# Samogitian cultural society

Samogitian Cultural Society (Lithuanian: Žemaičių Kultūros Draugija; Samogitian: Žemaitiu Kultūras Draugėjė) (ŽKD) is the biggest Samogitian public cultural organization operating throughout Lithuania. Its center is located in the "Alka" museum in Telšiai.

## History

In 1987 the first Varniai archeological conference took place, dedicated to the decade of exploration of the Lake Biržulis basin. During the conference, the idea of ​​forming a Samogitian Cultural Society was first publicly expressed. This idea was raised at the conference by Vaclovas Vaivada and historian Antanas Kulakauskas. On November 27, 1988 in Telšiai, at the "Alka" museum, 46 Samogitians concerned about the cultural heritage of the region of Samogitia its present and future gathered. The Samogitian Cultural Society was founded. Stasys Kasparavičius was elected its chairman.
The most important goal of the Samogitian Cultural Society is to raise the culture and historical self-awareness of the Samogitian population and to strengthen the independent state of Lithuania. One of the most important mass events of that period, which had a great impact on society and unity of Samogitians for the common work of Revival, was the commemoration of the 48th anniversary of the Rainiai tragedy, which took place on June 24, 1989. In the summer of 1991, next to the site of the Rainiai massacre, with funds donated by the public, the Rainiai chapel-monument was built by the organization according to the projection of architect Algirdas Žebrauskas (based on the 1942 sketch of Jonas Virakas). Under his supervision of the entire construction process, the Rainiai forest was tidied up.
The society is concerned with the restoration of Samogitian symbolism, research into the history of the region, ethnography, literature, the press, and the perpetuation of the memory of Samogitian luminaries. In a short time, ŽKD branches and societies were established in almost all districts of Samogitia and larger cities of Lithuania: Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Šiauliai, Alytus, Panevėžys. In 1994–1997 the activities of the society included Samogitians living further from Samogitia: new branches of the Society of Samogitians were established in Vilkaviškis, Rietavas, Druskininkai, Biržai, Panevėžys, Joniškis. In 1999, new branches of the society were established in Tauragė, Prienai, Švėkšna, Pabradė. The first congress of the society took place on May 25, 1991.

## Activities

Since 1991, the first Samogitian newspaper "A mon sakā?" was published in Palanga. Samogitian sections and separate pages in Samogitian language were published in regional newspapers of many districts and cities. In Klaipėda, the head of the "Žemaičių alkierius" collective Janina Zvonkuvienė took up organizing Samogitian television programs. In 1993, the first Samogitian magazine "Žemaitija" was published in the autumn, later renamed to "Žemaičių žemė", which replaced "A mon sakā?" newspaper. In 1995, the editorial office moved to Vilnius. The ŽKD Information Culture Center was established in the editorial office of the magazine, and in the end of 1996, the Academic Samogitian Youth Corporation “Samogitia” was formed on its base.
In 1990, on the initiative of the society, the Rainiai Chapel was built. On July 21, 1994 the Lithuanian Heraldry Commission approved the coat of arms and flag of Samogitia. In the summer of 1994, the Samogitian Art Museum was opened in Plungė, in the Oginskis Palace. In 1993–1997 the society mainly took care of the restoration of architectural and cultural monuments in Varniai. The reconstruction of the building of the Varniai Priestly Seminary was completed, a project for a monument to the Bishop of Samogitia Merkelis Giedraitis and Canon Mikalojus Daukša was created (sculptor Arūnas Sakalauskas). The cornerstone of the monument was laid in the autumn of 1995, and donations for the construction of the monument began to be collected.

## Sources

* ↑ Danutė Mukienė. Samogitia Cultural Society. Samogitian Museum Alka Archived 2013-02-14 at the Wayback Machine