Liepāja Museum invites to a lecture on wedding rituals

Liepāja Museum invites to a lecture on wedding rituals

Liepāja Museum’s exposition “South Kurzeme People, Life and Work” – bride’s crown and groom’s hat.

On Thursday, 1 December at 17:30, Liepāja Museum, at Kūrmājas prospekts 16/18, will host a lecture “Wedding and Rite of Passage Rituals” (“Vedības jeb kāzas un pārejas rituāli”). The lecture is part of the lecture cycle “Traditional Life Celebrations and Rituals from a Modern Perspective” (“Tradicionālie mūža godi un rituāli mūsdienu skatījumā”). The lecture will be given by folklore and tradition researcher Ieva Ančevska.

In the lecture “Wedding and Rite of Passage Rituals” Ieva Ančevska will talk about rite of passage rituals and their characteristic processes, as well as about the most tradition rich celebration – the wedding, when a new family is formed.

Latvian weddings are one of the most important and luxurious celebrations of a person’s life, not only in ancient times, but also today. Although today only a small part of the former luxury of weddings has been preserved, and many of the customs and rituals of weddings are no longer practised, the aim remains the same: to move from being single to being married, to move to a new level.

Previously, Latvians followed ideas and procedures deeply rooted in the public consciousness at weddings. The weddings included looking for a bride, getting acquainted, getting married, a trip to the groom’s home by groom’s relatives, preparations for the wedding and finally three full wedding days. You can get an idea of the ancient weddings at the Liepāja Museum’s exposition “South Kurzeme People, Life and Work” and by watching the ethnographic film “Wedding Customs in Nīca in the Mid-19th Century” (“Kāzu paražas Nīcā 19. gs. vidū”).

Concluding the lecture cycle “Traditional Life Celebrations and Rituals from a Modern Perspective” will be a lecture on 15 December at 17:30 called “Funeral and End of Life Rituals” (“Bedības jeb bēres un dzīves noslēguma rituāli”). In the lecture, Ieva Ančevska will focus on the rituals associated with the soul’s final moments and the last celebration of life – the funeral.

The lecture will take place in person at the Liepāja Museum. Entrance tickets can be purchased at the Liepāja Museum box office at Kūrmājas prospekts 16/18.

Pre registration is recommended by contacting the Kurzeme National Costume Information Centre Manager Vineta Solovjova by phone 29 449 771 or by e mail: vineta.solovjova@liepaja.lv.