Students spent their third week learning about traditional Latvian seasonal celebrations and we’ve already made it halfway through the year! We’ve discussed the symbolism of the sun and the year as an oak tree, which appears in the folk song we sing in class every day. We started our year with Meteņi (the end of winter/start of the new growing season), and some masked mischief-makers surprised their classmates and teachers, then went “sledding” to ensure a good linen crop.
We celebrated Lieldienas (the spring equinox) by swinging and dyeing eggs, then finished the week by learning about some of the lesser-known celebrations like Ūsiņi (end of spring), Māras (end of summer), and Miķeļi (fall equinox). Students created their own superstitions for Meteņi and spring-themed riddles, and have spent the week reflecting on the relevance of these ancestral traditions for us today.
Ja Meteņos nenobučo ozolu, tad Jāņos ozolu lapas novītīs. // If you don’t kiss an oak tree on Meteņi, then the oak leaves will wilt on Jāņi. — Arinze Ikejiani
Kam ir jāsalūzst pirms to var lietot? // What has to break before you can use it?
[Ola // an egg] — Anais Mohseni
In week four, we are continuing with our video project, taking final assessments and finishing up our work!
