Baptism

The first meal was after coming home from the church. In it, everything carried a symbolic meaning – sitting, eating, the food itself, etc. The eating did not last long. The women who were not sitting at the table began to sing and encourage the newborn to take for a dance. This had a certain magical quality, as it was believed, that such dance was necessary to influence God’s will in the desired direction. Godfather was the first to encorage the dancing. He went to take the child from the hands of the grandmother. However, the gradmother did not deliver the child so soon. Without a simbolic donation, the grandmother did not deliver the child..

After receiving the donation, the grandmother finally relented. The ritual dancing of the child began. It was done like this: the child was held on both hands, soon raised higher, soon lowered again – in tiny steps, turning around on the floor. The godfather or godmother doing this was singing a child dancing song, including well-wishes about the future character, wealth of the newborn. The other members of the household stood in a circle and helped to sing, and also moved to the rhythm of the song. The singer could sing one or more songs. All those who participated in the ceremony had to give some small donation to the new life – in money or some things. When godfather had finished, he handed over the newborn to the godmother, to continue the dancing. Then it went on to other willing participants.

This is how it was done in the old times. Today, after a child’s baptism in a church, a party is held, where there is probably dancing. But it has always been like that. In larger baptism parties musicians with violins, bagpipes and kokles also play.