The circle of the year

Native Estonians experience time as a circle. In our climate winter, spring, summer and autumn follow one another. Every coming of a new season means great changes in temperature and vegetation. All nature is changing constantly and with great contrasts, but everything will come around again. Time follows a cycle and brings back summer, spring, autumn and winter. Time brings back holidays as well.

The calendar of native Estonians follows the cycle of nature sensitively. Maausk, the native religion of Estonians (Faith of Earth) is a religion of nature. The holidays and customs of native Estonians designate the breaking points of nature. The holidays of native Estonians are periods that have great impact on following periods.

The most important holidays of native Estonians are:

1) jõulud (December 21 – 24): winter solstice, the end of souls' time and the beginning of the year (December 25th);

2) munapyhad, suvisted: the arrival of spring. In northern and southern Estonia spring arrives and therefore is celebrated in different times (March or April in the south, May or June in the north);

3) leedopäev (June 23th): summer solstice;

4) kasupäev (September 29th): the beginnig of the winter half-year and the beginning of the souls' time.

In addition to those, native believers of Estonia celebrate 31 other holidays.

( Source: www.maavald.ee )