[ad_1]
WASHTENAW COUNTY., MI – More than 100 Lithuanian Americans traveled to Camp Pilenai, a private campsite outside of Manchester, to celebrate a midsummer festival on Saturday, June 26th, steeped in pagan tradition.
Najiba Gaines-Hannah’s corolla photographed during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday June 26, 2021. She attended the festival with her boyfriend and family. Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Members of the Lithuanian-American community traveled the Midwest to gather at the camp. Gema Benokraitis from Baltimore was found helping other women and girls make flower crowns on a picnic bench that was overflowing with various flower materials.
“This is really nice. Because it has character, doesn’t it? ”Said Benokraitis, encouraging her youngest apprentice.
Gema Benokraitis, originally from Baltimore, helps Kristina Katilius make a corolla during a midsummer festival held on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
June 2021 during a midsummer festival at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Traditionally, this holiday always takes place on the shortest night of the year and symbolizes the victory of the day over the night. Most of the rituals and games played during the Jonines celebrate new life and young love.
In Lithuania, young girls and women throw their crowns of flowers over their shoulders on branches – the number of attempts until they can successfully land their crowns is estimated over the years until they are married.
Jurate Canara (left) and her boyfriend Renatas Strimaitis dance together during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
A young girl’s necklace photographed during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday June 26, 2021. The necklace contains her name, which is written in two ways, one of which is Russian, the girl claims. Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
June 2021 during a midsummer festival at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
A group of participants dance to the music of a live performer during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Although the celebrations in Lithuania retained many of their pagan elements, the celebrations in Manchester were modern in nature. Bouncy castles and toys were set up for the children, a volleyball field for the teenagers and food and drink for the adults.
A shot of krupnikas, a honey-based liquor, photographed during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday June 26, 2021. Krupnikas were distributed to adult visitors to the festival, which are covered by the registration fee.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Gema Benokraitiss plate of food photographed during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday 26 June 2021. Among the dishes on your plate is a popular Lithuanian food called Kugelis, top, a potato dish made with bacon and onions and often eaten with sour cream. Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
June 2021 during a midsummer festival at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Children jump into a bouncy castle during a midsummer festival held on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Aleksa Skiotys hands over a volleyball in a bulve game – a game where people who are “out” sit in the middle of a circle and catch the ball to be “in” again – during a midsummer festival at Camp Pilenai , 15375 Austin Road in Manchester on Saturday 26 June 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Divine Providence, a Lithuanian Catholic Church in Southfield, is home to a Lithuanian school, basketball team, scout organization, folk dance group, and more. When quarantine began due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the church had to close its doors.
About a year apart, Jonines was not only an important cultural holiday for this ward, but also an opportunity to come together and reconnect, church members said.
June 2021 during a midsummer festival at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Participants play Bulve – a game where people who are “out” sit in the middle of a circle and catch the ball to be “in” again – during a midsummer festival held on Saturday at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road in Manchester. 06/26/2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Children play on the dock during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
A baby photographed at sunset during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Children hold flower petals that they toss into a pond during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Girls toss petals from the dock into a small pond during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
As the sun set, a group of children set about tossing flower petals into the nearby pond, in a moment that mimicked a ritual of their ancestors. It is said that when a young woman on Jonines puts her flower crown in the water, then the young man who picks her up on the other side should be her true love.
Young women light sparklers attached to a corolla of flowers before dropping them into a pond during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester, on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
A crown of flowers with a lit sparkler blowing in a pond during a midsummer festival at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester, on Saturday June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
While Jonines hasn’t produced any new soul mates that we know of this year, it has strengthened bonds with the Lithuanian-American community, participants said.
Simon watches fireworks at the end of a midsummer festival held on Saturday, June 26, 2021 at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
Danius Anuzis watches fireworks from a dock during a midsummer festival held at Camp Pilenai, 15375 Austin Road, Manchester on Saturday, June 26, 2021.Alyte Katilius | Ann Arbor News
[ad_2]
