Dying traditions
Lily the curious hedgehog goes trick or treatingLatvia is a country rich of history and traditions. Some traditions are still great part of Latvian identity, for example, Summer solstice celebration also known as Jāņi or Līgo with huge bonfires and dancing, singing [special summer solstice songs] around them, dressing up in traditional costumes and wearing flower crowns, eating caraway seed cheese and drinking beer.
Traditions and celebrations make our world very colorful and fun to explore. When I grew up Halloween was just a part of Hollywood movies. Today I see kids go trick or treating, dressing up as little vampires and demons. It is fun to have a little masquerade, dressing up and to joke around, but back in my mind tiny voice reminds me all the time - sure, it is fun, but this is not our celebration, not our tradition. Shush tiny voice!
Our own old day traditions/folklore say that during October souls of the dead visit our homes and we have to be more silent and look within ourselves and remember those that were once part our lives. Some food was left by the oak trees or throughout the home to feed them. Something my granny believed, something I was taught in school and something slightly forgotten by younger generations today.
What are your thoughts about globalization and dying traditions? Should we be bothered or let the world morph into something new?
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Song of the day: ScHoolboy Q - Hell Of A Night
Thought of the day: Shhh..
Tiny happiness of the day: Garden cleanup
It seems like the closer we are, the more homogeneous we become. One thing is to use this globalization for the best purposes and the other is to abuse the simple access to information and traditions from other countries.
The same happens with Mexico, we have our own traditions for this part of the year called "day of the dead ones" but it is being rapidly replaced by the U.S. "Halloween". Younger generations dont even care about the mysticism behind our own culture.
I didn't know about Latvian culture but it seems very interesting and folklore-like. You just made me want to read more about it.
You already know i like your art,so i won't mention that :P
Traditions change over time but for a lot of them now, they are being destroyed through mass media and meme proliferation. Halloween is one of those that has changed significantly in the US and then been exported globally to become a dress up party.
Personally, I am not so attached to any of the traditions that have come and gone and there will always be more to arrive and leave again. What is important is if the tradition is suitable for the individual or if it is being carried out automatically like an addiction.
Will you leave some food out at the base of an oak tree and consider those lost?
You have survived #Thunderdome by the way. =)
sadly nowadays the christmas tradition is not how it used to be in the years past. i remember when i was still a kid, come december, the streets are filled with christmas lights. there used to be lots of children carolling. you can feel the christmas spirit all around. nowadays, you can hardly feel its christmas already. people all around are busy with their life and stuff. maybe its because of the economy or something else, but yeah, things are not how it used to be in the past. great post @m31! keep it up :)
That sounds like a nice tradition, thanks for sharing.
I don't think you can blame the kids for picking up the US style trick or treating (I'm not saying you are, but it's tempting for anyone), you have to look at what surrounds them.
I guess that it is school, parents and media - in that order of importance - which introduce these new traditions, which are much more shallow than the older ones, much less meaningful.
I think it's a case of laziness about what is exciting and modern for children, perhaps what toys are available, etc. that leads teachers and parents to introduce these without much of a thought. It's that thoughtlessness that's the true problem in my opinion.
I like the idea of sharing concepts and traditions and even practicing them if you feel a connection to them. I think the problem comes when they are followed just by trend or because that's "cool". While I believe most of the old beliefs including religion were based on fear and need for answers, I think we're at a point where we could continue traditions as a way to honor our history. I really like that reflection of "to be more silent and look within ourselves and remember those that were once part our lives. " <3
I dont think its possible to stop globalization as the internet brings the world closer together. Here in the US, we are a melting pot of many ethnicities and cultures, yet they are able to hold on to some distinctions as well.
The world WILL morph into something different, but it is good to remember old traditions or stories. We should not be disconnected from our pasts.
Though, also, we should not be too afraid of change. Some change will always happen!!
Peace
great thoughts / peace