The Independence Day "Minejimas"

Today, February 16, is Lithuanian Independence Day. The children from our Lithuanian School prepared for the annual "minejemas," or commemoration, every year. Although we participated in many cultural programs, the Independence Day "minejimas"was our most important "programa."

The Displaced Persons who made up the Lithuanian population in our suburban enclave sometimes organized the event at the hall of the local park district. (It's now called "Bulger Park," but boomers will remember it as Veterans Park.)

Often, the Independence Day celebration intersected with a more formal occasion, the "Balius" ("ball") that the local Lithuanians annually hosted. The Balius was a formal occasion, and it was one of the few adult parties that the children attended.

The locals rented a large, then-attractive hall operated by the Melrose Park Fraternal Order of Eagles. The hall stood on the second story of the village's main shopping district, near the intersection of Broadway and Lake Street. The hall was a large space, with a stage, a dance floor, and an annex in the back with a bar. The lighting and acoustics were decent. We felt familiar with and comfortable in the hall especially because one of the nice Lithuanian families in our community owned the store that stood on the first floor of the same building.

As children, we looked forward to the Balius because we got to fool around at the party as soon as our performances ended. We ate Lithuanian sausage, braised sauerkraut, boiled Russet potatoes, and rye bread. Usually, the younger set hung around in the back annex, where, after dinner, we danced and drank 50/50 or Canada Dry Gingerale.

The adults conducted a "loterija," or raffle, at the end of the evening. In 1967, I was declared one of the winners. I learned I could choose one of several prizes. I remember standing at the prize table with my Mom, deciding what to take home. Mom saw a Napoleonas torte among the options, but I was unmoved. I wanted a record album. The only LP on the table was "Tubby Chess and His Candy Stripe Twisters do the TWIST," which of course spoke again to the Lithuanian immigrant community's branding paralysis: whoever selected the prize as a lure for the "young people" could not distinguish Chubby Checker from an imitator.

The organizers felt badly for me and Mom, and I took home both the torte and the faker LP.

I went back to the Balius several times when I was in high school and college. The event was a good chance to recycle prom dresses.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles Hall burned in 1989; I don't know whether it still stands.

Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1965. I take a bow after finishing my poetry recitation. This was my first performance at an Independence Day event. Look! My lifelong friend Kris sits on the far left.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1965. The children from our Lithuanian School sang folk songs. I stand in the first row, on the far right, and Kris is directly behind me.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1966. After the children sang, we danced. Kris and I are in the center, holding hands. The adults watch patiently. There's the back annex.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1965. We are having fun! You can see the "FOE" letters suspended above the stage.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1966. Our Lithuanian School sometimes had more girls than boys enrolled.  

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1966. After our successful performance, we show our gratitude to our Lithuanian-School teachers.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1966. It's the end of our segment of the "programa."

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1965. We then sit and wait, oh my, during the rest of the performance. Usually some soprano sang Lithuanian tunes. Kris is behind me, again.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1967. I give a bouquet to the soprano, too.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1967. Ha ha! There's my Mom, holding the Napoleonas torte prize. I hadn't noticed the torte until I posted the photo. I instead was focused on the Lithuanian sausage in the front, on the right. There's my Mom's best friend, Donna, smiling beautifully on the far left.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1967.  There's the rye bread.

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Melrose Park, Illinois, February 1966. It's the end of the night because I've taken off my folkdress crown. Mom and her friend, Jadzė D, are keeping an eye on it. Both women wear knitted dresses.