2. Miķeļi (Michael’s Day), or the ancient Latvian
harvesting of crops and vegetables is a
celebration that corresponds to the Christian
Church feast day in honor of Archangel
Michael on September 29. Latvian dainas (folk
songs) called Michael a good and rich man,
and father of the bread, which binds to the
autumn harvest ripening. In different regions
of Latvia Mikeli celebration was also called
Mikal or Mīklāli. According to the old
calendar this event was celebrated around the
Autumn Equinox (21 to 23rd September),
when the night is of equal length with
daylight.
3.
4. Miķeļi was the last time when a
guy could make a proposal to a
girl. After Mikeli proposing had
to be postponed till the next
year.
5.
6.
7.
8. Martin’s day is the borderline between autumn and
winter. According to the Sun calendar Mārtiņi marks
the mid-point between the autumn solstice (Miķeļi)
and winter solstice (Christmas) and is celebrated in
mid-November.
9. The rooster is a traditional dish for
Martin’s day, but lately it was substituted
with a goose –a tradition borrowed from
Germany and Scandinavia.
10. On Martin’s evening the maidens threw
their skirts in the middle of the room
before going to bed,. A man who comes in
a dream and picks them up, will be a
future husband.
