We are glad that the intangible cultural heritage file provided by the Šilute Culture and Entertainment Center together with its partners has added to the national compendium. Another tradition of our region appeared in it – the practice of revitalizing the coffee drinking culture in Lesser Lithuania.

Providers – Šilutė District Municipality, Šilutė Culture and Entertainment Center, association Šilutė Country Study Society and the Society of Lithuanians.

The culture of coffee drinking is family and communal, characteristic of the region of Lithuania Minor a tradition related to the customs of making, preparing and consuming the traditional drink of Lithuanians – coffee. Lithuanians started drinking coffee (kafia in dialect) that came to this region from Germany in the 18th century. on the II side. In the cities and estates, the coffee fad spread, which combined the ancient evening meal with the German alternative to coffee in the afternoon. A meeting of family, relatives, friends over a cup of coffee, called „palaunage” (a meal between lunch and dinner). Coffee was prepared from purchased coffee beans or local raw materials (oak acorns, carrots, chicory, barley, wheat or rye). This kind of coffee hour eventually moved from manors and city cafes to the homes of Lithuanians.

These days, the tradition is alive among the elderly local inhabitants of the region, who often, especially on Sundays, after the service, meet in the parish house or the nearest cafe for a „coffee hour”. As a tradition of family communication, palaunage is a disappearing cultural phenomenon because it has disappeared from the everyday life of many people. In order to preserve this tradition and revive the culture of coffee drinking, various regional communities, associations, cultural institutions, companies record living forms of the phenomenon, publicize the tradition, organize events dedicated to it, educational classes on culinary heritage. It has become a beautiful tradition to enjoy acorn or chicory coffee during cultural events and community gatherings. The tradition will continue from 2019. „Coffee Day” is being held.

The activities, which are joined by an increasing number of enthusiasts every year, influenced changes in the original purpose and forms of expression of the tradition, but preserved and actualized important features of the coffee drinking culture for the community of the entire region. Revitalization practices contribute to gathering the community of the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor, preserving, representing and establishing traditional culture in today's life.

The newly added phenomena to the Compendium of Intangible Cultural Heritage will be presented on March 28 at a festive event in Vilnius City Hall.

LRT.lt information report