[ad_1]
According to the ethnologist, in ancient times, Mardi Gras was the limit between winter and spring, but this is not a guarantee that the cold season will arrive.
“Mardi Gras, in ancient times, was the boundary between the cold season and the beginning of spring. This is the moment when everything melts, the cold disappears and the earth begins to wait for spring, it begins to wake up. Although, as we can see, it is cold, and although we really want the winter to end, we do not know if it will start and end like this, ”said the ethnologist.
PHOTO GALLERY. Ethnologists Say: What Mardi Gras Masks Really Symbolize
According to E. Valentė, the Mardi Gras annual change date depends on the date of the spring equinox: “Now we have that movable holiday, it depends on when the spring equinox is. They occur at very different times each year. The range is from February 3 to March 9. This year, moreover, coincides very well with the celebration of our state ”.
The ethnologist said that Mardi Gras is not only a celebration but also a psychotherapeutic process. “In the first place, because you can beat what you are not in life that day. After all, we are not demons or witches in life, we are not foreign characters, we are not those specialties or professions that we sometimes switch to. Perhaps we did not choose those professions, even if we wanted to, perhaps they are representative of us, “said E. Valentė.
According to E. Valentė, costumes are one of the most important parts of Mardi Gras: “What is not allowed, what is limited in our simple everyday life, is possible on Mardi Gras Day. And that day we can let go of what we don’t know. This gives us a better chance of being more successful in the aftermath of Mardi Gras. “
Mardi Gras pancakes also have symbolic meaning
According to the ethnologist, food is also a very important part of this celebration. No matter how full we are during Mardi Gras, we are supposed to be all the rest of the year. According to the expert, it is said that eating during Mardi Gras should be 7-12 times, but more importantly, we should be full enough.
According to E. Valentė, the most popular Mardi Gras dish has a great symbolic meaning: “The pancake is a symbol of the Sun, it is as if we merge with the Sun in the sky. Through that symbolic Sun that we eat, it is as if we combine our inner light with the outer light. The more sunlight, the more we shine, the warmer we are. It is a symbol of our success, better communication and total well-being ”.
However, the meat dishes should not be forgotten either. According to the ethnologist, during Mardi Gras, meat should be on all tables, and in Lithuania Minor during this festival you can always find a bag. “A bun is a stew of peas with the head and legs of a pig. Sometimes there was a different stew of meat and potatoes. In any case, the meat dishes during Mardi Gras are important and that there are as many as possible that day, ”said E. Valentė.
It is advisable not to work during Mardi Gras.
It turns out that during Mardi Gras you need not only to eat, but also to rest, and all winter work must be completed before the holidays. “Knitwear, fabrics, as well as various wooden crafts. In general, all types of winter work must be completed by Mardi Gras. The homework period is coming to an end, we are already waiting for spring, the preparations for the field work will begin and thus we will prepare to go from home to the field, to the forests. Hard work was also prohibited during Mardi Gras. They used to say who will work hard during Mardi Gras will work hard all year long, ”the ethnologist warned.
Mardi Gras can also be celebrated at home
Another important Mardi Gras tradition is the burning of More. It turns out that the most important thing is to say goodbye to More, not necessarily burn him. “The destruction of More, also known as Kotre or Magde, is a farewell to power. It is not necessary to burn it, it can be drowned or “killed”. That power is the cold, the stagnation of winter, but that power needs to be fired for it to return next year. If we do not say goodbye to someone, we cannot say goodbye to someone ”, revealed the ethnologist.
“It’s very difficult to say what it was like in those old days. We say we say goodbye to winter, but in fact we say goodbye to More: that furious winter, great, powerful, transforming it into light, warmth and welcoming power, ”said E. Valentė about traditions.
And although Mardi Gras will be a little different this year, and the burning of More will probably have to be postponed until next year, the ethnologist urges us not to forget about this holiday: “Let’s make masks, let’s change. Making a devil or goat mask is not complicated, it is just a matter of our imagination. Men can wear women’s clothing and women can wear men’s clothing. It’s definitely not difficult. “
Still, the most important thing is the aforementioned pancakes. This way you can celebrate even when you are alone. “Whether you eat those pancakes alone at the table or with your family. Pancakes are a symbol of the Sun, so let’s connect with that Sun that now rises higher and higher so that our inner Sun can also rise. So that we have more confidence in ourselves, in life and in general in everything that nature gives us, the Sun, the Earth, to understand that we can give a lot to the world ”, advises E. Valentė.
[ad_2]
