[/text_block]
6 July 2019 | The Hague, The Netherlands
#MidsummerEve
[/text_block]
Ritual fire jumping | The magic of ancient rituals – Divination by wreaths | Kupala traditional songs and dances | Flower crowns & wreaths workshop | Activities for children I Performance of vocal ensemble “Chervoni Korali” I Folklore dance presentation by dance group Mriya I Unforgetable dansing with DJ Gabber I
[/text_block]
You will enjoy the sacrament of ancient Ukrainian traditions and authentic Midsummer’s Eve festivities. Like in the old days, we celebrate this party on a beach and dive into the magical atmosphere of the Midsummer’s Eve. We will bring drive, beauty, traditional flavor and summer energy together, so don’t miss out this magical event!
We offer an action-packed daytime and evening program for children and adults, couples, and singles. So bring your family, friends and experience new customs and cultures together!
From the sunrise till midnight dancing on and enjoy the unforgettable music created by our special guest from Kiyv DJ Gabber.
Address: Strandpaviljoen De Kust Kijkduin, Deltaplein 1, 2554 EJ, Kijkduin
*Children under 16 free entrance.
*All men called by the first nickname Johannes (Ivan in Ukrainian) or have derived names like Jan, John, Johnny etc and only with the – free entrance upon presentation of your ID card.
[/text_block]
As a national holiday, Midsummer’s Eve includes many kinds of rituals:
Kupalo and Marena are the main attributes of the holiday. According to pagan beliefs, the Kupala night is the night of the marriage of Kupala, the summer god of sun, with Marena, the goddess of water. So, why the name for Midsummer’s Eve in Ukrainian is Kupala nigh. The way this holiday was honored determined the future harvest that is why Kupala and Marena should be spliced during the holiday. At the end of the holiday the Kupala dummy together with Marena were burnt in the fire to let them become a couple in the sacred bonfire.
Searching for fern flower: It is believed that the flower of fern appears allegedly in the midsummer night. According to the legend, fern blooms only one brief moment in the shortest night of the year on Ivan Kupala Night. It is extremely difficult to get this flower because it’s protected by demons. The one who finds the fern flower, will since that moment understand the language of any creature in the world and will be able to see all treasures hidden under the ground.
Midsummer bonfire is the central element of the night that symbolizes rise of sun.according to the legends has a great mythical meaning. Jumping over the flames is a kind of a ritual of purification. Tradition holds that when a couple in love complete the jump while holding hands they will remain together forever. If they fail, they are destined to be separate.
Making a flower wreath: Before the bonfire, women looked for those herbs in the fields. The most important herbs were: Ivan flower, burdock, wild thyme, and mullein. Girls made wreaths out of them, put them on the water and read their fortune. Others sanctified the wreaths in the church and kept them home throughout the year. If later on a man or an animal got sick, he got a potion from those wreaths’ herbs.[/text_block]
[/text_block]