Got caught in the rain and bitten by a bat for Līgo diena, vaccinated for rabies on Jāni diena, got a $61000.00 US hospital bill for rabies vaccine to pay for the rest of this Līgo. Coronavirus free so far. So far, but yes I got a tick bite also in this self-same woods not two weeks ago. Not a year ago in the same woods I found a Žaltys. I didn't even know we had them here. I felt so lucky. I have to say, I'm starting to believe that's all superstition. Maybe he was offended that I didn't offer him any milk. He was so small I was afraid of hurting him. I think that's the joke. There is no fern flower, and snakes don't drink milk. The luck will always be bad. Have a good Līgo anyway. Here's wishing you all the best. Probably going to visit Latvia now about as soon as I learn Latvian. Interesting also, I assume pāgatne has the same root as the English word pagan? Also, for ticks try treating all clothes with permethrin and making sure you wear a continuous clothing barrier treated with same from head to toe. IE pants tucked into socks shirt tucked into pants. Looks stupid but works.

"i can't today. i have to go look for the fern flower"

I like the tradition of keeping the flower crown in your house all year, then putting it on the bon fire the next year to burn up the bad energy it collected.

Thank you for this lovely episode! As a Swede, I didn’t know how very similar Līgo is to Midsommar. Beautiful! :)

On a side note, I am so happy I found your channel xD I'm from Latvia but I moved to Canada when I was really young, and I regret not learning the language. It's so beautiful! I don't hear too much about Latvia, except on my visits every few years, but now I have your channel

Got to go to a Midsummer festival when I was there. Wonderful time and wonderful celebration.

Anete, I think your videos are great and even I as a Latvian like to watch them. As you have mentioned that you would like to know more Jāņu traditions for your next videos. I decided to share them. I hope I am not spoiling your next video ideas (fingers crossed). Small birch trees to decorate homes (meijas), decorating cows heads with wreath, placing the rowan branch under your pillow (against bad dreams) and above all doors so the evil forces don't come in the houses, barns, stocks, sheds etc. Barns are very important couse our ancestors believed that wiches are wondering around and could break into barns to drink milk and cows don't give milk as a result after. I remember, in my childhood around the sunrise time we went in the forest (not mandatory to the forest, but you can do it on the way bach home after fern flower looking tradition) to wash our mouth, faces with pure spring water. It was against lasiness, sleep and also for beauty. When we talk about the naked run over the meadow, we can level off with bare feet. It will also be effective enough :) And my grandmother always worked hard to weed all weeds from her garden, and clean the house so everything is perfect. Because the Jāņa bērni will come (there are heighbour groups of people wandering around and singing from house to house) and inspect everything. And when they find something unclean or weeds in flower beds hey would do the neighbours aplīgošana. And actually this is humorous critique, and doesn't weel nice. But... the best part is that you can find something to criticize back also in a humorous way and then it is like a song fight when both sides. For example: Es aizgāju Jāņu nakti līgo līgo Kaimiņos puķes plūkt līgo Man iedzēla sīkas nātres līgo līgo Kur domāju rozes plūkt līgo.( Jāņu naktī I went to pluck flowers in the neighbour's garden but got burned with small nettles in the place where the roses should be growing.) And the owner of the garden then can sing back something like this: Kaimiņam, nabagam līgo līgo Viena kāja nolūzusi līgo, Kam tas gāja Jāņu naktī līgo līgo Pie meitām klētiņā līgo!'' (Oh, poor neighbour broke his leg because during the Līgo night he went to visit girls in the barn). Ok, you got the idea, it's actually a bit insultig, but I haven't heard that someone has sued his neighbour later :) Usually it is very funny. The main idea of not being kaimiņu aplīgots, is to treat your neighbours well with your bear, cheese and meet. So everyone has full stomacks and happy. And, you know, all the songs have the same melody, you just have to be very creative to compose your own words for this melody. And one more important tradition - true latvian patriots make their own National Costumes, according to the region their ancestors come from. And Līgo and Jāņi, alongside the song festival time is the right time to wear them. It is a very beautiful tradition I think.

You had me at cheese, beer, and mandatory singing.

"We've been spanking each other all year" this kills meeee 😂 My boyfriend's family is Latvian and I've fallen in love with the culture - Jāņi is my *favourite* holiday and we visited Latvia in 2018 - I got to experience the spanking in the pirts among many other magical things 🌞🌿 This year I celebrated Jāņi alone in the forest close to nature and the vibe is real

Another good lesson from the best Latvian teacher. Thanks:))

I'm so happy you uploaded this video. I'm an erasums student in Latvia and this is going to be my first ever Līgo experience! Paldies

i am very happy to join this years jani - as a german who will move to riga in august i definetley look forward to nakotne - i felt so much in love with latvia, its tradition and culture..just amazing. these videos are great and especially using the latvian terms is awesome

Great video Glad to know about Latvian culture….

This is awesome! Thank you for creating this!!

감사합니다.

so interesting, and thank you - wonderful presentation

The best explanation of Latvian selebrating Jāņus. I reaaly appreciate this one. I hope Autor will make more videos with explanation like this. Love it!

This is my first ligo without my beloved Latvian relatives

Thank you, Anete, for this interesting video and for slowing down of your speech. Now it is finally more pleasant to listen you! I wished it long time, because I like the informative value of your videos.

Awesome videos I love learning

Paldies... brilliantly funny as always.

Paldies!

Great video! I always wanted to know more about JĀŅI and now I know. Paldies!

Love this!! Just sent to my 23 year old son and same age cousins. I love your humor!!!! Last time I went, all the grandmothers were pinching my cheeks because I still know how to make the vineks without cheating and using floral tape or wire. ❤️ You are wonderful and bless you for helping me learn more about my language and heritage.

Love it! Paldies!

First time I saw this "Ligo" celebration I thought what a beautiful way to welcome the spring/summer!!!!

I enjoyed this video. Thank you

Your the best! Great segment.

These parties are so beautiful! I'm really grateful to know about them Thank you from the Brazil 🇧🇷 🇱🇻

Visu laiku smīns nenonāca no lūpām. Pozitīvi, smieklīgi un pamācoši!

Good job! Nice video, thx

You are terrific.

Thank you it was good video. Paldies

Real informative! I'm Norwegian and love Latvia! Es milu Latvija

like your confidence

Paldies, this is perfect to explain Jāņi to my foreign friends 🔥🔥🔥🥰🥰🥰❤

Love from indonesia , latvia is great

Красивые традиции! 😊

I'm also a March Baby ;-) Very interesting and funny video, as always! This is a special date for me, either far from Latvia: my Latvian grandfather Janis was born on June 24th, and when I was a child we used to light a bonfire in his birthday, a mix of very common tradition here in Brazil (Saint John's day) and, now I know, a tradition there :-) I hope one day I can celebrate Ligo there, in Latvia.

Welcome.

Oh oh please make a video on how to make the Ligo crowns (maybe you already made one and I haven't checked) , they look so intricate!

As an American Latvian, mom drove to Saturday school as a kid :) bit late on this one jani one. Most things I know but still nice to have explicit clarification. good work!!

Truly

I love your videos....and now a Latvian chef in London is about to post a recipe especially for Līgo. This is so fun!!!! Now I need a wreath (reeth, haha). Thanks and have fun!

You are funny 😂. Its great as usual. Happy līgo 🎊🎉 Actually i waiting for the sun to rise, so that i could sleep 🤣

love it xd

If you put fern flower in the shoe, you can see all the hidden riches

we have this in sweden tooooo midsommar

Esmu latvietis un skatos šos video! Haha, super lieliski! Nepazaudē vainadziņu! 😀

Šodien ir Jāņi!

So growing up in US we always went to Ligo parties. My family threw a few in my early years too. When I got older and tried to research Ligo all I could find was Jani. And I got really confused, Then trying to find the Ligo song became even weirder since the Jani seemed to over come everything.But here you have given me the words and the song! I am so happy. One of the things I remember (since I wasn't old enough to participate in many of the things you mention in this video) was the Folk games. I would love if you did a video on some of them since I don't remember any of the rules only the playing. Maybe they weren't even Latvian?

I will travel to Latvia now in 21 June 2022!

Sveiki esmu latviete

I was told that Lativian culture has great resemblance with that of Indian... It seems true though there r differences... For us fire is sacred and marriage ceremony( for Hindus) is completed by circling fire alter ( called Havan ) 7 times... Also we float(in some festivals) burning lamp( called Diya) in water bodies like ponds, rivers... Some anthropologist may enlighten us😊 Namaste 🙏🙏🙏

Pro tip for LIGO: "papardes zieds" or wild sex;) No wonder lot of Latvians born at march!

Līgo is the Latvian version of crack, lol We even go crazy for this Pagan holiday here among the Latvian-American Community. It's extremely fun and the community bonds and Latvian Pride it fosters among the community is strong as concrete!

Next year, you can also mention “līst kā pa Jāņiem” which comes from the fact that summer months have the highest levels of precipitation (I wonder whether anyone has kept a tally specifically for June 23/24) and “jāņot” or “jāņoties” which can be said at any time of the year to mean staying up all night partying.

amasing- amizanti what about some ale in our ribs? In early forms of English, and in the Scandinavian languages, the usual word for beer was the word whose Modern English form is ale. (Wiki) childrens- bērni seems from born, "those who born" old scandinavian-german roots

Hello Germane! Can you teach us to make Jāñu siers? Or review some of the KZfaq videos for a likely model? I have tried a few times, yet to get it perfect. I've compiled a few different recipes, Watched a few videos. Of course they are all quite different as we all had different grandmothers. My major issue is that HK seems to be ALL OUT of Caraway seeds this year. Will have to improvise. (I know it's too late for Līgo but due to monsoon rains, we're celebrating this Sunday...).

Okay, this, but throw in a couple American frat guys. The medical expenses will boost the economy and the resulting party stories will be LEGENDARY.

Going to Jani tomorrow…

Latvian "Jāņi un Līgo" like a Slavic celebrations... Latviešu Līgo un Jāņu svētki ir līdzīgi Slāvu tautu vasaras saulgriežu svētkiem...

6:09 Also, if you fall in, you won't go down alone.

Is Līgo the same thing as Lihgo which is written on the flag that opens the super choir during the sing and dance festival?

I love u 😘

The shortest day of the year was actually on June 20.

The beautiful Joninės Huge bonfire and jumping over em! Paldies Māsa! If you know Latgalian Language it's not a problem to understand Lithuanian! Latgalian is 🇱🇻50/50🇱🇹 Lithuania 🇱🇹 ♥️ 🇱🇻 Latvia!

I have a basic question about Ligo night! Say summer solstice is (like this year) June 21. Is Ligo night from June 20 to 21, or 21 to 22?

Your from latvia

Nu tad Protams !

is that true, that if u dont find a blossom u have to dzigidzigi with the person u took with u? :D

Interesanti video.Patīk. Konkrēti šajā video par Jāņiem vajadzēja pieminēt,ka īstie, pagāniskie vasaras saulgrieži ir 21. jūnijā. Kad Latvijā ienāca kristietība, tad šos datumus pārlika uz 23. /24. jūniju, lai atbilstu kristiešu svinamajiem svētkiem šajā laikā. Īstā maģija un īsākā nakts notiek 21. jūnijā. Un šī nakts bija vienīgā naksts, kad precētas sievas varēja nēsāt vainadziņus, kas nozīmē,ka puiši līgotāji no attālākiem kaimiņiem varēja nezināt, kura precēta, kura brīva meitene. Latviešus vienu daļu var saukt par kristīgajiem pagāniem, jo ir kristīti, iesvētīti baznīcās, apmeklē Dievkalpojumus, bet neskatoties uz to svin pagāniskus svētkus, klausās tautasdziesmas, kas arī mēdz saturēt buršanās tematiku, tiek pieminēt paganiskās Dievības. Būtībā kristietība pagānismu Latvijas teritorijā tā arī neiznīcināja, kas ir labi, citādāk nebūtu mums šis kultūras mantojums, ko vāca un apkopoja mūsu dižgari 19. gs. un 20. gs. sākumā. Ar to mēs esam spēcīgi un atšķirīgi, daudzās citās Eiropas tautās pagāniskā kultūra tiek aizmirsta.

Labs vaiņegs! No Tukuma puses

You are labākā

в моем детстве клещей по моему было меньше. возможно чаще опрыскивали леса

Great episode! I wish I could be in Latvia right now to enjoy the summer celebration. BTW, I see you are famous now! eng.lsm.lv/article/features/video/experience-an-irregular-latvian-midsummer.a364639/

pastāstiet ko nozīmē- ''noņemt vainadziņu!'' un- ''dabūt kurvīti''.

Čau

Raganus Dzied kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gtmXgpiAubvXgok.html

kāds ir labākais alus Latvijā?

Ir arī ne pārāk "laba" tradīcija, kas ir sastopama folklorā: "Tiesa, tiesa, ne meliņi, Vecu ļaužu valodiņas: Jāņu nakti meitas gāja Raganās, vilkacēs." Tas tika darīts, lai paņemtu svētību un laimi no kaimiņiem un citām sētām - viens no iemesliem, kāpēc no raganām senie latvieši baidījās. ENGLISH VERSION: There's not so "good" tradition described in folklore, too: "That is truth, not a lie, Old people's stories: At Ligo Night girls are going To be witches and werewolfs." It was done to take/steal from neighbours and others their blesing and happiness - that's one of the reasons why Ancient Latvians were "afraid" from witches.

Say, Germane, I don't suppose you would want to swim pa pliko for us? ;) And as for me, I'll just have another alus.

Nedirs tev nav ne ponjas par ligo

Kādi Līgo svētki ??!! Masveida dzeršana, ēšana un traumatisms.🤮