As soon as the competition was announced, letters started pouring into “Lietus” email inboxes, in which people tell their true, living family stories, cherished year after year, from generation to generation. They contain events worthy of a TV series. Today, we share some of the stories sent by listeners with 15min readers.
“Hello, this year we will gather to celebrate our Family Reunion on August 15th. Our family is known for its musicality, as there are 10 people in the family who play various instruments: accordion, bandoneon, saxophone, guitar, piano, trumpet. It’s a pity that we have already lost a couple of musicians, but each of our gatherings is filled with dances, songs, and games. The family has its continuity in the field of cultural workers, there were those who worked and there are those who work now, there are those who dance in folk dance ensembles, participating in song festivals, which we are very proud of. So our family is playing, dancing, and singing – that’s what makes it special. Hooray for our family!”
“My family became the family of my best friend from the yard! Yes, yes, yes, this is not a TV series. We lived from childhood in one of Kaunas’ Dainava districts. As children, we played, spent every day together, and still do. Over time, we grew up, and another cousin of my best friend and my yard friend (they are both cousins) – became my husband! So, to this day, for 15 years, I have been bearing my husband’s surname, the same as my childhood friends with whom we grew up from an early age, and now we are raising our children together!”
“Our family (which is quite large) has more than one tradition, but this time I will tell you about one of them. For 15 years, we have had a tradition of gathering at our home during Midsummer’s Eve (Joninės) to search for the hidden fern blossom, weave a Midsummer’s wreath, and play various quizzes and sports games. You’re probably wondering why we’ve been doing this for exactly 15 years? We do it because 15 years ago, on Midsummer’s Eve itself, the most real, most magical, and most beloved fern blossom was born to our family – our daughter Armita. So every year, with a large circle of loved ones, specifically on Midsummer’s Eve, we all traditionally gather at our place to celebrate not only Midsummer’s Eve but also our daughter’s birthday. So every year there are no questions about who will celebrate Midsummer’s Eve where.”
“Hello, I am 74 years old, and I have compiled our family’s (Piepol) genealogical tree all the way back to 1600. I have found all church records and confirmations of nobility. Even earlier roots need to be sought in Poland, as we originate from Polish nobles who moved to Lithuania during the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. According to my DNA tests and comparisons with other remains found by archaeologists, my ancestors and the Gediminids shared one common great-great-great-grandfather. We hold family meetings (about 40-50 people) every two years (the next one will be in 2027), but I will try to invite at least some relatives to Kėdainiai this year. Sincerely, Juozas Piepalius (Piepol).”
“My family – the famous Jonynas family. We have writers, artists, and all sorts of other artists. Every 5 years, relatives come from America. During the war, grandfather’s brother emigrated, started a family there, and had two daughters – Rūta and Aušra. So my sister and I have the same names. Grandfather said he wanted to be closer to his brother’s daughters in this way. It was a great joy for us when they came to visit. Well, every year our large family used to gather for St. Anthony’s Day (Antaninės), because there were as many as 13 Anthonys in the family. We would dig up fresh potatoes, sing folk songs, and the accordion would play with songs throughout the entire village.”
“For the first time, the Lithuanian tricolor flag flew on Gediminas Castle Tower on January 1, 1919. That time it was raised by a group of Lithuanian volunteers, led by Vilnius city commandant Kazys Škirpa. The raised flag was accompanied by gunshots, after which the volunteers sang the Lithuanian anthem. The group led by K. Škirpa consisted of two military officials Jonas Nistelis and Petras Gužas, and soldiers: Albinas Rauba, Romualdas Marcalis, Pranas Plauska, Jonas Norvila, Mikas Slyvauskas, Vincas Steponavičius, and Stasys Butkus. Jonas Norvila is my great-grandfather. It’s a pity that the volunteers’ plaque is no longer in Gediminas Castle, I don’t know why.”
“It used to be that relatives only met at funerals. In 2013, during the commemoration of my mother’s death anniversary, we decided that we needed to meet for another purpose – for fellowship. This became a tradition – every year, in August, our family gathers. We have a wonderful organizer, Daivutė, who has been searching for a homestead since spring (and this year, since autumn), because our family is large (there were even 63 people). Every year we go kayaking. Even 86-year-old Aunt Domicelė goes, because she finds it boring on shore. Those who don’t kayak wait on shore with a stew, pilaf. Last year, after terrible rains, we couldn’t kayak, so a quiz about our family was organized. We start looking forward to the meeting as soon as we part ways. Foreigners start making plans and booking flights to be able to return.”
The Family Reunion festival, initiated by radio station “Lietus” and becoming a beautiful tradition, this year turns into a one-day festival and will invite all families to meet in Kėdainiai. On August 1st, here in the city park, the biggest family picnic and a free open-air concert by music stars will take place.
Performances on the Family Reunion stage will be given by Justinas Jarutis, Donata Gutauskienė-Laisva, Simona Čėsnaitė-Matkevičienė, and “Group 2. Karolis and Donatas”.
Special children’s entertainment zones will be set up in Kėdainiai Park, with entertainment provided for visitors of all ages: from a rodeo bull to a special area for family photo shoots.
All the hottest news about the event in one place can be found HERE
Families are invited to bring not only each other and good spirits to this one-day family festival, but also, if they have them, family crests, flags, and to dress up in special T-shirts with symbolism dear to them. Attendees will enjoy an adventure-filled day outdoors: not only a free concert by famous artists, but also plenty of entertainment for both young and old, dancing, and fun time together.
The Family Reunion, inviting all families not only to sing from the heart but also to celebrate from the heart, is already on August 1st, in Kėdainiai City Park. The event is free!
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