116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Farewell to winter
An event Sunday at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Sunday afternoon celebrated the triumph of spring over winter.
During the event, a cloth effigy of Morena - Old Mother Winter - was cast into the Cedar River as part of a Slavic tradition. Morena is an entity associated with death and winter and must be vanquished to make way for sunny skies and warmer weather, according to museum officials.
Six-year-old Alan Veve of Cedar Rapids helps Kaitlin Schlotfelt, family programs manager at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, remove clothing from an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth before casting the sticks into the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library in Cedar Rapids Sunday. The Slavic tradition celebrates banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Six-year-old Alan Veve of Cedar Rapids helps Kaitlin Schlotfelt, family programs manager at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, carry an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth to an outcropping on Lion Bridge over the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library Sunday. The Slavic tradition celebrates banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Seven-year-old Katelyn Billings of Cedar Rapids watches as Kaitlin Schlotfelt, family programs manager, explains how Easter eggs were dyed using household items like coffee and turmeric at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library Sunday. Katelyn also took part in the Slavic tradition of banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring by casting an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth to the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Six-year-old Alan Veve of Cedar Rapids and Kaitlin Schlotfelt, family programs manager at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, carry an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth as they lead a procession to the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library Sunday. The Slavic tradition celebrates banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Kaitlin Schlotfelt, family programs manager at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, removes a budding branch from a tree to bring in spring as she leads the Slavic tradition of banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring by casting an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth to the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library Sunday. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
Visitors gather in the Rozek Grand Hall at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids Sunday. Visitors took part in the Slavic tradition of banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring by casting an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth to the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
A woman walks through Rozek Grand Hall at the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids Sunday. Visitors took part in the Slavic tradition of banishing winter for the year and welcoming spring by casting an effigy of Morena, Old Mother Winter, made from sticks and cloth to the Cedar River during the annual Farewell to Old Mother Winter ceremony at the museum and library. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
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