Zapusty – a Traditional Carnival Celebration – Was Held in Dukszty

On February 9 of the current year was held the “Zapusty Television TV-13” carnival celebration. Zapusty is one of the most rollicking, cheerful and amusing winter feast.

Everyone is looking forward to spring and thus gathered in Dukszty visitors were no exception; with their exuberant celebration they wanted to frighten and chase the winter away. The festivity was opened with a carnival masquerade. One may have heard the sounds of cheerful music, viewed gambolling pageants, sung various songs or tasted traditional blin [a type of pancake—translator’s note].

The hostess of the carnival, Mer of the Vilnius District Municipality, Maria Rekść welcomed the festival guests. The feast was dignified by the presence of the RL [Republic of Lithuania] Sejm Deputies Rita Tamašunienė and Wanda Krawczonok, Minister of Power Industry Jarosław Niewierowicz, Vice Minister of Education Edyta Tamošiūnaitė, Vice Minister of Post and Telecommunications Władysław Kondratowicz, Mer of the Šalčininkai District Municipality Zdzisław Palewicz, representatives of diplomatic corps: Iwona Frączek, Senior Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Vilnius; Henryk Waldemar Szymański, Minister Counsellor and the head of the Trade and Investment Promotion Section of the Embassy of the RP in Vilnius; Siergiej Ling, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the RL; Nikołaj Burow, Senior Secretary of the Russian Federation in the RL; Wołodimir Bigun, Senior Secretary of the Embassy of Ukraine in the RL.

The event organizer—Vilnius District Municipality—was represented by Vicemer Czesław Olszewski and Deputy Director of Administration Robert Komarowski.

Bands from the entire Vilnius district arrived at the carnival celebration. They amused people with their eye-catching colourful costumes, songs and dances. Guests’ health and well-being were examined by “doctors” from Grygajcie. There also came a whole heap of other people dressed up as beggars, witches, fairies, bears awakened from the sound sleep by the bustle and music, leaping goats, and many more traditional characters of this feast. Wincuk Bałbatunszczyk from Pustaszyszki also appeared at the event.

Marzanna [an effigy of Slavic goddess associated with death and winter] was traditionally burnt and viewers were shouting their heads off trying to chase the winter away.

We are immensely elated that all the guests had a wonderful time and experienced many positive emotions. We wish to celebrate the next Zapusty with a more numerous group of participants.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2013/02/14/w-duksztach-odbyla-sie-tradycyjna-zabawa-zapustowa/

Tłumaczenie Hanna Hołub w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Hanna Hołub the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.