I have compiled and woven the following page into a single piece of information, which opens up the concept of the Jaanipäev (Midsummer festival) tradition.
Here you will find a lot of exciting things about the traditions and beliefs of this holy period; a little song-dance, style suggestions and also good mood music for the holiday!
Make yourself a real Jaan!
Let's celebrate estonian traditions together!
Invite to Jaanipäev! (audio clip)
Source: folklore.ee
Source: folklore.ee
Jaanipäev
Jaanipäev (St. John's Day) is one of the most important holidays of the year for estonians. The gates of hell and heaven are open that night! The magic happens.
It is a time of joyous and powerful time. A good time perform powerful rituals and follow the traditions of this lands ancestors to ensure success, love and good health.
Midsummer approaches as the nights turn whiter. . . The whitest night of the year testifies that Jaan has arrived. The mood is positive and sublime. The sun is long and the soul longs to party!
During the spring clean of all the country houses the branch-piles have already raised high and are ready to be burned! Campfires will be as high, as the land-owner has worked on getting the old out. The whole of Estonia is ready to celebrate, clean and party! It's time to be together, in the company of dear ones, singing, dancing, playing, talking, sitting in silence and discovering nature.
Make and enjoy Jaanipäev!
source: google.com
source: google.com
One will have a real Jaanipäev, if it includes music and fun, wreath weaving, walking on a gravel road, visiting fireplaces, getting lost, drinking beer, getting magic on dewy grass, looking for fern flowers, the enchantment of dawn and much more .. Find your own way :)
Audio
Youtube playlist for fun- LINK
audio- LINK
audio- LINK
audio- LINK
audio- LINK
Traditions and beliefs
1. June 23, is the best time to go sauna and cleanse your soul and body, as well as to collect refreshing hay and powerful herbs.
2. All household chores must be completed in time to prepare for the Jaanipäev fire. Making fire, going to the fire and being there are the most important things on Jaanipäev. Everyone who can walk should go to the fire. Firstly, because going to the fire brings great benefits and happiness, and secondly, because not going to the fire can lead to an accident.
3. You should go to Jaanipäev on foot, because it brings good health. When going to the fire, there must definitely be something to bring with you to throw to fire later. It is a memory of an ancient sacrificial custom. Anyone could even bring a branch to the fire. Girls have a habit of throwing their flower wreaths on the fire, and when they wish for something, the wishes come true.
4. The power of the fire is increased if you make three rounds around the place where the fire is made with a rowan stick. At such a fire, rituals are performed which are also seriously believed and which must not be seen by a stranger's eye. The fire will give strength and energy next year, as well as take laziness from the bones. If you reach the fire, you have to go around the fire three times and three times backwards, then the next year will be very good.
5. It is believed that nothing should be taken away from the fire. Someone takes something back home, he will soon have an accident.
6. Jumping over a fire has also been considered useful. In addition to health, the girls found a man soon after, when they imagined and wished for their loved one.
7. Fire's heat also helps well against back pain. That's why old people sat with their backs to the fire to warm their bones.
8. Jaani night is believed to have a special power, because then all the gates of hell and heaven will be open. Trees and birds-animals will talk and predict the future. By being alone and listening carefully, one can understand their language on Jaani night.
9. Coming from Jaani fire, the young girls pick nine kinds of flowers, weave a wreath and put it on their heads at the crossroads. You can't look back or talk to anyone. At home, the same wreath is placed under a pillow, then you can see your future in a dream. In the morning, you can throw a wreath at the top of the tree, and if it stays there and did not fall, it is certain that the wedding is coming.
10. One romantic endeavor is to look for a fern. It is believed that the fern blooms once a year on Jaani night and the lucky finder becomes rich, will posess special skills and secret languages. As a rule, the foothold must be sought alone, and attention must not be paid to the voices around it, nor must it be frightened of even the ugliest creatures who tend to be close. You must not look around or respond to a call. The flower found must be taken out of the forest immediately.
source: concordmonitor.com
11. Since St. John's Night is the shortest night of the year, it is customary to be awake until sunrise. According to the common opinion, it is a great fortune if it does not rain a drop on Jaani night, but the morning dew is expected. The dew-"sauce" picked early in the morning after Jaanipäev has been believed to have a magically healing and beauty-giving power for many centuries, so it washed the face and rubbed over the body. A century earlier, it was customary to throw a kukerpall (below, in the image), which was supposed to prevent back diseases and help to be healthy. The dew-souce will give vitality, heals various ailments and blesses the household. Properly collected, tightly closed bottle and stored in the dark, it can preserve for up to 50 years.
source: õhtuleht.ee
12. What makes Jaani night special is that it is then possible to find hidden treasure. The two best-known ways to find out are to look at the surroundings from under the roof through a window called unkaauk (an air hole left at the ends of a four-sided sloping roof) or through a branch hole in the coffin tree. Then you can see where the light directs to reveal the spots of money.
source: e-varamu.ee
13. You can also see who is serving the old devil by the Midsummer fire. To do this, look over your shoulder and through the fingers of your left hand and say in a whisper, "Kurat kõrvetagu sind!" - then you can see who the Hell is standing beside of.
14. It is also believed that the souls of the dead have the power not only to come home but also to travel the world and go where they long. They can also appear to people that night - for example, at crossroads and at the church door, you can see exactly at midnight who will die next year.
Activities:
* bring a surprise -birch twigs in the morning (bring-and-take to girls)
* making sauna "viht" for an evening sauna
* wreath weaving
* Search and collect for 9 different flowers
* making curd pastries
* brew a beer!
* sing and dance - celebrate!
* make three turns for the campfire and three counterclockwise
* jump over the campfire in the evening
* go to the forest - look for a fern flower with your sweetheart or a locust bean with yours
* Rolling inside the early morning dew wet
sources:
Rituals
HAPPINESS RITUAL
With bonfires lit on Midsummer night, you can perform happiness rituals to increase your happiness. The whole of Estonia is covered with campfires.
Fire is an element that helps to clean, renew and send wishes.
* For the lucky ritual, cut six strips of paper (six is a number with lucky powers!) And write six of your secret wishes to them. One for each strip. The secret wish must be written in the present form, ie as if it were desirable to already exist in your life.
Example: If you want to get well, write on a piece of paper, "I'm healthy and free of disease."
When written, fold it up and take it with you on Midsummer's Day. Everyone has a different fire for each new secret wish.
* If you want to further increase your happiness with the help of Midsummer, wear something white on Midsummer. White helps your soul to cleanse, recover and heal.
BEAUTY RITUAL
As St. John's Night is the shortest night of the year, it is customary to be awake until sunrise.
According to the common opinion, it is a great fortune if it does not rain a drop on Midsummer night, but the morning dew is expected. The sauce picked in the early morning after St. John's Eve has been believed to have a magically healing and beauty-giving power for many centuries, so it washed the face and rubbed over the body.
The dew gives vitality, heals various ailments and blesses the household. Properly collected, tightly closed bottle and stored in the dark, dew preserves for up to 50 years.
A century earlier, it was customary to throw a kukerpall, which was supposed to prevent back diseases and help to be healthy.
Clothing / Style:
* wear white linen
* make a wreath and wear it
* put on leather shoes- pastlad
* folk costumes and etno style- because if not now then when?
Make rituals and celebrate!
Head Jaani!
Kix
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Sources:
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