Baltic Mythology in Music and Poetry

Music and poems common mediums in which to tell a story or share an ideas in times prior to common literacy. The Baltic region was no exception to this tradition.

Dainas

Danias, are tradtional song/poems in the Baltic region. They are often short and preformed with tradtional instruments often made from animal horns. They have droning sound to them. Dainas have a distinct and strict structure to them, much like Japanese haikus. The Troachic metre of these poems requires that stressed syllables must follow unstressed syllables. The content of Dainas is almost always related to Baltic paganism with a special focus to the sun. Saule, goddess of the sun and Meness, god of the sun are the most common focuses Dainas due to there importantance in an agrarian society. Here is an example of a Tradtional Dania

A poplar stood alongside a road. Sounding kankles – from below the roots, buzzing bees – in the middle, falcon’s children – at the top. And a group of brothers comes riding on horseback. Please stop, young brothers: listen to the sounding kankles, listen to the buzzing bees, look at the falcon’s children.

 

A soviet era stamp depicting tradtional Baltic instruments. 

Danias have held a strong impact in preserving Baltic paganism and culture throughout time. Their simple construction and structure has made them easily memorizable which allowed the stories they hold to be preserved. Many families have their own Danias which tell stories intermixing the pagan gods and their own families. 

Modern impact of Dainas

Dainas in contemporary culture have created a medium for the preservation of Baltic mythology even in modern times. Grandparents pass on the family stories to grandchildren and learning the family Dainas is to this day considered an important part of growing up in Baltic cultures. Dainas are one of the primary sources for stories of Baltic mythological god, goddesses, heros and spirits and without this long running oral tradtion many of these stories would have been lost. 

Other music in Baltic Paganism

Beyond the Dainas (Lithuanian: Danios) there is a variety of folk songs that have a specific focus on Paganism and other mythological themes that have existed from a pre-Christian times in the baltic region. Such songs are often folk song epics that convey a message or a tale of caution. These types of songs also often have a heavier focus on the usage of instruments. This variety of song often has a more somber tone than the Daina and is common in celebrations such as weddings and spring festivals. These songs focus more on the telling of tales about gods, goddesses, spirits, heroes or heroines, where as the Daina is and was often used in a way the focuses on worship or veneration. Here is an example of a Tradtiona l Baltic folk song (orginal Lithuanian left, English right):
 

Menuo Sauluže vede Pirma pavasareli Sauluže anksti keles Menužis atsiskyre. Menuo viens vaikštinejo Aušrine pamylejo Perkūns, didžiai supykes, Jį kardu perdalijo -Ko Saulužes atsiskyrei? Aušrine pamylejai? Viens nakti vaikštinejai?

In the first blush of Spring Menulis and Saulė married. Saulė rose early, leaving Menulis’s side. Menulis went out on his own. Menulis made love to Ausrine. Perkūnas, with great anger, Struck Menulis with his sword. “Why did you leave Saulė? Why did you make love to Ausrine? Why did you wander about in the dark?”

In Conclusion: Music in Baltic Paganism and Contemporary Baltic Culture

Music plays a large role in the preservation of Baltic mythology and paganism in modern times. Without Dainas and Baltic folk songs, the vastly oral tradtion of Baltic paganism would be all but lost. When the crusaders and other Christian groups came through Baltic region and destroyed many of the written and artistic records of Baltic mythology and paganism, the musical records remained, providing us with   A continuing gateway into the past.