Jāņi

[1] On Jāņi, people travel from the city into the countryside to gather and eat, drink, sing and celebrate the solstice by observing the ancient folk traditions relating to renewal and fertility.

[1] It is celebrated both in Latvia and in many areas where the Latvian diaspora lives such as the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Australia.

The name Līgo or Līgosvētki was first used and introduced in 1900 in his Jāņi songs collection by Emilis Melngailis, who would later express regret for his decision in through newspaper "Jaunākās Ziņas": By issuing my first collection, which included only Jāņi songs, I (Melngailis), on a new day – 1900 – following the spoken language, that Jānis is not Latvian, I had invented a new word Līgosvētki, which for some time suppressed the real ancient word: Jāņa diena, Jāņanakts; since silliness has often landed a place of honor, end of the table, at least for a short time.

In 1627, P. Einhorn wrote: Jāņi Day is given the power and sanctity of the herbs and its daily gathering, and has great and excellent properties against fires, people's and livestock's evil plagues and diseasesDuring Jāņi, foliage of rowan, oak, linden and birch trees is collected and hung to decorate homes, barns and granaries, as well as tied to gates, doors, and cars.

In past times, herbaceous plants were dried and fed to cows shortly after calving during winter and spring.

On Jāņi Day people drink beer and eat cheese, believing that it will promote the growth of barley and production of cow milk in the next summer.

[7] Witches are believed to have disguised themselves as normal women by dressing in white robes and letting their hair loose.

It is known, that at that time Riga's fishermen, mast selectors and ferries each year after solstice drove boats to Pārdaugava or to some islands in the Daugava, where, together with families and guests burned bonfires, rejoicing until the morning dawn.

When, in 1759, Johann Steinhauer, a rich Latvian mast selector, bought part of Zasumuiža, it began a Herbal Eve celebration tradition.

In 1820, the Riga City Council ordered to transfer Daugavmala Herbal Market to Šāļu Gate at the end of Svērtuves Street.

Then farmers, who were living in the vicinity, brought flowers, wreaths and various herbs, gardeners brought back their most nicest and most expensive goods, and the townsfolk came and bought – either wreaths for children's joy, or flowers for whichever loved one as a gift, or foals, or mint and other such herbs, that help against various diseases.

Others come, wanting to see a large crowd, play gambling, and walk until it becomes dark.After Latvia gained its independence in 1918, the celebration of Zāļu diena turned into a popular holiday.

It was especially observed in countries such as Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Ireland, France, Belarus, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Malta, United Kingdom, Spain, Poland, Ukraine.