How do Balts perceive Belarusians?

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Volat

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For readers who don't know eastern Slavs (Belarusians) and eastern Balts (Lithuanians) had long relations. Ancestors of Belarusians and ancestors of Lithuanians lived in the same state between 1251 and 1991 with short interruptions during inter-war period. Lithuanians may not know, but Belarusian language was influenced by Baltic (south-eastern Lithuanian) in many ways. I can describe those influences.

There are Lithuanian and Latvian members on this forum. I'd like them to comment how do they perceive Belarusians. Belarusians have not been successful in the last 70 years. In media, Belarusians are known for all the wrong reasons. Despite of this, Belarusians see Lithuanians and Latgalians to some extent as cousins. I consider south-eastern Lithuanians to be more similar to us than neighbouring Slavs. I can write an article about historic relations and similarities between Belarusians and Lithuanians.

Physical appearance of my older sister is a carbon copy of a Lithuanian young woman I saw in south-eastern Lithuania. We don't speak similar languages We also don't belong to the same political sphere in the last 20 years, despite having common history.

So what's your opinion? Are we Russians in denial? I don't feel we are. We never have been part of Russian ethnos.
 
Latvians I think mainly positive. Peaceful neighbors.
Some might call you buļbaši, especially when passionately watching ice hockey vs Belarus ;)))
 
arvistro said:
Latvians I think mainly positive. Peaceful neighbors.
Some might call you buļbaši, especially when passionately watching ice hockey vs Belarus ;)))
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Latvia and Belarus have ice-hockey team of similar strength. Let's hope we have rivalrysuch Russia and Canada, Finland and Sweden, Slovakia and Czech republic. We have bet Latvians in the world world cup in Minsk. Latvian player Kaspars Daugavins broke his stick after his last minute equaliser was disallowed against Belarus. It was fun to see him doing it. http://coub.com/view/1qzs2

Lithuanians are mad about basketball. We beat them in most games except basketball.

We are Bulbashi. But Latvians and Lithuanians eat potatos more than us. Latvia had people going on strikes somewhere in Ventspils regiib against potatos to have be exported abroad in the 19th century.
 
Nothing wrong with potatoes! :)
Especially potatoe pancakes with sour cream...
 
Lithuanians like Belarus people as individuals because they are peaceful and reasonable neighbours, and we really are very much alike physically. Our historians also emphasise it a lot that we've been in a common state for so many centuries. Now we have a very popular TV show - celebrities going on boat trip up from Nemunas/Neman river in Belarus down to Lithuania explaining historical and cultural connections at the times of Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The thing that drifts us apart is recent soviet history. Lithuanians have very strong memories of Soviet occupation in 1940 and then the gorilla resistance war 1944-1953. Overall, because of the IIWW almost 1/3 of the population of Lithuania fled to the West, were killed, deported to Siberia, which left very deep scars in historic memories...
Usually Lithuanians won't talk about that with Belarus people as their official history and even personal memories of Soviet past would be different...
 
Dagne said:
Lithuanians like Belarus people as individuals because they are peaceful and reasonable neighbours, and we really are very much alike physically. Our historians also emphasise it a lot that we've been in a common state for so many centuries. Now we have a very popular TV show - celebrities going on boat trip up from Nemunas/Neman river in Belarus down to Lithuania explaining historical and cultural connections at the times of Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The thing that drifts us apart is recent soviet history. Lithuanians have very strong memories of Soviet occupation in 1940 and then the gorilla resistance war 1944-1953. Overall, because of the IIWW almost 1/3 of the population of Lithuania fled to the West, were killed, deported to Siberia, which left very deep scars in historic memories...
Usually Lithuanians won't talk about that with Belarus people as their official history and even personal memories of Soviet past would be different...
Click to expand...


Deep in their hearts , Belarusians know they are related to Lithuanians. I am a north-eastern Belarusian. If I had Baltic ancestors, they'd be Latgalians. Belarusians like Lithuanians and consider them as their cousins. There's a marginal group of Belarusians saying we are more true Lithuanians than Lithuanians themselves. But that is only a marginal group in Belarus. I remember talking to a Lithuanian girl from Kaunas. She was Lithuanian (Aukstaitian) saying many Belarusians of Maladziečna (just north-west of Minsk) she saw looked as twins with Lithuanians. I can post anthropolical studies showing Belarusians and Lithuanians are similar in terms of physical appearance. It’s sad Belarusians and Lithuanians have been separated in the last 20 years. There was a short lived Belarusian-Lithuania republic in 1919. I hope Belarus becomes successful and we get close to our neighbours Lithuanians. And Latgalians too. We won't undermine Baltic identities. :)
 
Edita Vilkevičiūtė is a typical Belarusian.


tumblr_m6l0b6DgdQ1qi4dxk.jpg
 
And good looking Ieva Narkute.



1320749631jkal1079.jpg





She's a Lithuanian with beautiful voice and physical appearance.



 
Officially , Lithuanians Christianised the last in Europe In reality , Belarusians, particularly northern Belarusians, were more pagan than the Balts (Lithuanians) till 19th century.
 
Volat, could you give pics of famous Belarussian girls who look alike those Lithuanian ones?

And other question - speaking of pagans. How do you measure paganness in North Belarus vs South Belarus vs Lithuania?
 
arvistro said:
Volat, could you give pics of famous Belarussian girls who look alike those Lithuanian ones?

And other question - speaking of pagans. How do you measure paganness in North Belarus vs South Belarus vs Lithuania?
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I provided the pictures of girls who are Belarusianl They Lithuanians, but they are also Belarusian. I don't think any Belarusian and Lithuanian will argue about differences about our physical appearance. We know, we have Russians, Ukrainians who stand out.

Speaking of paganism , we've had Dzed valun till 1920s. People were coming to pagan heathen in the centre of Minsk made up of oak tree, sacred stone, sacred fire and fire keeper for health and prosperity as they would in Christian churches. Commies cut down the Oak tree and jailed the fire keeper. The sacred stone is kept in museums of stones near Minsk: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Дед_(валун)
 
Ok, I did my own google search on "Belarussian girl" and most of them do look Latvian.
Then I searched for Lithuanian girl, and they looked familiar. Then I searched for Latvian girl. And then I searched also for Russian girl, and then Polish girl, and then Estonian girl and then even Sweddish girl.
And now I am confused :D The pics always included some Latvian faces, some a bit off but about Latvian faces and some "a bit more strange but still not be surprised if Latvian" faces. I fail at those fenotyping things :)))
 
Lithuanian pagan altar stones - they are quite common, many of them are broken - it is a sign of trying to destroy the old religion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKqXa_gX01o

The new romantic paganism started in the under the wage of romanticism in the XiX century, and hopes for re-establishing national state in Lithuania. Great many things that one hears about old Lithuanian pagan traditions is based "modern pagan creation", which glorifies the past, tries to give a nice face to pagan religion rites, for instance, avoiding mentioning human sacrifices.

On the other hand, there are some believes respected even by modern people who must come from very old times - for instance, it is a very bad omen to hurt or kill a grass snake (žaltys).
Nowadays nobody really believes to old myths that grass snake is a household spirit, or that it is sacred animal of the sun goddess Saulė (sun),[1] a guardian of the home and a symbol of fertility.[2] Up to early XX century country people used to keep it as a pet by the stove or other special area of the house,[1] believing that it would bring good harvest and wealth.[2] Killing grass snake was said to bring great misfortunes upon the household.[1] If žaltys was found in the field, people gave it milk attempting to befriend the creature and make it a sacred household pet.[3]

However, even if nobody believes to old myths now, hurting a grass snake is still a taboo in Lithuania.
 
It is very interesting what you speak about grass snake. Ethnologists say the same about Slavs, Slavs believed in the same about grass snake
images
 
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