Before Easter, egg printing educations were held in the libraries and cultural centers of the Alytus district. Both adults and children could learn the traditional way of printing with natural wax. The participants of the education got acquainted with Easter traditions, learned about the meanings of the colors and patterns of polka dots and painted the most beautiful Easter polka dots themselves!
Even the smallest can print eggs
Laimutė Žūsinienė, art director of the Punia department of the Alytus district cultural center, invited the residents to meet and learn how to print eggs for the “Punia dzūko pirkia”. “Traditions, meetings, education bring people together. While talking, we slowly scrambled eggs, shared experiences, and talked until the evening,” says L. Žūsinienė.
The egg printing education was conducted by Ernesta Genevičiūtė – an experienced egg printer. Her mother, Eugenija Genevičienė, is a certified artisan of national heritage, so Ernesta has been engaged in egg printing since childhood, which is like a meditation for her.
“During the session, she gave us a lot of good advice about printing and coloring eggs. We admired the wonderful marguts, which traveled to more than one exhibition. By the way, Ernesta’s and her mother’s daisies decorate not only the homes of Lithuanians, but also foreigners, they have already reached distant Japan,” said L. Žūsinienė.
Dalė Griškonienė, teacher of the primary education department of Butrimoniai Gymnasium, and assistant Vilma Duzinskienė with pupils from 3 to 6 years of age also came to “Punia dzūko pirkia”. Although the children colored paper polka dots for safety, according to the teacher, even such a symbolic touch to tradition is very important. “Children need to be introduced to traditions as early as possible. A three-year-old child, with the help of adults, can print a daisy. It is very important to introduce traditions to children from a young age, because it is part of our culture,” said educator D. Griškonienė.
Traditions were taught by grandmother and mother
Milda Stanevičienė, the librarian of the Eičiūnai branch of the Alytus district municipal public library, taught how to coat eggs with wax in Vaisodžii, Eičiūnai, Daugai. The woman inherited this tradition from her mother, Anela Radvinskiene, and is happy to pass it on to others, especially children.
M. Stanevičienė introduced the participants of the educations to the history, patterns and colors of Lithuanian daisies, the technology and materials of printing eggs with hot wax.
“I grew up with my grandmother and saw this tradition from childhood. Easter is very joyful, that’s why we look forward to it, we print margučius – a symbol of life. Egg printing is both mysticism and tradition. And we have to pass on the traditions to the children, at least teach them how to print eggs with wax. And printing eggs is meditation, spending time with family, fellowship. Our traditions must be protected and cherished. I want people to know how it was and pass it on so that it was,” says M. Stanevičienė.
A tired egg has special powers
Holy Easter, the resurrection of Christ, is the oldest and most important Christian holiday, symbolizing the awakening of nature, the celebration of spring joy and fun.
Since pagan times, the egg has symbolized the birth of life, and the painted Easter eggs were attributed special, magical powers: if a person eats them, he will have good health, and if farmers buried a daisy in the ground, it meant that there would be a good harvest.
