Miķeļi

Miķeļi ([miceʎi]) or Miķeļdiena is a Latvian autumn equinox and annual harvest festival and market. Latvian Miķeļi dainas referred to good and rich husbands as bread fathers, who are associated with the autumn harvest ripening. In different regions, the Miķeļi celebration was also called Mīkaļiem or Mīklāli, but it is also known to other households as Sila Miķelis, Miega Miķelis, and Miega Mača. According to an old calendar, this holiday is celebrated around autumn solstice time (around 21–23 September), when the duration of night is same as the duration of day.

The Latvian name of this holiday is Apjumības or Appļāvības, because this day was the last one when grains could have been harvested. A characteristic Miķeļdiena pagan ritual was finding Jumis, through which farmers sought to ensure the fertility of the fields in the coming year. The Miķeļi's house was considered to be pine forest's sandy soils, since he expressed his protection to gatherers of forest's riches.

Miķeļdiena name is derived from a name of an honorable Christian archangel Michael, whose day is celebrated during the autumn solstice time. In Latvian mythology, it gradually replaced a time to celebrate the autumn equinox of Apjumības or Appļāvības, which was the last harvest day, which with the help of magic rituals sought to ensure the success next year and to obtain the favor of Jumis.

According to ancient beliefs, cereals farmers lived with fertility deity Jumis and only with the owner, in whose cereals dwelt Jumis, growing fine bread. Therefore, they had to always leave a tithe of grains, to placate Jumis and so that he would not leaves the fields forever, since if only once one field is left without a grain patch, Jumis will become upset and he will never return.

When on Miķeļi a family solemnly went to mow the last field, all of the mowers reaped grain from all sides toward the middle of the fields, where they left a small bundle of cereal. It is tied in a knot and is used for magical activities, believing, that Jumis is hiding in there. Sometimes a bundle is tied in the form of the roof, dug the ground on Jumis roots, and dug out worms and insects, who were below the last sheaf, calling upon Jumīšus. If insects, who appeared at the excavation, hastily fled back to where they came from, then it meant that the future will be all good. Similarly, it was the same with mice, frogs and other critters escaping from the last sheaf, since they were considered to be the creatures of Jumis.

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