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DIEVAI DIEVAI is a visual concept inspired by ancient Lithuanian mythology. From the recognizable God of Thunder, Perkūnas, to the sweet, neglected Goddess of Bees Austėja, this series covers the interpretations of a chosen few. Their legends are not forgotten.
Saulė (English: Sun) Saulė is one of the most worshipped Goddesses in the Pantheon. As the undying giver of life, warmth, and health, she gave birth to the Earth and the Stars. Known to be loving, she also watches over the unfortunate and the poor. In this piece, she also represents the concept of forgiveness. Mėnulis (English: Moon; Believed to come from the word Mainulis: one who changes appearances) The torch of the night, Mėnulis dissipates shadows and evil spirits to save the innocent from danger, and show the path ahead to those that are lost. His work is possible due to Mėnulis himself being protected by the stars. When Saulė gave their daughter Žemyna life, Mėnulis nourished and protected her. Aušrinė and Vakarinė (Aušrinė, the Morning Star, comes from the word Aušra, meaning Dawn, while Vakarinė, the Evening Star, comes from the word Vakaras, meaning Evening) Interpreted both as sisters, or as two different sides of one Goddess, Aušrinė and Vakarinė represent beauty, youth, and health. The two were beautiful maidens who helped Saulė with her daily work - Aušrinė would light up Saulė’s home in the morning, while Vakarinė made her bed at night. This too, became the same for their people - they greeted Aušrinė at daybreak, and said goodnight to Vakarinė when she began to shine in the sky. Even after Mėnulis fell in love with Aušrinė and separated himself from Saulė, Aušrinė continued to stay faithful to her mistress. Perkūnas (Perkūnas or Dundulis, English: Thunder) The God of Thunder is one of the most recognizable Gods throughout most mythologies, and coincidentally the most important deities from the patriarchal Pantheon. Perkūnas controlled the atmosphere and the weather - he was feared, but respected by all. Children were forbidden to speak his name. Perkūnas was also the husband of Žemyna, taking care of her growth and fertility, especially during the first spring rainstorms. Known as a strict but just leader, he lived up high to watch over the goodness and morality of Man, keeping them in their place. He would ride across the sky in his carriage of horses, goats, and bulls, striking at evildoers and keeping the peace. Žemyna (The name Žemyna comesfrom the word Žemė, meaning Earth, ground, soil) Žemyna - the Goddess of Earth, life, and fertile soil. She looked after all that grows, be it crops, animals, gardens, homes, and their residents. That said, she was particularly favored by farmers. She would watch them and their work closely, punishing those who were lazy or disrespectful towards her by giving them a poor harvest, and rewarding those who kept good faith. Medeina and Žvorūna (Medeina comes from the word Medis, meaning tree, wood. Žvorūna comes from the word Žvėris, meaning beast, wild animal.) Medeina was the Goddess of the Forest. She is often compared to Žvorūna, Goddess of the Hunt - in some sources, they are considered to be two sides of the same Goddess. When on the hunt, the first catch of the year would be offered to these Goddesses to ensure they would not earn their ire. Even King Mindaugas, Lithuania’s only king, used to give her offerings of a succesful hunt. Neither of the Goddesses were said to protect the hunters, their power being to stop them from damaging the forest and its animals by abusing the respectful rules of the hunt. Austėja (Comes from Audėja, meaning weaver, or Austi, meaning to weave, to fly by quickly.) Austėja was the Goddess of Bees, bee keeping, and large families. Quick and hardworking, she represented the focus and companionship of a network of love and warmth. Her power looked after both bees and families and encouraged their growth. If there is a family of bees, then there will be a family of people nearby also. Gabija (Gabija comes from the word gobti, which means to cover, protect) Gabija was the Goddess of Fire, specializing in the hearths that people had in their homes. She went to sleep with the ashes, woke up with the breath of Man, and was to be kept continuously fed. The fireplace was to be cared for as if it was part of the family, as Gabija could easily become angered if disrespected - and her anger could mean her wandering around the rooms, setting them on fire. People would pray for her to be calm and quiet, and to protect their homes. Here she is pictured together with a Serpent, a figure thought to represent something all-knowing and immortal, among many other things. They would also watch over Man and their houses. Laima (Comes from the word Laimė, meaning luck, happiness) Laima was the all-knowing Goddess of Birth and Fate. She led each and every person along their own road of life. Whatever happened to you, you would be thankful to Laima, as she could tell the future and decide what sort of life you were going to have. Laima also helped women in childbirth, and would decide a child’s fate once it had taken its first breath. Its fate was represented through many different signs - one of the most famous is a cuckoo bird, one of her forms. Giltinė (The word Giltinė comes from Gilti, which means To Sting.) As the sister of Laima, Giltinė was also linked to a person’s fate. She would wait for someone to reach their end… only then to appear with her stinging tongue filled with poison, coming to take their life. Giltinė appears as an owl. Her screeching tells of death, of fires, and other horrific ends that may befall a person. She can also be a tall, thin woman, old beauty on her face - it is said that she used to be as beautiful as Laima, but her nature left her dry and withered. Laumės were deities, the fae, Goddesses, banished from the skies to live on Earth. They are the oldest Goddesses of Lithuanian Mythology, and appeared in many different forms - mares, goats, bears, dogs, cats, and chickens are some examples. They were known to live in swamps, by the water, luring men so they could eat them. Their mischievousness would lead them to sneak into people’s homes to steal Man’s children, to then replace them with their own. Rainy days under the new moon would bring the Laumės together to dance circles in meadows, calling upon Perkūnas to bring forth more rain, hail, and great storms. They could also create rainbows - these would come to be known as Laumė’s Ribbon. Bangpūtys (Bangpūtys, literally meaning one who blows waves from the words Banga - wave, and pūsti - to blow, breathe out.) Bangpūtys was the temperamental God of Waves and Storms. Vindictive and unrelenting, he often drowned the fishermen who angered him. His passion and rage controlled the Northern winds and the storming seas. Not much is known about this vengeful God, aside from the many tales that swore revenge on those who crossed his path without due respect. Velnias (Name comes from Velė, which means spirit, or Vėlionis - corpse) Velnias is the God of the Underworld, protector of the buried and cursed. Known to be good, he is also associated with order, night, hidden treasures, water, swamps, and rocks. As the Lord of Souls, he watched over the dead, particularly protecting those who were wronged in their lives. His forms included the blackbird, duck, cat, fox, snake, or serpent. In some stories, he was shown as a sneaky, vindictive God - an enemy to the lawful Perkūnas. Over time, his work in the underworld made him synonymous with the Devil.