Report from the 100th Birthday Celebration of Marija Gimbutas

Warsaw, 18 September 2022

Part One – A Meeting with Marija

It started with deep emotion – Marija is speaking to us! She is no longer here, and suddenly she appears,
alive on the screen. She presents her discoveries and answers questions.
Marija speaks, and we listen carefully:
> “I think we have reached the end of the old world and are beginning to create a new one. I believe we
will become a healthier society. We will honor the Earth, though not in the same way as the people of Old
Europe did. We cannot return to the past; we cannot repeat everything from the beginning. But we can
transform ourselves, and by using knowledge of the past, we can apply it to creating the future.”
What question would you like to ask Marija?
Questions arise, and an incredibly creative and inspiring conversation begins — one we will surely return
to many times, as so many topics still wait to be explored.
We leave with a sense that we are the descendants of both peaceful people and warriors. Two ancestral
lines live within us — war and peace — and it depends on us which river we will follow.
Which river will you choose to follow?

What question would you like to ask Marija?

Questions arise, and an incredibly creative and inspiring conversation begins — one we will surely return
to many times, as so many topics still wait to be explored.
We leave with a sense that we are the descendants of both peaceful people and warriors. Two ancestral
lines live within us — war and peace — and it depends on us which river we will follow.
Which river will you choose to follow?

 

 

Thank you!

 

Thank you to Zevile Gimbutas, Marija’s daughter, for granting permission to use the copyrights!

 

To Patrycja Łabanowska for translating the lecture.

 

To Agnieszka Ostrowska for editing it.

 

And to Iza Kowalska for adding Polish subtitles.

 

Part Two – Anija’s Lecture

 

What is the difference between the two paths: the peaceful and the warrior one?

We think we know it — it seems obvious. One group created garden-cities, beautiful pottery, and were fascinated by the double spiral. The others got on horseback, made weapons and and set out to conquer the lands flowing with milk and honey. That much is clear.
But how do these paths live within us today? How can we recognise the traces of both and not lose our way?
Anija shares her discoveries. She speaks about three principles that make up patriarchy: the ethos of fight, power, and possession. She shows how people of Old Europe understood the polarity of life, and how we now see it as a battle of opposites.
She proposes that “the modern (patriarchal) paradigm – the myth – is based on the denial of life as it truly is.”

She illustrates this with examples:
 “We cannot build a peaceful world – a truly human world – without having a peaceful relationship with life (and therefore also with death),” says Anija.
“The old world can pass away within us and through us. We are attached to it in many ways. Who is ready to release those attachments? Who will allow the patterns and habits of control, power, and possession to die – the need to be better than others?”

 

Thank you!

Thank you to Marysia and Paweł from Om Studio –

 

thanks to their kindness we can watch a recording of
Anija’s lecture.

 

We Create a Spiral

In the afternoon, we moved from words to action. We began to dance – a spiral dance. We became the
double spiral.
Two spirals emerged: one winding, telling the story of what is passing away – the story of control, struggle, and the lack of trust in life and in ourselves. In other words, the story of great and painful
loneliness, which we are now saying goodbye to. The unfolding spiral entered a vision, a dream – what are we giving birth to? What living part of the new
world wants to be born through you, through your story, your future, here on Earth?

We expressed our visions with colour and shape, creating an unfolding spiral from our drawings. At its centre we placed re-connect – reconnection.
Then the two spirals met and joined again. They reflected in each other. And we discovered that creating the new is not possible without allowing the old to pass away.

Piece by piece, the fragments of the spiral met, paired, mirrored each other – until only loneliness remained. Always alone – and

A Concert for Marija

This concert cannot be described in words!
> “One of the most wonderful concerts I’ve ever attended.”
“The only concert where the audience sang together with the artists.”
“The first one filled only with positive energy.” These were the voices we heard all around as we said goodbye to the artists, unable to leave the concert
hall.

Lyrical, energetic, and bold – the concert dedicated to Marija Gimbutas on the 100th anniversary of her birth flowed from song to song. Powerful and moving – it was almost hard to applaud for fear of breaking
the feeling it created.

All the songs were original, born from spiritual exploration and personal experience. The concert began with Sebastian Krajewski, the musical coordinator of this event, who evoked the old European roots and connected us with them through song. Dominika Jarosz performed a moving composition to Anija Miłuńska’s poem Bird Goddess. Monika Żelazek and Beata Frankowska shared a story from Crete – the creation of the song Great Mother Goddess.
Kasia Żytomirska sang Garden! How Wise You Are. The energetic highlight of the evening was Black Women by Anea Filipek. As an encore, Justyna Samborska offered a song about death and rebirth in the form of Apple Tree.
We ended by singing Bird, a song by Piotr Pardela written especially for Marija:
“You always fly like a bird, very high. You always swim against the current, even when it’s deep.”
Finally, we were embraced by a beautiful and gentle Lithuanian lullaby performed by Beata Frankowska.

 

 

Thank you!

Kasia Żytomirska, Monika Żelazek, Piotr Pardela, Justyna Samborska, Dominika Jarosz, Beata Frankowska, and Anea Filipek.
Special thanks to Sebastian Krajewski for coordinating the music!


Thanks also to Kasia Szyffer and Piotr Pardela – the concert was filmed, and you can watch it!

 

The Spiral Turns and Pauses at the Autumn Equinox

On Sunday, 19 September, we met again to complete the celebration with the Double Spiral Ceremony. With an intention of peace and balance, a woman and a man offered honey as a symbolic gift. Through song and dance, we formed a double spiral and entered meditation. We became a living spiral of passing and creation, a living balance, a living flow and connection.
Those who were there felt it – something beyond words.

 

 

Thank you!

Thank you to Łukasz Chojnacki, the photographer, thanks to whom we can now see what words cannot
describe!

Thank you to our volunteers who looked after our guests: Mania Marlena Truszkowska and Ewelina Semeniuk – working with you was pure pleasure!

Huge thanks to everyone who supported our crowdfunding campaign – thanks to you, this beautiful meeting and celebration could take place.

Special gratitude to Agnieszka, who donated 700 PLN and gave us financial peace at a critical moment –

Aga, thank you!

 

Thanks to your contributions, our event was also filmed by Om Studio, and a short documentary film is now being created.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Anija and Natalia

Special thanks to everyone who contributed to covering the event costs.

Szczególne podziękowania dla tych, którzy wsparli zbiórkę na koszty wydarzenia.

Podziękowania dla

Leny, Magdaleny Nowackiej, Agnieszki, Aliny, Małgorzaty Szulc, Sabiny Gut, Małgorzaty Kosmali,

Anny Traut – Seligi, Marceliny, Marty Ślusarskiej i Koire Moress

Magdaleny Aftyki, Izy Korzeb, Irenki Winnnickiej, Anny Chrostowskiej Buzun, Małgorzaty Komarnickiej,

Alicji Zamorskiej, Barbary Żuchowskiej, Izabeli Przesmyckiej, Magdy Gil, Anety Grzegorzewskiej,

Lidii Migalskiej, Klaudyny Bronowskiej, Alicji Juchnickiej, Alicji Natalii, Agaty Rudeckiej,

Magdaleny Troszynskiej, Patrycji Łapanowskiej, Faustyny Kalaty, Tomasza Walczaka. Ewy Lubicz,

Agaty Brendel, Marty Ślusarskiej, Magdaleny, Anny Tabor, Kaliny Słomkowskiej, Anny Bolewskiej,

Izy Moczarnej, Joanny Egipt, Doroty Jaworskiej, Małgorzaty Kijak, Leszka Łuczyna, Uli Humienik,

Anny Karłowskiej, Kasi Doroty, Beaty Frankowskiej, Aissy Zakrzewskiej, Anny Szczepańskiej,

Małgosi Michaluk, Klarzy Kostrzewie, Marleny Truszkowskiej, Kamili Orlińskiej, Joanny Konińskiej,

Agnieszki Poleszuk, Natalii Miedzińnskiej, Natalii Ziętarze, Katarzyny Lewandowskiej, Nity Eldur,

Grażyny Hałastry, Beaty Frysztackiej, Marty Lebre, Magdaleny Bębenek, Olgi, Jolanty Andrzejczuk,

Moniki Ratyńskiej, Bożeny Kałuskiej, Magdaleny Petrynie, Wioli, Alicji, Agnieszki Sz;

Bolka Dzięgiela, Anny Banaś, Magdaleny Cebulak, Małgorzaty Rębiś, Danuty Leyk, Marty,

Olgi Olędzkiej i Filipa Miłuńskiego;

A także dla Joanny Błażejowskiej, Małgorzaty Kujawy, Moniki S, Dominiki – Jeziorek Waluś,

Moniki Piasek, Pakosy, Oli Leszczenko, Barbary, Anny Petynki, Ann Linhart, Joanny,

Moniki Ostapiuk, Jadwigi Otawy, Joanny Armatowskiej, Barbary Konopko, Renaty Horki,

Anny, Tatiany, Marceliny Gawrońskiej, /Justyny Wenncel, Hanny Polak Zając, Ani,

Magdaleny Młodzianowskiej, Agaty Harasimczuk, Ka Marganskiej, Sylwi Wójcik, Alicji,

Ewy Woch Dolewskiej, Katarzyny Kaczmarek, Katarzyny Wiśniewskiej, Agnieszce Hottowy,

Ewelinie Ślimak, Lucynie, Aleksandrze Wełnie – Nemeth, Kamili Orlinskiej,

Radosławowi Kita, Annie Chmiel, Annie Jach, EWie, Katarzynie Kaczmarek, Małgorzacie Dobrowolskiej,

Magdalenie Pabiann-Owczarek, Elżbiecie Petryńskiej, Annie Rogowskiej i Karolinie Jarońnskiej

Photo Gallery