Dzūkija

Dzūkija (pronEng|dzuːkɪˈjʌ) or Dainava is one of five ethnographic regions of Lithuania.

Geography

Dzūkija is situated in the south of Lithuania and consists of Varėna district municipality, Alytus district municipality, Alytus city, Šalčininkai district municipality, Trakai district municipality, Vilnius district municipality, Lazdijai district municipality, south of Švenčionys district municipality, as well as Elektrėnai municipality. A part of the region belongs to northeastern Poland (Podlaskie Voivodeship) and another one to western Belarus. Vilnius, Lyda and Alytus are the major cities of Dzūkija, the latter considered a historical capital of the region, although it never was a political entity. Lithuania is divided into 5 ethnographic regions, corresponding to the rural lifestyle, songs and traditions, and somewhat corresponding to the dialects of language. To the north of Dzūkija there is Aukštaitija region, and Suvalkija (Sūduva or Suvalkija in Lithuanian) is to the west. Large parts of Dzūkija are covered with forests and in the most scarcely populated areas of the region the population density is lower than 4 persons per square kilometer. The biggest swamp in Lithuania, Čepkelių marsh is also situated in the region.

Two of the total 5 national parks in Lithuania are to be found in Dzūkija: Dzūkija National Park east of Varėna established there in 1991 and Trakai National Historic Park near Trakai set up in 1992.

Demographics

People in Dzūkija traditionally speak Dzūkian dialect, which is also known as South Aukštaitian. Same as elsewhere in Lithuania, dialects are dying out however and people more and more speak standard Lithuanian, except for elders. East part of Dzūkija (the part in Belarus, also Šalčininkai district and Vilnius district) was greatly influenced by slavicization, and has now Polish and Belarusian majorities.

Traditions

Because of its remoteness, lots of forests and swamps, the region has quite much of wild berries and mushrooms; picking of both has been centuries old tradition of Dzūkian people, and now it is continued. In summer and autumn there are lots of Dzūkian people selling berries and mushrooms in markets or beside major roads, although now a centralised companies buying out what people gathered are also popular. People from other parts of Lithuania come to forage in Dzūkija too, although Dzūkians try to hide the places most rich of "forest treasures"; as well, some people who don't know mushrooms well sometimes accidentally pick poisonous ones. Because of this tradition, there is a saying in Lithuanian language "Jei ne grybai ir ne uogos, dzūkų mergos būtų nuogos" ("If not for mushrooms and berries, Dzūkian girls would all be naked").

History

The very first Lithuanian handwritten texts from the early 16th century show traits of the Dzūkijan (South Aukštaitijan) dialect. This dialect was once spoken by indigenous people around the capital city of Vilnius and was a basis of first Lithuanian literary traditions.

Politics

Dzūkija, unlike Samogitia for example (another ethnographic region of Lithuania), has never been defined as a political or administrative unit. Traditionally, city of Alytus is regarded as the capital of the region, although it is not the largest one. The idea of Lithuanian lands however, which was very supported by former president Rolandas Paksas, proposed that Lithuania instead of apskritys should be divided into ethnographic regions, called "lands". It would make Dzūkija a separate land. Although now it is unclear whether this idea would be done and when, Dzūkian flag and coat of arms were created and adopted few years ago.

ymbolics

Coat of arms of Dzūkija pictures a white warrior with shield standing on white ground, with a blue sky behind. The grand coat of arms is the same, except that it is supported from sides by two creatures, and at the bottom there is Latin inscription "Ex gente bellicosissima populus laboriosus", meaning "Out of most warring tribe - industrious people". These words, meant to become motto of Dzūkija, weren't used in past, but they, as well as the warrior shown in the coat of arms, represent the fact that Yatvingians lived in southern Lithuania (including where now is Dzūkija) formerly, which were considered to be one of the most warring Baltic tribes and according to few remaining stories were great warriors. Flag is based on this coat of arms. Symbolics were created by expert of South Lithuanian heraldry Arvydas Každalis few years ago, to be used in case Dzūkija would become an administrative unit.