The Practices of Reviving Kafija Drinking Culture in Lithuania Minor

Kafija drinking culture is a family and community practice characteristic to the region of Lithuania Minor. It is related to the customs of preparing and consuming the traditional drink of Lietuvininkai (Lithuanians of Lithuania Minor) – Kafija (coffee). In the second half of the 18th century, Lietuvininkai started drinking coffee that came to this region from Germany. In Lietuvininkai dialect it became known as Kafija. In cities and estates, the custom of drinking German coffee during pre-dinner snack time spread. A meeting of family, relatives, and friends over a cup of coffee is called Palaunagė (the meal between lunch and dinner).

Kafija is prepared from purchased coffee beans or local raw materials (oak acorns, carrots, chicory, barley, wheat, or rye). This kind of Kafija hour eventually moved from manors and cities’ coffee-houses to the homes of Lietuvininkai. These days, the tradition is alive among the elderly residents of the region, who often, especially on Sundays, get together after the religious service in the parish house or in the nearest caffee-house for a “Kafija hour”. As a tradition of bringing families together, Palaunagė is a disappearing cultural phenomenon. To preserve this tradition and revive the culture of Kafija drinking, various regional communities, associations, cultural institutions, and companies record living forms of the phenomenon, publicize the tradition, organize educational culinary heritage classes and other events dedicated to it. It has become a beautiful tradition to enjoy acorn or chicory coffee during cultural events and community gatherings. To maintain the tradition, Kafija Day has been organized since 2019.

The activities, to which more and more enthusiasts contribute every year, led to changes in the original purpose and forms of expression of the tradition, but preserved and actualized important features of the Kafija drinking culture for the community of the entire region. The practice of revitalizing this tradition contributes to bringing the community of the cultural region of Lithuania Minor closer together, preserving traditional culture, introducing it and anchoring it in today’s life.

Submission by Šilutė Local History Society, Lietuvininkai Society „Mažoji Lietuva“, The Šilutė Culture and Entertainment Center