Sun the Mother and Moon the Father: Gender Roles and Family Practices in Romuva

Abstract

ABSTRACT:This article discusses the construction of gender roles in contemporary Baltic Paganism through a case study of teachings and everyday practices among female members of the Ancient Baltic Religious Association Romuva in contemporary Lithuania. Reconstructionist Pagan religious groups usually represent a traditionalist worldview, while the impact of feminist ideas is mostly observed within goddess-oriented Pagan traditions like Wicca. Romuva represents a mixture of the two concerning gender roles. One of the main factors in this mixture is the influence, in her person and ideas, of archaeologist Marija Gimbutas (1921–1994), probably the only Lithuanian representative of second-wave feminism. Interviews with Romuva female members conducted in 2021 show that their conceptions of preferred gender roles and family practices varied. Factors like the interviewee’s age and education, experiences of Soviet so-called “gender equality policies,” and social conservatism all made an impact on them.