Cannabis origins in Lithuania

Hemp was one of the first cultural plants of Northern Europe, with its earliest archaeological findings in Lithuania dating back to 3000 BC in the Neolithic Narva culture or eastern Baltic (c. 5300 to 1750 BC) settlements.

There are numerous archaic folk songs personifying and praising this plant in Baltic folklore. Here’s an example of an authentic Lithuanian polyphonic folk song about hemp (Cannabis Sativa) from Aukštaitija (North-East Lithuania) sung by the women’s folk group Trys Keturiose at Baltic music festival “Mėnuo Juodaragis” MJRXVII in 2014.

Original Lithuanian Lyrics:

Aš kanapį sėjau toli pamarėje
(Kanapį kanapelį, kanapį kanapelį)
Aš kanapį roviau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį ryšiau toli pamarėje
Kanapelį merkiau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį traukiau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį klojau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį myniau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį brukiau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį verpiau toli pamarėje
Aš kanapį audžiau toli pamarėje
Kanapį nešiojau toli pamarėje

Translation lyrics:

I’ve sown hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve rooted the hemp out faraway by the seashore
I’ve tied the hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve soaked the hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve pulled the hemp out faraway by the seashore
I’ve spread the hemp out faraway by the seashore
I’ve trampled the hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve combed the hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve spun the hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve woven the hemp faraway by the seashore
I’ve worn the hemp faraway by the seashore
REFRAIN: hemp, dear little hemp