78-523: Samogitian may refer to: Anything pertaining to Samogitia (Žemaitija), the Lowlands of Lithuania Samogitians , inhabitants of Samogitia Samogitian dialect , a dialect of the Lithuanian language, sometimes regarded as a separate language Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
156-569: A broken intonation ("laužtinė priegaidė", a variant of a start-firm accent ) similar to that of the Latvian language . In 2010, the Samogitian language was assigned with an ISO 639-3 standard language code ("sgs"), as some languages, that were considered by ISO 639-2 to be dialects of one language, are now in ISO 639-3 in certain contexts considered to be individual languages themselves. Žemaitija
234-802: A central role in Lithuania's wars against the crusading order of the Teutonic Knights (Knights of the Cross and Knights of the Sword). Invasions started in Lithuania in 1229. Combined military forces undertook numerous campaigns against Samogitians and Lithuanians. Saule (1236), Skuodas (1259), Durbe (1260), Lievarde (1261) are just a few of the battles that took place. Since Žemaitija was the last pagan region in Europe left to be invaded and christened,
312-599: A distinct Samogitian language . Famous landmarks include Tauragė Castle , Plungė Manor and Hill of Crosses . Ruthenian sources mentioned the region as жемотьская земля, Žemot'skaja zemlja ; this gave rise to its Polish form, Żmudź , and probably to the Middle High German Sameiten, Samaythen . In Latin texts, the name is usually written as Samogitia, Samogetia , etc. The area has long been known to its residents and to other Lithuanians exclusively as Žemaitija (the name Samogitia
390-454: A higher land. Also, the people of Samogitia have long called themselves as Lithuanians and never as Samogitians, and because of such identity ( sic ) we do not write about Samogitia in our letter, because everything is one: one country and the same inhabitants." — Vytautas the Great , excerpt from his 11 March 1420 Latin letter sent to Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor , in which he described
468-541: A modest amount of embroidery . Men wore caftans pleated at the back. These caftans, usually sewn from light gray or white woolen cloth, were later replaced by coats. Shirts, resembling a tunic , were sewn from white linen cloth and were not usually decorated. The most ornamental detail of men's garments were the decorative patterned sashes they wore around their waists. Men also wore high boots and hats with straight brims that were decorated with feathers and flowers. As elsewhere, clothing styles began to rapidly change at
546-409: A single model of a "Lithuanian" national dress, based on samples from Suvalkija. The concept of a single representative Lithuanian national dress was dropped in the 1930s in favor of regional costumes, unique to each of the ethnographic regions. The musical traditions of Suvalkija are distinctive. The kanklės , possibly the most archaic Lithuanian instrument, took on distinguishable characteristics in
624-597: A three-volume dictionary of Zanavykai sub-dialect. Since 1973, Šakiai district municipality organizes an annual Language Day to encourage preservation of the sub-dialect. Along a gradient from north (Zanavykai) to south (Kapsai and Dzūkija) the stressed first component of mixed diphthongs ul , um , un , ur , il , im , in , and ir , changes from short to semi-long to long (from kúlt to kùlt to kūlc – to thresh, from pírmas to pìrmas to pyrmas – first, from pínti to pìnti to pync – to braid). Kapsai tend to modify word beginnings. If
702-622: A time when most educational institutions in Lithuania were closed following the 1863 January Uprising against the Russian Empire. Students could also attend Roman Catholic seminaries in Sejny and Kaunas . According to the census taken in 1897, the rate of literacy among the peasants of the Suvalkai Province was the highest in the Russian Empire. The people of Suvalkija were also among the first and most numerous emigrants to
780-714: A word starts in ei or e , they often replace it with ai or a ( aik instead of eik – go, ažeras instead of ežeras – lake). Zanavykai also modify vowels, but in the other direction ( ekmuo replaces akmuo – stone, ešis instead of ašis – axis). Kapsai often add a v to words that, in standard Lithuanian, start with uo , u , or o ( vuoga instead of uoga – berry, voras instead of oras – air) and j to words that start with i , y , or i.e. (' jilgas instead of ilgas – long, jieva instead of ieva – bird cherry). Zanavykai tend to shorten words. They often drop n from verbs ( gyvek instead of gyvenk – live!) and truncate
858-459: Is Marijampolė . People from Suvalkija (Suvalkijans, Suvalkians) are called suvalkiečiai (plural) or suvalkietis (singular) in Lithuanian. It is located south of the Neman River , in the former territory of Vilkaviškis bishopric. Historically, it is the newest ethnographic region as its most distinct characteristics and separate regional identity formed during the 19th century when
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#1732765632017936-458: Is a clear indicator of economic prosperity among the peasants. The old three-field system was becoming obsolete; under that system the land was managed by the community and individuals could not introduce any technological advances without their approval. By contrast, in other parts of Lithuania this process did not begin until serfdom was abolished throughout the Empire in 1861, intensifying after
1014-578: Is in the southwest part of Lithuania. The largest city located entirely within the region in Marijampolė , which is considered to be the capital, though not in a strict political sense. Lithuania's second-largest city of Kaunas is bisected by the Neman River, placing the southern part of the city in this region and the northern part in Aukštaitija . The largest cities (by population, not including
1092-461: Is no longer in use within Lithuania and has not been used for at least two centuries); Žemaitija means "lowlands" in Lithuanian. The region is also known in English as Lower Lithuania or, in reference to its Yiddish names, זאַמעט Zamet or זאַמוט Zamut . The largest city is Šiauliai ( Šiaulē ). Telšiai ( Telšē ) is the capital , although Medininkai (now Varniai ; Varnē )
1170-491: Is not used by local inhabitants to identify themselves, but is rather a term coined by linguists; thus it did not gain much popularity in the public. When linguists classified Lithuanian language dialects, they identified two major sub-dialects in Suvalkija: one in the territory inhabited by Zanavykai and another in the south. Southerners pronounced the word kaip ( how ) as kap . This distinct characteristic earned them
1248-570: Is now considered Aukštaitija and Suvalkija as well. The Duchy of Samogitia was an autonomous administrative unit in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania with some similarities to a voivodeship . In contrast to some other aristocrats of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Lithuanian language was intensively used in the Duchy of Samogitia and its nobility throughout the early modern period . This
1326-490: Is one of the five cultural regions of Lithuania and formerly one of the two core administrative divisions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania alongside Lithuania proper . Žemaitija is located in northwestern Lithuania . Its capital city is Telšiai and the largest city is Šiauliai (located on the border between Samogitia and Aukštaitija ). Throughout centuries, Samogitia developed a separate culture featuring diverse architecture, folk costumes, dances, songs, traditions, and
1404-562: Is one of the most decorative in design, colour and style. Suvalkija women wore wide, gathered skirts of one main color (dark and rich, such as dark red, blue, violet, or green) with narrow multi-colored stripes woven into the fabric. Women's blouses in Suvalkija are distinguishable from those of other regions by their wider sleeves and by more extensive decorations. Their aprons were especially richly decorated and colorful, with Kapsai laying stripes and other ornaments horizontally, while
1482-420: Is one of the most ethnically homogeneous regions of the country, with an ethnic Lithuanian population exceeding 99.5% in some districts . During the first part of the 19th century, Žemaitija was a major center of Lithuanian culture (Žemaičiai traditionally tended to oppose any anti-Lithuanian restrictions). The local religion is predominantly Roman Catholic , although there are significant Lutheran minorities in
1560-575: Is one of two dialects, the other being the Aukštaitian dialect and that both of these dialects have subdialects each). Samogitian has northern and southern dialects, which are further subdivided. A western dialect once existed in the Klaipėda region , but it became extinct after World War II after its inhabitants fled the region as a result of being expelled or persecuted by the Soviet authorities. During
1638-535: Is proven by the letter of Stanisław Radziwiłł to his brother Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł immediately after becoming the Elder of Samogitia that: "While learning various languages, I forgot Lithuanian , and now I see, I have to go to school again, because that language, as I see, God willing, will be needed." After the partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 18th century, Samogitia
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#17327656320171716-464: Is represented by the Samogitian cultural society , a group interested in preserving Samogitian culture and language. The coat of arms depicts a black bear with silver claws and a collar on a red shield topped with a crown. The greater arms are supported by a knight with a sword and a woman with an anchor and has the motto Patria Una ( Latin : One Fatherland). The current emblazonment of the arms
1794-425: Is usually one singer, and the music relies on variable modal structures, changes of tempo, and subtle ornamentation of the melody for interest. The composition of the musical ensembles in the region changed during the middle 19th century. Earlier versions featured between one and three kanklės , a fiddle, and a būgnas (drum). Later ensembles often included one or two fiddles, a German or Viennese harmonica ,
1872-497: The Duchy of Samogitia . These are the oldest symbols of the Lithuanian ethnographic regions. On 21 July 1994, these symbols were recognized by the government of Lithuania. Because Žemaitija (Samogitia) does not correspond to any current administrative division of Lithuania, these symbols are not officially used anymore. However, the Samogitian bear was used in the coats of arms of Šiauliai County and Telšiai County . It also appears on
1950-649: The Eldership of Samogitia , while the rest was within the Trakai Voivodeship . Šakiai is considered to be the capital of this subregion, sometimes called Zanavykija. Another important center is in Veliuona . The name Zanavykai is derived from the Nova River, a tributary of the Šešupė River . People who lived beyond the river (Polish: za Nawą ) became known as Zanavykai . The prefix za- and
2028-539: The Northern Wars (1655–1661), famine, and plague. Settlers were attracted by its fertile farmland, which had largely been cleared of forests, and by the relative ease of serfdom in the area: because much of the land was owned by the Grand Duke himself, serfs did not have to perform corvée . The repopulation in private holdings of nobles in the north took place at a much slower rate. Another important factor in
2106-729: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . The Commonwealth was partitioned in 1795 and Suvalkija, as part of the larger territory on the left bank of the Neman River, was incorporated into the Province of East Prussia . This meant that Suvalkija was separated from Lithuania Proper , which was taken by the Russian Empire . In 1807 Suvalkija was briefly part of the Duchy of Warsaw , a small Polish state established by Napoleon Bonaparte , before being incorporated in 1815 into Congress Poland , an entity formed by personal union with
2184-464: The Stolypin reform in 1906. Early abolition of serfdom, fertile land, and close economic ties with East Prussia contributed to Suvalkija's relative wealth. This situation led to the ongoing perception that its inhabitants are very rational, clever, and extremely frugal, even greedy. Such stereotypes, also applied to other regions, gave rise to many anecdotes and practical jokes. Suvalkija remains
2262-575: The Sudovians were incorporated into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania during the 13th century. The region was frequently ravaged by the Teutonic Knights and was abandoned by most of its inhabitants. After the 1422 Treaty of Melno , its western borders were fixed and the territory became the sole property of the Grand Duke himself. In 1569 the Grand Duchy joined the Kingdom of Poland to form
2340-543: The United Kingdom , Germany and Russia . Žemaičių Kalvarija (or New Jerusalem as it used to be called) is visited by pilgrims from all around the world, due to its annual The Great Žemaičių Kalvarija Church Festival (usually in June or July). Samogitia historically was an autonomous region in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , although it lost this status once Lithuania was annexed by the Russian Empire following
2418-564: The national costume were formed in Lithuania Minor ( East Prussia ), where Lithuanian cultural activities were legal and not suppressed by the Lithuanian press ban . After the ban was lifted in 1904, clothing from Lithuania Minor was promoted as the best candidate for the national dress until the 1920s, when attention shifted to clothing from Suvalkija. The shift can be attributed to the relative abundance of original clothing from
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2496-465: The suffix -yk are Slavic . To correct this, linguists proposed naming the group Užnoviečiai or Užnoviškiai , terms which also mean "beyond the Nova river" but follow Lithuanian language precedents. However, this proposal did not gain popular support and the term Zanavykai is still widely used. Kapsai inhabit southern Suvalkija, with major centers in Marijampolė and Vilkaviškis . The term
2574-637: The 15th and 16th centuries, the Samogitians of the Klaipėda region called themselves " Lietuvininkai ", whereas at the end of the 19th century when the area, known in German as the Memelland , was part of Prussia (Germany), they were known as "Prūsai". After World War II , the territory of the western subdialect was resettled mainly by northern and southern Žemaičiai and by other Lithuanians. Samogitian has
2652-490: The Governorate's total population. Lithuania and Poland regained independence after World War I, and disputed their borders in this region. The Suwałki Governorate was split more or less along ethnic lines. Suvalkija has since been part of Lithuania, and Suwalszczyzna – part of Poland. Suvalkija has long been known as an affluent agricultural region. An increased demand for wood prompted resettlement and deforestation of
2730-598: The Russian Empire. During the remainder of the 19th century and the early 20th century, Suvalkija was administratively part of the Augustów Governorate , and later of the Suwałki Governorate . Russian census statistics showed that Lithuanians formed a slight majority in the northern part of the governorate, and that Poles, concentrated in the Suwalszczyzna in the south, accounted for about 23% of
2808-835: The Samogitians (Lithuanians) ). After World War I , Samogitia became a part of the newly re-established Lithuanian state. The Žemaičiai resisted the Bolsheviks and the Bermontians . During World War II, Lithuania was first occupied by the Stalinist Soviet Union in 1940, then in 1941 by Nazi Germany, and in 1944 again by the USSR. The Soviet Union recognized the independence of Lithuania on 6 September 1991. The last Soviet troops withdrew in August 1993. In 1945,
2886-542: The Soviets denied the existence of the Lithuania Minor ethnographic region, out of political advantage, and declared the Klaipėda region a part of Samogitia. Tourist destinations in Samogitia include Palanga , Kretinga and Žemaičių Kalvarija . The majority of tourists come from Latvia , Poland , Belarus , Russia , Germany , Spain , Finland and Sweden . Palanga is a tourist destination among tourists from
2964-480: The Teutonic Order and ended their crusading era. "We do not know on whose merits or guilt such a decision was made, or with what we have offended Your Lordship so much that Your Lordship has deservedly been directed against us, creating hardship for us everywhere. First of all, you made and announced a decision about the land of Samogitia, which is our inheritance and our homeland from the legal succession of
3042-678: The Teutonic Order set their sights on this last mission. Between 1345 and 1382, the Knights of the Cross attacked from Prussia some 70 times, while the Livonian Knights of the Sword made 30 military forays. Year after year, fortresses were attacked, farms and crops were put to the torch, women and children enslaved and men killed. Despite all their effort, the Žemaičiai managed to defend their lands until 1410 decisive Battle of Grunwald or Žalgiris, where united Polish-Lithuanian forces defeated
3120-824: The Third Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795 as a part of the Vilnius Governorate . In 1843, Samogitia was incorporated into the Kaunas Governorate , with a minor part attached to the Courland Governorate . Since then, Samogitia has not had a separate political status, but there were attempts to create a separate state during the uprising in February 1831 . Currently, Samogitia
3198-561: The United States. These developments led to the formation of a new well-educated class, which fueled the Lithuanian National Revival in the second half of the 19th century. Among the many notable figures from the region were the patriarch of Lithuanian independence Jonas Basanavičius , Vincas Kudirka , the author of the Lithuanian nation anthem , and Jonas Jablonskis , a linguist frequently credited with
Samogitian - Misplaced Pages Continue
3276-487: The Western Aukštaitian dialect . The territory of this sub-dialect encompasses a much larger area than Suvalkija and stretches beyond the Neman River . The Western Aukštaitian dialect, unlike other dialects of Lithuanian, preserves the mixed diphthongs an , am , en , em and the ogonek vowels ą and ę . The dialect is subdivided into Kaunas and Šiauliai sub-dialects. The Kaunas sub-dialect, in contrast to
3354-588: The Zanavykai preferred vertical compositions. Women also wore richly decorated sashes around their waists. These sashes used more complex ornaments than in other regions, where more archaic but simpler geometric forms prevailed. Because of their relative complexity, folk art collectors placed a higher value on these sashes. A few examples were presented in the first Lithuanian art exhibition in 1907. Bodices at first were identical to those in Dzūkija , but diverged by
3432-428: The ancestors and elders. We still own it, it is and has always been the same Lithuanian land, because there is one language and the same inhabitants . But since the land of Samogitia is located lower than the land of Lithuania , it is called as Samogitia, because in Lithuanian it is called lower land [ Žemaitija ]. And the Samogitians call Lithuania as Aukštaitija , that is, from the Samogitian point of view,
3510-495: The area's regrowth was the proximity of East Prussia and its capital Königsberg . The city had become a major trade center and was the second-largest export destination (following Riga , Latvia ) of the Grand Duchy. Kudirkos Naumiestis was the region's gateway to Prussia. When the Great Northern War (1700–1721) depopulated Lithuania further, repopulation of Suvalkija was almost complete. Serfdom in Suvalkija
3588-531: The arms of the city of Šiauliai . The emblem of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Motorized Infantry Brigade Žemaitija (Samogitia) is the griffin with a sword in his right hand and a shield, which features the Samogitian bear, in his left hand. Suvalkija Suvalkija or Sudovia ( Lithuanian : Suvalkija or Sūduva ) is the smallest of the five cultural regions of Lithuania . Its unofficial capital
3666-436: The basis of the standard Lithuanian language. It has proven quite difficult, however, to identify language characteristics unique to those regions, as the characteristics are extremely diverse and unevenly distributed. A revised classification of the dialects, proposed in 1965, eliminates this distinction and groups the Zanavykai, Kapsai, and Central Aukštaitian sub-dialects as a single sub-grouping, named Kaunas sub-dialect of
3744-466: The beginning of the 20th century as city and town culture increasingly influenced the traditional peasant life. Clothes became simpler, less colorful and decorated. Women started wearing a variety of jackets, usually of one dark color, and covered their heads with simple scarves tied under their chins. Skirts became less and less gathered and colored stripes disappeared. The celebrated aprons and sashes were completely lost. The first concepts and models of
3822-465: The core of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania , composed from Žemaitija (lowlands) and Aukštaitija (highlands). Term Aukštaitija has been known since the 13th century. In the 15th century, Samogitia was the last region in Core Europe to be converted to Christianity . During the 15–18th centuries, it was known as the Duchy or Eldership of Samogitia , which included some territories of what
3900-527: The creation of a standardized Lithuanian language. Dialects spoken in Suvalkija became the basis for the modern language. The Revival, which had previously been centered in eastern Samogitia, gradually shifted to Suvalkija due to the activities of these prominent figures and its better economic conditions. The traditional classification of the Lithuanian dialects divided those of Suvalkija into two sections: Zanavykai, spoken in its north, and Kapsai, spoken in its south. These two sub-dialects are often described as
3978-404: The crusades against Lithuania, the territory was slowly repopulated by settlers from Samogitia and Aukštaitija . They brought their cultures, which mingled with that of the remaining local Sudovians , and an ethnologically -distinct culture gradually took shape, combining Samogitian and Aukštaitian elements and indigenous elements not found anywhere else. Significant changes took place during
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#17327656320174056-552: The expense of Žemaitija. Because during the 13th through 16th centuries the Teutonic Order and the Livonian Order bordered Žemaitija, it was long threatened by their expansionist aims. As such, the Samogitian territory was offered to these orders, or exchanged in peace treaties, a number of times. Lithuania would then regain Žemaitija during subsequent conflicts. For more than two hundred years, old Samogitia played
4134-791: The late 18th and early 19th centuries. Suvalkija was separated from Lithuania Proper. While the Napoleonic period was brief, it resulted in lasting impacts. Of these impacts, the most important were the introduction of the Napoleonic Code , the usage of the Gregorian Calendar , and the abolition of serfdom almost 50 years earlier than in the rest of Lithuania. Peasants gained personal freedom and opportunities to acquire wealth. The region also offered better educational opportunities to its residents – Veiveriai Teachers' Seminary and Marijampolė Gymnasium continued their operations at
4212-451: The least-forested area of Lithuania (in 2005 forests covered 21.6% of Marijampolė County while forests cover 32% of the country as a whole). The third-largest forest in Lithuania, Kazlų Rūda Forest (587 square kilometres or 227 square miles), is in Suvalkija, but is located on sandy soil unsuitable for farming. Suvalkija remains one of the most important agricultural regions of Lithuania, harvesting large crops of sugar beets . Originally,
4290-413: The longest in southeastern Lithuania. The concept remains popular among Lithuanian people. A 2008 survey of freshmen and sophomores (first- and second-year students) at Kaunas ' Vytautas Magnus University found that 80% of the students continued to identify themselves with one of the regions. Efforts are made to preserve, record, and promote any remaining aspects of the original folk culture. Suvalkija
4368-538: The mid-19th century. Bodices in Zanavykai had short laps, while bodices of Kapsai were long and flared. Young girls and married women could be told apart by their headdresses. Young girls in Kapsai wore tall golden galloons , while maidens in Zanavykai wore narrow galloons, sometimes replacing them with beads. Married women wore bonnets similar to those in Dzūkija. Men's wear was simpler and only occasionally decorated with
4446-807: The more archaic Sudovia more correctly reflects the region's historical roots. The suffix -ija is not generally used in the Lithuanian language to derive placenames from city names (the only exception is Vilnija , used to describe the Vilnius Region ). An official petition from the Council for Protection of the Suvalkija Regional Ethnic Culture to the Commission of the Lithuanian Language , requesting an official name change from Suvalkija to Sudovia ,
4524-472: The name Kapsai , but they could also be called Tepsai as they pronounced word taip ( yes ) as tep . A revised classification of the dialects, proposed in 1965 by linguists Zigmas Zinkevičius and Aleksas Girdenis , eliminates this distinction and deems the local dialect a sub-dialect of Western Aukštaitian dialect . However, other cultural distinctions between Zanavykai and Kapsai exist, including their traditional clothing styles. The lands of
4602-453: The north, particularly along the Neman River . There large territories were granted by the Grand Duke to various nobles, including the Sapieha family. These settlements slowly spread further south and east. By the mid-17th century, the pace of resettlement had slowed. The demand for wood experienced a sharp decrease and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania lost almost half of its population due to
4680-481: The past tense form of verbs ( žino instead of žinojo – he knew, galė instead of galėjo – he could, ė instead of ėjo – he walked). Zanavykai also preserved some archaic forms and rules of declension , especially in pronominal pronouns , and of conjugation , especially in dual verbs. Traditional peasant clothing in Suvalkija, while consisting of the same basic items, can be clearly differentiated from clothing in other parts of Lithuania. Because
4758-400: The portion of Kaunas within this region) are: In Lithuania three different names have been applied to region, causing some confusion: In recent years there has been a public debate as to which name, Suvalkija or Sudovia, is preferable. Historians have argued that Sudovia is an anachronism that refers to the land in the 13th and 14th centuries. One commentator labeled the effort to rename
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#17327656320174836-504: The region as "neotribalism" – an artificial attempt to find connections with the long-extinct tribe. Supporters of Sudovia protested against using a term imposed on the region by the Russian Empire, especially since the city of Suwałki is in Poland and the current region has no connection with it. They have also argued that the term Suvalkija is a fairly recent and artificial political development, popularized by Soviet historians, and that
4914-445: The region during the 16th and 17th centuries. The demand led to illegal tree-harvesting incursions from the Duchy of Prussia . To discourage this, the Grand Dukes of Lithuania established several border villages between Jurbarkas and Virbalis . Queen Bona Sforza , who governed the land on behalf of her husband Sigismund I the Old between 1527 and 1556, was especially supportive of these new settlements. Resettlement also came from
4992-405: The region was inhabited by the Baltic tribe of the Sudovians (hence the name "Sudovia"). The Teutonic Knights frequently raided the region during the Middle Ages in ongoing attempts to conquer and baptize the pagan Grand Duchy of Lithuania . As a result, most of ancient Sudovia became a sparsely-inhabited wilderness covered by large forests. After the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, which ended
5070-403: The region was relatively wealthier, the clothes were richer in color, decoration, and ornament. They were also made of better and more expensive materials, including brocade , silk, wool, and damask . Regional differences existed even within Suvalkija. Kapsai women wore long, wide dress garments with large designs of stars and tulips, semidark in colour and partially striped. The Zanavykai costume
5148-404: The region, which was rich in decoration and could compete with the costumes of other European nations. A number of prominent activists, including President of Lithuania Kazys Grinius and his wife Joana Griuniuvienė, collected and promoted the clothing of Suvalkija, especially aprons and sashes. At the time regional differences were not emphasized and cultural activists were attempting to arrive at
5226-441: The region; more heavily ornamented than elsewhere, its end is narrow, spreading out into a rounded shape. Recordings made in the 1930s, and reissued in the 21st century by the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, contain waltzes , marches, schottisches , and krakowiaks . Popular polkas performed on the fiddle were a significant part of the local musicians' repertoire. The recordings from this era are monodic ; there
5304-435: The south. The use of the Samogitian language is decreasing as more people tend to use Lithuanian, although there have been some minor attempts by local councils, especially in Telšiai , to write certain roadside information in Samogitian as well some schools teach children Samogitian in schools. The modern concept of " dialectological " Žemaitija appeared only by the end of the 19th century. The territory of ancient Samogitia
5382-419: The territory was part of Congress Poland . It was never a separate political entity and even today it has no official status in the administrative division of Lithuania . However, it continues to be the subject of studies focusing on Lithuanian folk culture of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Most of Lithuania's cultural differences blended or disappeared during the Soviet occupation (1944–1990), remaining
5460-642: The title Samogitian . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Samogitian&oldid=1119120506 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Language and nationality disambiguation pages Samogitia Samogitia , often known by its Lithuanian name Žemaitija ( Samogitian : Žemaitėjė ; see below for alternative and historical names)
5538-411: The Šiauliai sub-dialect, in most cases separates long and short vowels and stresses word endings in the same way as standard Lithuanian. Since they had close economic contacts with East Prussia, people from Suvalkija borrowed a number of German words. There are efforts to preserve, record, and promote the local dialects. Between 2003 and 2006 the Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Institute published
5616-556: Was abolished in 1807 by Napoleon Bonaparte: peasants acquired personal freedoms, although they could not own land. That changed only in 1861 when serfdom was abolished in the entire Russian Empire . After the Uprising of 1863 , peasants were given free land (they no longer needed to buy out the land from nobles). By the 1820s, farmers in Suvalkija had begun to divide their villages into individual farmsteads (Lithuanian: singular – vienkemis , plural – vienkemiai ). This development
5694-438: Was created by artist Algis Kliševičius. The flag of Samogitia depicts the coat of arms on a white background. It is a swallowtail flag . A variant of the flag charged with the greater coat of arms additionally has a red border around the flag. Both symbols are assumed to have been used for centuries, especially the coat of arms (differing claims assert it was first used in the 14th or 16th centuries). The symbols were used by
5772-446: Was incorporated into the Russian Empire along with the rest of Lithuania. Samogitia was the main source of the Lithuanian cultural revival during the 19th century and was a focal point for the smuggling of books printed in the Lithuanian language, which was banned by the occupying Russians. In 1883, Edmund Veckenstedt published a book Die Mythen, Sagen und Legenden der Zamaiten (Litauer) (English: The myths, sagas and legends of
5850-531: Was inhabited by southern Semigallians and southern Curonians ) became ethnically Lithuanian between the 13th and 16th centuries. The primal eastern boundary of historical Samogitia was the Šventoji River (a tributary of the Neris River ); in 1387, the Lithuanian ruler (regent of Lithuania for Jogaila) Skirgaila had expanded the territory of Grand Duke's domain in Aukštaitija along the Nevėžis River at
5928-552: Was much larger than current ethnographic or "dialectological" Žemaitija and embraced all of central and western Lithuania. The very term "Samogitians" is a Latinized form of the ancient Lithuanian name for the region's lowlanders, who dwelt in Central Lithuania's lowlands. The original subethnic Samogitia, i.e. Central Lithuania's flat burial grounds culture, was formed as early as the 5th-6th centuries. The western part of historical Žemaitija (before 12th–13th centuries it
6006-409: Was once the capital of the Duchy of Samogitia . The major cities are: Samogitia is bordered by Lithuania Minor in the south-west, Suvalkija in the south-east, Aukštaitija in the east, and Semigallia and Courland in the north. The people of Žemaitija speak Samogitian, a variety of Lithuanian that was previously considered one of three main dialects (modern linguists have determined that it
6084-491: Was rejected in 2005. The Commission based the decision on its finding that Suvalkija prevails in both academic literature and everyday life. Suvalkija is roughly subdivided into two areas, inhabited by Zanavykai (singular: Zanavykas ) and by Kapsai (singular: Kapsas ). Zanavykai occupy northern Suvalkija in the area approximately bounded by the Neman , Šešupė , and Višakis Rivers. Before 1795 that part of Suvalkija lay within
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