shower” celebration, organized not only by the Atlantic, but also by women expecting women in other countries, has also come to Lithuania. There is no lack of decorations in the modern festival: balloons, garlands, children’s paraphernalia, a festive table and gifts for the pregnant woman.
When asked if we can compare the bathroom with a baby shower, the interlocutor says that the American tradition has a different meaning, its celebration is more a joy than a woman will have a baby.
“The essence of this celebration is to rejoice and celebrate that a woman expects to have a baby. I look at it that way. Especially in these times when people have a difficult time getting pregnant, it is natural that such celebrations are ingrained and women want to rejoice. However, these celebrations and baths cannot really be compared, because it is something else, “says J. Bytautė.
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