The National Day initiative is starting in Lithuania – inviting people to dress up in national and Baltic costumes more often

According to Sandra Daugirdienė, the head of the Vilnius Ethnic Culture Centre , the project partner, the aim of the initiative is to encourage more residents to dress up in their national identity clothes.

"We support the aspiration of civil people to expand the space for wearing national clothing beyond the usual boundaries – activities of folklore collectives, song festivals, state events or educational institutions. We encourage you to be interested in and proud of our unique national heritage – the patterns, symbolism and deep meanings hidden in national and Baltic costumes.

Indeed, if you have never worn a national or Baltic garment, it may take courage. However, the first time – especially together with a group of like-minded people – is not only easier, but also full of joy," says Sandra Daugirdienė.

Seeks to increase the ranks of those wearing the suit

The initiative, which started its work a couple of months ago, has already gathered a group of supporters. Lithuanian companies immediately saw the meaning of the initiative.

"For us as bakers, this idea of Lithuanian bread, which is also part of our national identity, seemed close and meaningful. It's nice that it came from the people themselves. Therefore, we immediately gladly agreed to create it together. We want this special garment to come to life as an accent of important life occasions or city events and help to cherish what is one's own," said Artūras Kokoškinas, the head of Vilniaus Duona. This company was the first to believe in this idea and joined the initiators.

Famous people also support

The initiative received supporters not only among companies, but also among famous Lithuanian people: Beata Nicholson, Dovilė Filmanavičiūtė, Indrė Kavaliauskaitė and others expressed their support and shared their photos with national clothes.

"There is no more beautiful and wonderful garment for me than a national costume. Last year, I fulfilled a wish I had cherished for four years and ordered a handmade costume from the Dzūkija region. I've never received so many compliments with any dress – I always feel like a queen with it. It feels like wearing it makes your wings grow because so much love and handmade work is put into every thread or stitch of fabric," shared Beata Nicholson, who cherishes wearing a costume at events.

Striving for the costume to decorate important occasions in life

The author of the idea, communication partner of this initiative and ethnoculture lover Gitana Baliutavičienė said that the idea of gathering like-minded people for this initiative came after noticing that in Lithuania the costume is still more an attribute of folklore concerts, celebrations, and folk collectives than the clothing of important occasions in life.

"When was the last time you wore your national costume? Many people answer that they danced in an ensemble at school or when they were singing. Indeed, it is more often used by collectives, ensembles, and school communities. I dream that it would be not only the garment of ensembles, but of every person who cherishes his country and his roots. So that it becomes a regular decoration during such important occasions of life as weddings, christenings, anniversaries, receiving a diploma or award, during all public holidays. And for that, we need to help society tame it. Especially for those who have never worn it. This is exactly the goal of National Day," said Gitana Baliutavičienė, the author of the idea of the National Day, who hopes that the initiative will become an annual one.

She herself recently fulfilled her dream and ordered a costume from her homeland, the Baltic tribe of Eastern Lithuania and the Lithuanian tribe. He also plans to buy a national costume in Suvalkija, his father's birthplace, in the future.

A Lithuanian film screening and gifts will be waiting for those dressed up

The SKALVIJA cinema centre, which joined the initiative, will present as many as three screenings of Lithuanian cinema to the participants of the National Day who dressed up that day. In the evening, the initiative's partners, supporters and participants will come together to watch Giedrė Beinoriūtė's film "Sacrum ir profanum Pievėnai".

Participation will also be encouraged with prizes

The partners of the initiative have also prepared competitions for the participants with various gifts and prizes, including bread feasts for the participants' collectives, ethno education, games and publications, and the main prize is the opportunity to win a personally sewn national costume of their country of origin. As many as two of them will be donated: one will be created by the creator of national costumes Vilius Paškevičius, and another costume will be donated by "Rūta žalioji".

The price of a seven-piece national costume starts from one and a half hundred euros, because the fabrics are woven, the ribbons are braided, the embroidery is done by hand by the masters and are unique author's works.

National costumes are becoming more popular

"Over the course of more than 15 years, I have created many national costumes – each of them tells me about a person's connection with his country. Where does it come from – I start with this question when a person comes to sew. The national costume is not just an occasional garment – it is a deep reminder of who you are and where you are from. It demands respect, like a flag or an anthem. By wearing it, we help to preserve both our culture and old crafts," said Vilius Paškevičius, a creator of national costumes in Vilnius.

Giving gifts to those who value their roots

"In recent years, more and more people are looking for their roots, their identity – and the national costume is becoming a beautiful and meaningful way to express it. We are noticing a growing interest both among young people, who creatively adapt costume details in everyday life, and among families, where national clothing becomes a festive tradition or a meaningful gift to a loved one," said Ilona Tamošaitienė, creative director of Rūta žalioji .

The costumes of the Balts mark the signs of an advanced civilization

Archaeologist scientist and professional creator of Baltic tribal costumes Dr. Daiva Steponavičienė, head of the public institution "Vita Antiqua", will give an education about Baltic tribal costumes to one of the company's staff participating in the National Day initiative.

In 2023 The Council for the Protection of Ethnic Culture of Lithuania equated the archaeological costume of the Balts with the national costume suitable for wearing at state events.

"The costumes of the Baltic tribes are silent witnesses of our millennia of history. They encode the signs of our ancestors' worldview, values and concept of beauty. Getting to know them is really getting to know yourself. Our ancestors were creators of high craftsmanship and aesthetics. We have inherited not only the costume – we have inherited the signs of advanced civilization," said Dr. Daiva Steponavičienė.

Variety of ethnographic regions and Baltic costumes

Lithuania has different national costumes of a total of five ethnographic regions: Dzūkija (Dainava), Aukštaitija, Samogitia, Lithuania Minor, Suvalkija (Sudūva).

As well as the costumes of a dozen Baltic tribes, which are created through archaeological reconstructions and creativity. The following Baltic tribes lived in the territory of Lithuania: Curonians, Prussians, Selians, Skalvians, Samogitians, Semigallians, Highlanders, Yotvingians, Latgalians, Lithuanians. Not all of their costumes have yet been restored.

The prevalence numbers of the suit are unknown

There is no data on how many Lithuanian residents have a national or Baltic tribal costume.

According to Danutė Keturakienė, a national costume specialist at the Lithuanian National Culture Centre, most of the participants were dressed in national costumes at the Centennial Song Festival alone, and there were about 37 thousand of them.

In Norway, which has strong traditions of fostering national identity, about 70 per cent of the population is still in Lithuania. women and 20 percent of men have their own national costume. In Austria, more than 50 percent. inhabitants have national clothes. There, the garment of national identity is a common part of any more important life or celebration.

Partners, friends and supporters of the National Day initiative: "Vilniaus duona", "Vilnius Ethnic Culture Centre", LRT, cinema centre "Skalvija", "Vita Antiqua" Public Institution, National Costume Sewing, Vilius Paškevičius ĮI, "Be ledo", "Sway", "Rūta Žalioji", Beata Nicholson, Dovilė Filmanavičiūtė, Indrė Kavaliauskaitė, Rokas Radzevičius, and others.