View source for Meteņi

{{Short description|Ancient Latvian holiday}}
{{Baltic religion}}

'''Meteņi''' ({{IPA|lv|met̪eɲi}}) or '''Metenis'''  is an ancient [[Latvia|Latvian]] [[spring (season)|spring]] waiting holiday, that ends on [[Ash Wednesday]], which is followed by [[Lent]]. Meteņi is celebrated in February or early March, seven weeks before [[Lieldienas]].

== Origins ==

The Meteņi celebration preserved the ancient traditions of [[New Year's Eve]], because ancient Indo-European people celebrated New Year's Eve in mid-February. This came from the early Latvian word "meti", which meant turn of time, gauge. The original meaning is preserved in the word "laikmets" (era). Lithuanian word "metai" even now means "year".

== Name in other languages ==

In [[Livonians|Livonian]] populated regions and Riga, this celebration is known as [[Fastelavn]] (possibly originating from German ''Fastnacht'' - hunger night). Elsewhere, it is also called Lastavāgs, Aizgavēnis, Miesmetis, Buduļi Eve, and Pie Day. [[Lithuanians]] call it ''[[užgavėnės]]'', while [[Estonians]] call it ''vastlapäev''. To [[Russians]] and other [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christian]] peoples this festival is known as [[Maslenitsa]] ([[Russian language|Russian]]: Масленица, [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]]: масьленіца, [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]: масниця).

Elsewhere in Europe and America, this festival coincides with the carnival time and referred to as Shrove Tuesday ([[French language|French]]: ''Mardi Gras'', [[German language|German]]: ''Fastnachtsdienstag'', [[Italian language|Italian]]: ''Martedì grasso'', [[English language|English]]: ''Shrove Tuesday'' {{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}) or "''Pancake Day''".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://tradic.ija.lv/meteni/|title = Meteņi}}</ref> In Latin countries, it is called ''carnival'', ''carnaval'' or "meat balls", and it is the holiday of overeating, after which comes Lent. It is also has a connection with [[Roman Empire]]'s time to celebrate traditions of ''[[April Fools' Day]]'' on April 1. During it happens a mask parade (''masquerade''), all sorts of performances, and immoderate blowout and drinking. To bid a farewell to Winter, they burned a year-old allegorical serpent or dragon, straw dolls, and logs, whose ashes are spread across the land so that the New Year would be fruitful.

== Holiday traditions ==
[[File:Budēļi.JPG|right|300px|thumb|Meteņi [[ķekatas]] mask group of [[Zemgale]] and Kurzeme called Budēļi, Buduļi or Būduļi.<ref>[http://www.celotajs.lv/cont/prof/proj/Interreg_IVA-Heritage_Tourism/Documents/Pasakumi/2013/Prezentacija_Meteni.pdf Masku tradīcijas latviešu kultūrā] Inese Roze, Viewed February 26, 2016</ref>]]

Meteņi is about people eating and drinking as much as they wanted. During this time [[domestic pig|pigs]] were slaughtered, so the traditional holiday dishes were pig's head and fritters. Parents threw gifts to their children from above the room, as if [[Laima]] threw her gifts from above the heaven. As with every winter holiday, [[ķekatas]] were traveling the country and paid visits to people. There is a belief that the longer Meteņi is celebrated, the better the harvest is expected following summer. The Solstice bonfire is burned while performing rituals of tying a witch's tongue and donations. The campfire is used to burn last summer's [[Jāņi]] festive wreaths.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eliesma.lv/meteni-ir-klat|title=Meteņi ir klāt}}</ref> The straw is often burned and in some places, the straws are handmade into characters, which is primarily removed from hills and then burned to drive winter away.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}

== See also ==
* [[Užgavėnės]]
* [[Maslenitsa]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://latviandainas.lib.virginia.edu/tei.latv11.xml?lang=lav&div_id=latv11_s1ss1 Latvian dainas about Meteņi]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120402070949/http://www.liis.lv/kultvest/kultura/latvija/kullat1/teksts1.htm Latvian traditional seasonal rhythms]

{{Latvian seasonal mythological holidays}}

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[[Category:Observances in Latvia]]
[[Category:Public holidays in Latvia]]
[[Category:February observances]]
[[Category:March observances]]
[[Category:Holidays based on the date of Easter]]