Summary

Lighting of rooms in the Zanavykai ethnical area

Vingaudas Baltrušaitis

Development of means used for lighting of living and household rooms during the period from the end-19th to mid-20th centuries is discussed in the article based on a poll of 68 people born in 1900–1914. The questioned people lived not only in Griškabūdis, but also in the environs of Sintautai, Barzdai and Jankai; also isolated persons were questioned in other areas of Šakiai District. The people polled in a wider area enable to speak about expression of culture features of a whole Zanavykai ethnical group. The material available shows that there are no substantial differences as the parishes of Griškabūdis, Kudirkos Naumiestis and Sintautai are compared. Larger differences in lighting means were observed only in the land of “girininkai” (woodlanders) and “sakuotnugariai” (resin backs), as local farmers say. This land began from beyond Paluobiai and stretched nearly as far as Zapyškis.