SONGS OF

Jāņi (pronounced [jaːɲi]) is a Latvian festival celebrated in the night from 23 June to 24 June to mark the summer solstice , the shortest night and longest day of the year. The day of Līgo

([liːɡu0o]) (23 June) and the day of Jāņi (24 June) are public holidays and people usually spend them in the countryside.

Traditions of Jāņi

• Flower picking, home and fence decorating • Crown braiding from flowers and oak leaves• Fire burning from sunset till sunrise• Traditional song singing• Beer drinking and cheese eating• Fern`s flower searching

An important part of Jāņi are songs of Līgo. Name „līgo” means ‘swaying and swinging’. Līgo songs contribute fertility and protect from accidents. Fields,

people, animals, home and forests are being chunt in Jāņi.

Līgotāji

Kas tos Jāņus ielīgoja?

Mūsu pašu ciema ļaudis!

Pirmie gani, pēc arāji,

Visupēc jaunas meitas

Līgotāji

Who those Jāņus going to sing?

Our own village people!

First sheepherds,often

ploughmen,

Update new daughters.

Visu gadu

Lec, Jānīti, kur lekdamis,

Lec kāpostu dārziņāi!

Lai aug balti kāpostiņi.

Kā Jānīša cepurīte.

All year

Jump,Jānīti,where you`re jumping,

Jump into the cabbage furrow!

Let grow white cabbages

As big as Jānītis hat.

Ai, Jānīti, Dieva dēls

Ai, Jānīti, Dieva dēlsi,

Tavu kuplu cepurīti:

Auga mieži, auga rudzi

Apakš tavas cepurītes.

Oh,Jānītis, oh, God son

Oh,Jānītis, oh, God son,

What a wide hat you have!

Barley grow, rye and oats

Under your wide hat.

Ozoliņi, ozoliņi

Ozoliņi, ozoliņi,

Tavu lielu resnumiņu:

Trīs dieniņas saule teka,

Nevarēja aptecēti.

Oak-tree, oak-tree

Oak-tree, oak-tree,

What a large thickness

Three days the sun goes

around,

Can`t trip around.

Kuriet augstu jāņuguni

Kuriet lielu jāņuguniAugsta kalna galiņāi;Lai maldāsi raganiņas,Jāņu nakti staigādamas.

Heat high Jāņu fire

Heat high Jāņu fire At the top of high hill Let witches to get lost way Walking all Jāņu night .

Iesim raudzīt

Dodi sieru, Jāņu māte,Nu ir Jāņu vakariņis!Jāņa bērni nosaluši,Tavus lopus pušķodami.

Go to see

Give me cheese, Jāņu motherNow it is Jāņi afternoon!Jāņa children are frozen,Decorating your animals .

Neguļu, neguļu

Neguļu, neguļu,

Jānīša nakti,

Lai mani liniņi

Veldrē nekrīt!

I don`t sleep, I don`t sleep

I don`t sleep, I don`t sleep,

At Jāņi night,

For my flaxies

Not fall down.

Kas to saka

Kas to saka, tas meloja,

Ka ir gara Jāņu nakte;

Te satumsa, te uzausa,

Te saulīte gabalā.

Who say that

Who say that, he lies,

That Jāņu night is long.

Here is going to darken, Here is

going to dawn,

Here the sun is far away.