Dziady
This article is about an ancient holiday. See Dziady for the poem of Adam Mickiewicz.
Dziady was an ancient Slavic and Lithuanian feast to commemorate the dead. Literally, the word is translated as 'Forefathers'. It was held twice every year (in the spring and autumn). During the feast the ancient Slavs and Lithuanians organized libations and ritual meals in which food and alcohol were sacrificed. In local mythologies such feasts were organized both for the living and for the souls of the fore-fathers who joined the dziady after dark. To allow them to find their way to the world of the living, fires were set and candles lit. This tradition prevailed in the form of christian Zaduszki feast.
The 2nd part of the poetical novel Dziady by Adam Mickiewicz is dedicated mostly to the Dziady feast organized in what is now Belarus.
In Belarus, Dziady (Дзяды) were usually held on the last Saturday before the St. Dmitry day, end of October/beginning of November (Dmitriewskiya dziady, St.Dmitry's Dziady). There were also 'Trinity Day Dziady', 'Shrovetide Dziady', and some other dates. Since 1988 the Belarusian Popular Front initiated the revival of the tradition in Belarus. The initiative was met with strong opposition from the communist adiministration of the country.
This article is a stub. You can help BambooWeb by .
