Lower Lusatia - Sorbian Christ Child gives blessing: language remains alive
Customs are part of the pre-Christmas season for the Sorbs and Wends in Lusatia. One of them is the Jänschwalder Christkind (Janšojski bog), the Lower Lusatian harbinger of Christmas. He traditionally brings his blessing to the "Stuben". On Wednesday, the Wendish Museum in Cottbus and the Witaj Language Center invited pupils learning Sorbian to take part in the old custom. The language center accompanies Sorbian learners from kindergarten to high school.
The Christ Child, also known as the "Bescherkind" in GDR times, appears as a "divine figure" - veiled with white beaded ribbons, as Madlena Norberg from the museum's support association describes. It is wearing white gloves and boots and a skirt made of embroidered ribbons. The very special feature is the green headdress, which completely covers the face with the ribbons. In his left hand, the Christ Child carries a small bag with gifts - usually apples and nuts.
A little bell is his distinguishing mark as he travels through villages and towns. He touches people's shoulders with a "rod of life", strokes their cheeks and gives them his blessing. "The person touched is blessed and has good luck and health for the whole of the next year," Norberg explains the tradition. The ceremony takes place in silence. This is intended to emphasize the contemplative nature of the pre-Christmas period.
The custom is also practiced in the area around Schleife in Upper Lusatia, Saxony. In six villages in the region around Schleife, for example, where the Christ Child is called "dźěćetko" (child), each village has its own Christ Child with its own traditional costume, according to the museum. According to legend, it was once not allowed to cross the village border or meet another child, as this could mean bad luck.
Interest in Sorbian has not waned, reports Norberg, who also works at the Witaj language center. According to her, a total of 1900 children learn Sorbian as a foreign language or bilingually in groups. Sorbian is taught at 21 schools in Lower Lusatia - lessons are voluntary. The numbers are not declining; parents still want their children to learn the Sorbian language, emphasizes the research assistant.
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- Despite the approaching Christmas season, Lower Lusatia's Brandenburg and Lausitz regions still need more efforts to preserve the Sorbian language and its traditions, such as the pre-Christmas visit of the Sorbian Christ Child.
- During the pre-Christmas season, the minorities in Lower Lusatia, particularly the Sorbs and Wends, continue to observe traditional customs, like welcoming the Sorbian Christ Child, also known as the Jänschwalder Christkind, into their homes.
- The pre-Christmas season in Lower Lusatia is marked by the long-standing tradition of the Sorbian Christ Child's visit, which takes place in cities like Cottbus, where pupils learning Sorbian from kindergarten to high school participate in this ancient custom.
- In the lead-up to Christmas, children in Cottbus and other parts of Lower Lusatia anticipate the arrival of the Sorbian Christ Child, the Christian child figure who carries gifts like apples and nuts and grants blessings for health and luck in the forthcoming year.
- The importance of preserving and educating future generations about Lower Lusatia's heritage and minority languages, like Sorbian, is evident during the pre-Christmas season, as schools in these regions offer voluntary classes to teach children about this rich history and culture.
Source: www.stern.de
