MJR XXIII PROGRAM
What will we see - what will we hear - what will we know - how will we revel?
::: MJR XXIII PROGRAM :::
24-27 August 2023 – Dūburys Island, Lituania
Festival Mēnuo Juodaragis creates a unique program – the largest in number of participants and different activities and various art fields. No other event in Baltics can compare to this magical creation and experience!
More than 60 great music groups, projects and artists will perform on the four stages of the festival. For four days and nights we will be buzzing with a rich cultural mix of activities, experiences, knowledge and entertainment.
Be sure – the end of Summer on the island of Dūburys will be intense, magical and very special!
VIII.24 — THURSDAY
13.00 – Opening of the Festival Gate
:::: Info Centre ::::
from 18.00 • Registration for sports tournaments and hikes
:::: WORKSHOP of SPELLS :::: On the island of Kaukas
18.30 – Incense making – Eglė Jonaitytė
21.00 – Fire ritual with Oleg Kovrikov
:::: TENT of WISDOM ::::
18.30 – Presentation of the festival’s lectures and film program
18.40 – Antazavė region in the twists and turns of history – Laimonas Abarius (lecture in Lituanian)
~ FILMS PROGRAM ~
21.30 – Film “Legends of Firefighters” – dir. A. Gricius, 1989
23.00 – Film “Songs for a Fox” – dir. K. Vildžiūnas, 2022
01.10 – Juodaragis night cinema: “Got a Light?”
02.00 – End of the program
:::: CRAFTS YARD ::::
19.00 – First ceramics in Lithuania: pottery made from manure, grass and gravel. Sculpting workshops – Dainius Strazdas, Jurgita Radžiūnaitė, Vilniaus Puodžių cechas
20.00 – Birch bark – not just for kindling – Vytautas Ramanauskas, Pajauta
21.00 – Fiery tears of the Sun – traditional amber crafting – Ruslanas Aranauskas, Dina Jankauskienė, Pajauta
:::: Kids Yard ::::
17.00 – Painting on smoke – Ieva Voroneckytė
18.00 – Making jewellery out of environmental finds – Upė Lemežytė
:::: Juodaragis bathhouses ::::
21.30 – 00.00 – First steam
:::: AUKURAS :::: The Altar
20.00 – MJR XXIII Opening rites
:::: EGLYNAS :::: Fir Stage
21.00 – PIGEON IS MY FRIEND
22.00 – GIJA
23.00 – UGNIAVIJAS – new album presentation
00.00 – SURE FANG
01.00 – McKARAS
01.50 – DJ Nowotny /PL
DURING THE WHOLE FESTIVAL:
• Juodaragis’ BATHHOUSES •
The unique Juodaragis Sauna, which has been incredibly popular, will be open without a sigh of relief for 4 whole days. the Association of Professional Bathhouse Professionals is coming with special joint rituals and personal programmes by the best Lituanian bathhouse masters! We will invite 8 people to take a bath every 2 hours.
This year we will have and one more sauna with experienced masters (for extra pay).
Registration will take place at the bathhouses at 9:00 every morning.
Let’s enjoy the Juodaragis steam!
• The FULLMOON •
Every evening, the Full Moon will descend on the island of Kaukas, brought to us from the vault of the sky by the art wizard Virginijus Mickus. Enjoy the very special visionaire!
VIII.24
21:00 – 00:00 Fullmoon
VIII.25
21:00 – 23:00 Fullmoon
23:00 – 00:00 Moon cinema
00:00 – 01:00 Fullmoon
VIII.26
21:00 – 22:00 Fullmoon
22:00 – 00:00 Moon cinema
00:00 – 01:00 Fullmoon
VIII.25 — FRIDAY
07.30 – Meditation. Guided by Žymantass Diečkus (on the Hill of Aitvaras)
08.30 – Morning exercise. Led by Žilvinas Gruodis and Liudvikas Cibas (on the Hill of Aitvaras)
:::: Info Centre ::::
from 10.00 • Registration for sports, fishing tournaments and hikes
:::: TENT of WISDOM ::::
09.00 – Cartoons for kids
— Lectures in Lituanian language —
10.00 – How to handle fire. Preventive education for all – officials of the State Fire Rescue Service
10.40 – Eternal Fire in Lituanian customs – Virginijus Kašinskas
11.45 – Symbolism of Fire in Baltic Ornamentation – dr. Vytautas Tumėnas
13.00 – Fire in the everyday life of Siberian autochthons: interaction with non-human persons and landscape – dr. Donatas Brandišauskas
14.10 – The Art of Fire Sculpture – Eglė Valentė
15.20 – Conversation on the burning of the Eternal Fire – Šatrija Fire guardians
16.30 – Bathed in fire: why does sauna make people so happy? – Birutė Masiliauskienė
17.40 – The consequences of unchecked propaganda. The Azov Phenomenon – LDK Palikuonys
16.15 – The importance of fire for nature – a practical session with Giedrius Vaivilavičius. Duration 3 hours. Start at the Tent of Wisdom
– FILMS PROGRAM –
19.50 – Documentary “Curonian Sword” with presentation by dir. Gvidas Kovėra, 2022
21.00 – Lituanian shorts made by women
22.00 – Documentary “Dykra” (Prussian Wasteland) – dir. R. Gruodis, 1993
23.00 – Film “Namarali” – dir. T. Mummery, 2021
00.00 – Film “Hoří, má panenko” (The Firemen’s Ball) – dir. Miloš Forman, 1967 (subtitles in English)
01.15 – Night cinema
02.30 – End of the program
:::: WORKSHOP of MAGIC :::: On the Kaukas island
10.00 – “Gabija’s mark” – painting with ash, charcoal, fire with ceramicist Vytaute Latožaite
12.15 – “Light up!” – fire starters making workshop
14.30 – Natural lantern making workshop
16.45 – Myth of Sovijus – a lecture by Audrius Kasperavičius (in Lituanian)
18.30 – The Alchemical Fire – a lecture by Adam Ormes (in English)
20.15 – Incense ritual by Eglė Jonaitytė
21.00 – DELVE /LV – A talk with Fire
22.00 – “Smolder whilst ye lidded” – different ways to light a fire by Tomas Aleknavičius
:::: Kids Yard ::::
11.00 – Clay will-o’-the-wisps – Orinta Politaitė
12.00 – Sun prints and other fun activities – Utena STEAM
14.00 – Drawing on smoke – Ieva Voroneckytė
15.00 – Dolls – daughters of the Goddess Gabija – Rasa Pavilionienė
16.00 – Making jewellery from natural finds – Upė Lemežytė
17.00 – Altars for gods of physics – FiDi
18.00 – Draw a letter to the Goddess Gabija
:::: CRAFTS YARD ::::
11.00 – History and technology of ancient Ukrainian painting – Workshop with Lev Skop, living history club Chorna Galych, Ukraine
12.00 – OPENING OF THE CRAFTS YARD. Pipe smokers competition. Folk band SVIRTIS.
12.30 – First ceramics in Lituania: pottery made from manure, grass and gravel. Sculpting workshop. Lecture “Potter’s image in Mythology” – Dainius Strazdas, Jurgita Radžiūnaitė, Vilniaus Puodžių cechas
13.00 – Non-ferrous metals and fire – the brotherly bond – jeweller Evaldas Babenskas, Pajauta
13.30 – Making of alcoholic drinks using historical distilling apparatus – Marius Mališauskas, Pajauta
14.00 – Steampunk’s second chance – a small artistic patchwork – Steamspace workshop by Eugenijus Šuldiakovas
14.30 – Making ancient glass beads – Ingrida Sinkevičiūtė, Pajauta
15.00 – From iron to steel: carbonisation – Matas Bodrijė
15.30 – Crayfish cooking on fire – Ramūnas Čižas, brewer of local Dusetai region
16.00 – Making roasted malt beer from Anykščiai region – Vykintas Motuza and Algirdas Venckūnas, Latavos žemės žaldokai
16.30 – Bread baking on embers – Justė Lipinskienė, Juostė
17.00 – Clay lantern workshop: the journey through nations and time – Kristina Motuzienė, Moliniai Rykai
17.30 – Mead production and tasting – Midaus namai
18.00 – Medieval spices: production of honey spiced drink on fire – Edita Gilė, Kunigaikščio svita
18.30 – Pattern of fire in woodcarving – Algirdas Juškevičius
19.00 – Obvara ceramics sculpting and firing – Erikas Hincas
19.30 – Baltic signs in metal – blacksmith Darius Vilius, Dausų spinduliai
20.00 – Inflaming tales for adults – Laimutis Vasilevičius
• By the Crafts Yard
12.00 – 20.00 – Fencing with soft weapons for adults and children – Living history club Chorna Galych, Ukraine
15.00 – Welders’ workshop – Simonas Butkys, Povilas Užtupys, FiDi
• S P O R T S •
All day long from 12.00 – educations by Lituanian Ethnosports Committee
17.00 – 20.00 – Archery tournaments – Strėlė
19.00 – 20.00 – Stick-pulling tournament (by the Crafts Yard’s Oak)
• Hill of Aitvaras (Flags)
21.30 – Our kerosene, Your fire! – the “open stage” invites all fire controllers, jugglers, torchbearers – bring your fire tools and show what You can do. Let’s get together and spin flames!
• The Coast with the Clay Hut (Dūburys stage)
16.30 – Fire brigade in action
23.00 – Fire sculpture “Fire Lily” – Vytautas and Kęstutis Musteikis
:::: AUKURAS :::: The Altar
13.15 – BALTIC SISTERS /EE/LV/LT
17.00 – KŪLGRINDA – Fire mantras
:::: The GREAT STAGE of GABIJA ::::
19.00 – ATALYJA
20.00 – JAUNO JĀŅU ORĶESTRIS /LV
21.00 – KAMANIŲ ŠILELIS
22.00 – SOWULO /NL
23.15 – BIX
00.30 – LUIKU /UA
:::: DŪBURYS STAGE ::::
18.30 – DELVE /LV
19.20 – ZNICH /BY/PL
20.30 – DAJ OGNIA /PL
21.30 – ŪKANOSE
22.30 – CULT OF YOUTH /US
23.40 – OF THE WAND and THE MOON /DK
00.45 – VĖLIŲ NAMAI
:::: EGLYNAS :::: Fir Stage
20.00 – DRAM BAM BURTAI
21.00 – SHEEP EFFECT
22.00 – Gintautas Gascevičius GINC
23.00 – DRIEZHAS & Patris
00.00 – GIRIŲ DVASIOS & Marushka /LT/UA
01.00 – OOPUS /EE
02.30 – DJ Direktorius
:::: FOLK STAGE ::::
21.00 – Folk dance night with SAMANYČIA and GARAZH BAND
VIII.26 — SATURDAY
05.00 – Fishing tournament (fishermen gather at Info centre, bring your fishing gear)
07.00 – Meditation (on the Hill of Aitvaras)
08.00 – Morning exercise (on the Hill of Aitvaras)
• From Info Centre
:::: TENT of WISDOM ::::
08.45 – Cartoons for kids – presented by Tindirindis
10.00 – The influence of cold and heat practices on the body + ice bath – Žilvinas Gruodis. Duration 2 hours Start at the Knowledge Tent
— Lectures in Lituanian language —
11.00 – (Un)Forgotten Lituanian Identity: the Cross of Fire – prof. Vykintas Vaitkevičius
12.15 – The Sacred Fire and the god Agnis in Indian culture – prof. Audrius Beinorius
13.30 – Sacred Fire and its tongues – dr. Dainius Razauskas
15.00 – The World of Baltic Fire – dr. Daiva Vaitkevičienė
16.15 – Fire in the home: everyday and sacred places – dr. Aistė Andriušytė
17.30 – Forests and communities – protection and interrelationship – Gyvo Žalio
– FILMS PROGRAM –
19.30 – Documentary “Buona Sera” – presentation by dir. Justė Michailinaitė, 2022
20.10 – Music documentary “Beyond Time and Light” (story of the Skylė band), presentation by dir. Aistė and Skaistė Jauraitė, 2022
21.40 – Film “Rūpintojėlis”, new Lituanian ethno-slasher! – presentation by dir. Jonas Trukanas, 2022
23.20 – Film “The West is Burning” – dir. C. Sheehy, 2021
00.230 – Sequence of video shorts “On the Path of the Juodaragis”
00.50 – Night cinema
02.00 – End of the program
:::: WORKSHOP of MAGIC :::: On the Kaukas island
10.00 – 14.00 – Shamanic drums making workshop by Vytautas Švažas
10.00 – Natural lantern making workshop
12.15 – “Light up!” – wax fire starters making workshop
14.30 – UFO – a solo performance by Oleg Kovrikov
16.45 – “Got a Light?”– the principles of fakirs by Hefaistas and Nudegimų klinika
18.00 – Candle making workshop by Eglė Jonaitytė
20.00 – Tea ceremony by Raganės šokis
20.30 – ROMOWE RIKOITO /PR
21.00 – 23.45 – Standing on nails by Spalvota saulė
:::: Kids Yard ::::
10.00 – Making ships and swords – Ugnius Pėstininkas
12.00 – Sun prints and other fun – Utena STEAM
13.00 – Fly, plane, fly! – Justinas Žilinskas and Tomas Dirgėla
14.00 – Altars of priests of physics – FiDi
15.00 – Clay symbols – Orinta Politaitė
16.00 – Making jewellery from natural finds – Upė Lemežytė
17.00 – RDolls – daughters of the Goddess Gabija – Rasa Pavilionienė
18.00 – Drawing on smoke – Ieva Voroneckytė
:::: CRAFTS YARD ::::
11.00 – Ukrainian cuisine: Let’s make vareniki! – Chorna Galych, Ukraina
12.00 – Making of musical instruments: kokles – Andris Rože, Latvia
12.30 – Moulding of beeswax candles – Justė Lipinskienė, Juostė
13.00 – The fiery ray Sun – forging a torch – blacksmith Evaldas Kapčius
13.30 – First ceramics in Lituania: dried pottery firing – Vilniaus Puodžių cechas
14.00 – Historical food making on fire – Austėja Luchtanaitė, Pajauta
14.30 – Homebrew in Žemaitija? – the peculiarities of the production of Samogitian beer – Artūras Masiliauskas
15.00 – Production of barrels: heating on fire, bending, internal firing
– Vitalius Striuogaitis
15.30 – Fire and wax – traditional egg decoration – Audronė Lampickienė
16.00 – Making wooden toys – The Fiery Cock – Angelė ir Vytautas Raukčiai
17.00 – Carving of drinking bowls – Erikas Čypas, Dusetų amatų centras
18.00 – Tar production in an ancient way – Gintaras Markevičius
18.30 – Ancient leather smoking technique – Martynas Švedas, Baltic Leather
19.00 – Forged architectural decorations – Marius Balčiūnas
20.00 – Thunder tales – folklore evening by the bonfire with Algirdas Breidoks, a storyteller from the Švenčionys region
• By the Crafts yard Oak
All day long from 12.00 – educations by Lituanian Ethnosports Committee
11.00 – 13.00 – Muštukas tournament
11.00 – 13.00 – Kyla tournament
12.00 – 16.00 – Lituanian traditional wrestling
14.00 – 15.00 – Push-off tournament
16.00 – Artistic welding workshop – Algirdas Gaižauskas
17.00 – Path of a warrior: ancient Baltic fighting – Living history club Leitgiris
18.00 – Welding workshop – Masters of the Road
19.00 – LOG WRESTLING ! Ancient game or both men and women!
• S P O R T S •
10.00 – 17.00 – Football tournament for the MJR XXIII Horn (in the Middle Meadow)
12.00 – Orienteering competition. Starts at the Info centre
12.00 – 13.00 – Archery tournament for adults – Strėlė
18.00 – Swimming competition (at the Main Beach)
• In the Middle Meadow
• JOURNEY OF FIRE •
22.00 – Start at the Aukuras. Join with your torch, candle or drum!
22.15 – Fire dance – ALT13
22.30 – Fire sculpture “Goddess Gabija” – Vytautas and Kęstutis Musteikis
:::: AUKURAS :::: The Altar
08.30 – Sutartinės – archaic Lituanian polyphonic chants. LAKIŪTĖ
09.30 – Promočių giesmės – sutartinės magic with Laurita Peleniūte
15.00 – United by Fire. Festival artists’ gathering
:::: FOLK STAGE ::::
12.00 – KNYGŲ VAIKAI
13.00 – AVILYS
13.30 – ČIŪTA
14.00 – ŽEMYNOS KANKLIŲ GRUPĖ
15.00 – BA.FNU /CZ
16.00 – KURŠIŲ AINIAI
17.00 – VIRGINIJA PIEVOS
18.00 – BALTIC SISTERS /EE/LV/LT
19.00 – KŪLGRINDA
– Folk dance night –
21.45 – DAJ OGNIA /PL
22.40 – NAUJAMIESČIO ŠOKIŲ ir ELEKTRONIKOS KOMBINATAS
:::: DŪBURYS STAGE ::::
16.00 – D.I.K.V.A.Š. & Martyna Gedvilaitė
17.00 – ARMATŪRA
18.00 – SIELA
19.00 – BALTASIS KIRAS
21.00 – CULT OF FIRE /CZ
22.30 – FIRE+ICE /UK/DE
23.30 – BALTIC BALKAN
:::: The GREAT STAGE of GABIJA ::::
17.30 – BALTOS VARNOS
18.30 – ATIKA
19.30 – URZE DE LUME /PT
20.30 – LAPKRIČIO DVIDEŠIMTOSIOS ORKESTRAS
21.45 – KURŠIŲ AINIAI & Larion Dyakov
23.00 – SÓLSTAFIR /IS
:::: EGLYNAS :::: Fir Stage
16.00 – DJ Bong
19.15 – TARVAINIS
20.00 – SEMĂNAT
21.00 – BA.FNU /CZ
22.00 – DAINA DIEVA
23.00 – ROMA AMOR /IT
00.00 – OTWATM presents BEHOLD THE TREES /DK
01.00 – DÓNIS
02.00 – DJs Į_DUBA
– 06.00 – M.K.Č. Miške
VIII.27 — SUNDAY
Sunrise 6.06 // day lenght 14.13
06.00 – M.K.Č. Miške (in the Fir wood)
07.00 – Meditation (at the Altar)
08.00 – Morning exercise (on the Hill of Aitvaras)
:::: TENT of WISDOM ::::
08.45 – Cartoons for kids – presented by Tindirindis
09.00 – Forest therapy session – Austė Juozapaitytė
Duration 2 hours. Start at the Tent of Wisdom
— Lectures in Lituanian language —
10.00 – What does the Sun do all day? – Lecture for families and book presentation – dr. Nijolė Laurinkienė
11.10 – Traditions of burning bonfires in Dzūkija – Dalia Blažulionytė
12.20 – Символіка сонця, яка нас обʼєднує (The symbolism of the Sun that unites us) – Roman Lubun, Ukraine (in Ukrainian and English)
:::: CRAFTS YARD ::::
10.00 – Unloading fired pottery from the kiln and handing over to makers – Vilniaus Puodžių cechas
11.00 – Straw binding and root weaving techniques – Lina Živatkauskaitė–Žaliauskienė
12.00 – Wax candles workshop – Jurga Kutkienė
13.00 – MEN’S SONG GATHERING. All men are invited to join and sing!
:::: WORKSHOP of MAGIC :::: On the Kaukas island
10.00 – 12.00 – “Gabija’s mark” – painting with ash, charcoal, fire with ceramicist Vytaute Latožaite
:::: Kids Yard ::::
11.00 – Clay will-o’-the-wisps – Orinta Politaitė
12.00 – Sun activities and games (based on the children’s book “Sun – Queen of the Sky” by dr. N. Laurinkienė) – publisher Aukso žuvys
13.00 – Sun prints and other fun – Utena STEAM
14.00 – Altars of priests of physics – FiDi
• S P O R T S •
11.00 – 13.00 – Kyla tournament (by the Crafts Yard’s Oak)
11.00 – 12.00 – Archery tournament for kids – Strėlė (Camp of Archery)
12.00 – 15.00 – The game of Lituanian national folk sports – ripka (near the Great stage)
:::: FOLK STAGE ::::
12.30 – Festival tournaments winners awards
13.00 – GARAZH BAND
13.45 – SAMANYČIA
14.30 – Domantas RAZAUSKAS
:::: AUKURAS :::: The Altar
10.30 – Kanklės (zither) playing lessons
by Agota Zdanavičiūtė
16.00 – MJR XXIII Closing ceremony
ŽEMYNOS KANKLIŲ GRUPĖ
Festival music
DRIEZHAS & Patris (LT)
Juodaragis Fir stage brings yet another intriguing musical news: ethno-electro project Driezhas (Kristijonas Lučinskas) together with sound artist and cellist Patris Židelevičius present their new
SOLSTAFIR (ISL)
Mėnuo Juodaragis XXIII will host one of the most famous and intriguing contemporary post-metal bands from the land of ice and fire, the island of
CULT OF FIRE (CZ)
Burning black metal and tributes to Hindu and Buddhist deities, tantric rituals and a spiritual journey to the depths of the world! A unique phenomenon
FIRE + ICE (UK / DE)
Juodaragis night will be illuminated by Fire + Ice, a project by legendary British neo-folk magician Ian Read, founded back in 1991. It is a
SOWULO (NL)
The rising star of the new shamanistic music, Rune of the Sun, will take to the stage of Fiery Juodaragis! Sowulo has been gathering pace
OF THE WAND AND THE MOON (DK)
Danish neofolk legends OTWATM will return to MJR with two special performances. The ten-year-awaited new album “Your Love Can’t Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow” will
LUIKU (Ukraine)
A thrilling world Beats band from Kiev. Their passionate music is inspired by Balkan, Mediterranean and Ukrainian traditions, performed by electronic and live percussions, a
CULT OF YOUTH (USA)
Formed almost 20 years ago by Sean Ragon, the Brooklyn-based band released 4 albums and soon earned a cult status in the neofolk and post-industrial
DAJ OGNIA (PL)
Regressive dark folk group, that interweaves musical traditions of Poland and Scandinavia. One of the most interesting groups in Polish folk scene do it in
OOPUS (EE)
Dashing folktronica fourpiece from a country of wild forests, magical bogs, sea and tech innovation. Its members fuse together thousands of years old Estonian runo
JAUNO JĀŅU ORĶESTRIS (LV)
A six-peace folk/world music band that is well known in neighboring Latvia. Since 2012 Jauno Jāņu Orķestris fuses ancient lyrics of Latvian folk songs with
