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Laura Smidt
Instructor Bradley
ENC 2135
26 January 2016
Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga
The Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga is a community that brings together the AmericanLithuanians that live in the United States. Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga covers three main
communities: the Seserija, Brolija, and Akademikai. These Communities exist in each branch of
the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga, each unique in their own way. By definition, a community is a
group of people that share common goals, dreams, and interests who come together. Without the
sharing of common interests, there would be no communities.
In short, Seserija is the sisterhood of Lithuanian scouts, Brolija is the brotherhood of
Lithuanian Scouts, and Akademikai is the equivalent to the doctorates of the Lithuanian Scouts.
Each of the three communities are broken down into mini groups: Paukstyciai/Vilkukiai,
Skautes/Skautiai, Prityrisiu Skauciu, and Vyresniujiu Skautes/Vyciai.
The Scouting organization started in 1907 on Brownsea Island, England. The first camp
was held by Baden Powel and consisted of 22 campers (scouting magazine). Each of the campers
as said by history were distraught youths who felt that they had no purpose. The goal of the camp
was to re-educate and influence young people to become helpful individuals and honest
community members based on each youths personality. The camps originally focused on
expanding on the youths personalities to help them find their place within the community.

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These camps grew and their influence spread over to the countries of Lithuania and Russia. In
1918 the first ever Lithuanian Skaut Stovykla was held. This community uses the audio mode
of mouth-to-mouth in order to spread awareness to the Lithuanian community and became
known as the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga. While holding the ideals of Powels first camp, Lietuvi
Skaut Sjunga made the additions of knowing the history of Lithuania, teaching youths to not
only embrace their heritage but, to represent it as best as they can, and to teach the history and
language to Lithuanian families born in different countries that have lost touch with their
ancestral mother land.
As said before each branch of the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga (Seserija, Brolija, and
Akademikai) are split into groups based on age and levels of understanding of the community
itself. Seserija begins at the lowest ranks called the Paukstyciai. This group mainly consists of
young girls between the ages of 6 and 10. The genres used to communicate within this group are
narrative and informative based on visual and audio-based modes. Since these community
members are young and able to learn the language by hearing and seeing it falls mainly under the
informative genre.
Visual mode makes use of images of the important symbols of Lithuania. The symbols
most commonly known to this age group are the Vytis, the flag, and the Gabija. The Vytis is a
white night flying across the battle field, sword raised high above his head. The knight
symbolizes the different dynasties of Lithuania all wrapped into one official coat of arms. The
flag is composed of a yellow stripe, green stripe, and red stripe. The Yellow symbolizes the
wheat fields of Lithuania, the green symbolizes the forests, and the red symbolizes the patriotism
of its people. The last major symbol is the Gabija. The Gabija is more of a symbol for the
Seserija than it is for Lithuania. The word itself translates into never-ending flame, which

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symbolizes the never-ending growth and companionship of the Seserija. These images are
colored by the girls who, while taking part in the activities are taught the meaning behind each
image. This is an effective way of using an informative genre as a type of communication.
The second group is the age group of 11-14 year olds known as the Skautes. In this group
the main genre of communication is informative with a text-based media. Dainoreliais are used
to teach the history of Lithuania through music. An example would be the Lithuanian National
anthem, the Tautika giesm. In the lyrics it says: Lietuva, Tvyne ms, Tu didvyri eme, I
praeities Tavo sns Te stipryb semia, which translates into Lithuania, our fatherland, you are
the land of our heroes. From the past may your sons draw strength. This refers to the bloodshed
caused by the fight for Lithuania to become free of oppression.
The text-based media used with this age group are history articles in which the important
dates of the conquering of Eastern Europe through King Gediminas and Mindaugas, occupation
by Soviet Russia, the break away from the Soviet Union, and current events leading up to the
first female president Dalia Grybauskait are all read and learned by the Skautes. This group
goes on to graduate to the next level in the Seserija: The Prityrisiu Skauciu.
Prityrisiu Skautes range in the 14-16 age group and this is where the girls begin to learn
how to communicate effectively with the community and how to become an integral part in the
growth of the community. The Prits are taught to become teachers to their younger counterparts
through the visual mode of example which falls under the narrative form of genre. Along with
learning how to survive in a crisis, the Prits have to effectively communicate with the Skautes
and Paukstyciai by being an example to follow, which in turn is an effective type of
communication.

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The last group and the highest rank in the Seserija community are the Vyresniujiu
Skautes. This group has to efficiently run the Seserija through communication. In order to
become a Vyr. Skaute, the candidates must be in the age range of 17-19 and have to show a
mastery of the history of Lithuania, survival skills, old folklore, the songs in the Dainoreli, and
must be a role model to the younger generations. The effective forms of informative and
narrative genre used to communicate within and without this group of the community is through
informative texts called Kraiciai. A Kraitis is a text-based mode that communicates to the current
Vyr Skautes the knowledge of the candidates. Candidates must make use of picture media,
stories, history, traditions, and so much more of the Lithuanian heritage in order to graduate and
become the generation to teach the younger generations.
As with the Seserija, the Brolija is split into the same groups with the same
responsibilities only with different names of each group within the community. The hierarchy of
the Brolija starting with the lowest tier is the Vilkukiai, Skautiai, Prityrisiu Skautiai, and the
Vyciai. Like the Seserija, the informative and narrative genres used to communicate are through
modes of text and the language.
The other events that the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga holds to enhance communication
between members are Jubi, Tautine Stovykla, and okiu vente. Jubi and Tautine Stovykla are
two big camps that happen every 4 and 10 years respectively. These camps encourage
communication between the different communities of the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga by bringing
them together. The narrative genres of communication are through sharing a common language,
stories and music.
okiu vente, on the other hand is not a camp. Every year, a dance festival featuring
traditional Lithuanian folk dances and Tautinai Rubai (the traditional clothing of medieval

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Lithuania) takes place in Boston, Massachusetts. This event brings Lithuanians from the Lietuvi
Skaut Sjunga, Australia, Eastern Europe, Canada, South America, and all over the world
together at one convention to communicate through dance, singing, and language. In this event,
both the visual mode of dancing and the face-to-face media of language serve as components of
narrative genre. The convention takes place on Independence weekend in the United States. After
the four days spent together, the communities return to their respective homes and regions before
they are all brought together through other events scheduled by the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga.
Mode and Medium are an important way for genres to be used in effectively
communicating within the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga. The mode is visual, audio, and text-based. It
is visual because the members of the community are able to see the growth of each generation
through articles, pictures, and memorabilia. Audio serves an important role as a mode because of
the Lithuanian language which is an audio mode within the narrative genre. The spoken language
of the Lithuanian community is an integral part to the Lietuvi Skaut Sjungas community
because it is the heritage. It is the living, breathing tradition that lives on through every person
who speaks it. People outside the Lithuanian and Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga communities are
exposed it through the language.
The last form of mode is text-based. A way that the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga uses textbased mode and media to communicate effectively is by the use of Dainoreliais, which are song
books filled with the old Lithuanian folk songs and hymnals which tell the story of the
community. Each song was written by different Lithuanian artists with the main focus being on
the wars, loss of love, gain of love, and history of the country from which the Lietuvi Skaut
Sjunga was formed.

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On the flipside of using mode is the media. The Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga uses media in
the form of face-face and through television. Face-to-face is the everyday interaction between
Lithuanians and within the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga the everyday interactions between the
members at events. In order for this form of media to be effective, each member of the
community who is partaking in the interactions must speak Lithuanian. The other form of media,
the television, is used to broadcast news, Lithuanian television, political campaigns, presidential
speeches, Lithuanian Mass, and so much more. Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga makes use of this form
of media to keep the community up to date with what is happening in the mother country of
Lithuania. Facebook is an example of visual media and mode.
Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga communicates via Facebook, web-mail, camps, and worldwide
conventions. Each type of communication serves as a genre, which is defined as a
compositions kind, category, or sort. (Kleinfield 5). Facebook is an international website with
the sole purpose of communication. By using Facebook, members in the community can post
articles, news, and upcoming events regarding the community as a whole for all other members
of the community who are using Facebook to see. By using Facebook as a form of
communication, narrative and informative genres come into play. As a narrative genre, Facebook
is able to make use of the rhetorical appeal of ethos and pathos. It used ethos because it states the
times, dress code, and dates of the Lithuanian events. Using social media gives easy access to
materials and information that would otherwise have to be found directly through the source
which in turn could take some time.
Pathos is also used through the media of Facebook. An example of Pathos and the
Lietuvi Skaut Sjung is the Facebook page for the up and coming Vyr Skautes. Each year, a
new Facebook page is made welcoming the candidates. Counselors who have trained and taught

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these young women use Facebook webpages to upload photos and stories of the shenanigans
committed by each group of girls, making each girl feel a sense of belonging, nostalgia, and
emotional connections to the camp and its members.
Rhetorically, the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga community makes use of the conventions
ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is the credibility, authority, and trustworthiness the
writer/composer conveys to the audience (Kleinfield 11). Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga makes use of
ethos by teaching the history, language, and traditions of the Lithuanian people. Pathos, another
rhetorical convention used by this community, is an appeal towards the emotions of the
individual community members. By teaching the history and heritage to the youths who attend
the camps, it is possible to give off a feeling of oneness between the campers and the Lithuanian
community as a whole. Logos, the last convention used by the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga,
connects facts and evidence to any point being made. Logistically, the more the Lietuvi Skaut
Sjunga teaches the Lithuanian language, the more likely that the language and heritage will be
passed down generations upon generations rather than die out.
Web-mail is another type of media used to communicate within the bounds of informative
genre in the form of letters. An email is a letter sent via the internet. The heads of Lietuvi
Skaut Sjunga are able to use group emails to plan the camps that bring together the Lithuanian
youths together once a year. These events include but are not limited to Skauciu Stovykla, oki
vente (the dance festival), Jubi which is every 4 years, and Tautin Stovykla which is every 10
years. Each event targets a different audience within the community. As stated previously the
camps target the age group of 6-25 and oki vente targets the entire community.
Although history and culture of Lithuania is important to the Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga, it
is not all that there is to the community. Within the community bonds are formed between

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members bringing them closer together even with hundreds of miles separating them from the
other Lithuanian communities. Genres of language, dance, and music bring together the three
million Lithuanians in the world by causing a never ending communication even though there are
cultural differences.
Because of this communitys passionate nature of keeping the heritage alive, the language
itself is the oldest living and spoken language in the world. It is not only a genre used to
communicate, but something for each and every member of the communities of the Lietuvi
Skaut Sjunga and Lithuanians are to be proud of. The genre of the language ties together the
people no matter the distance. Lithuania as a country has come a long way but Lithuanias people
who are split into communities have turned forms of dance, speaking, singing, and traditions into
a way to communicate through the ages. Without the genre of language, the Lietuvi Skaut
Sjunga community could not possibly exist. Without the genre of language, Lithuania would not
be unique, nor would the country itself have broken free from the bonds of the Soviet Union.
Mutual pride of a nation brought around freedom for a country, and freedom of a country made it
possible for communities such as Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga to exist.

Works Cited

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Braziller, Amy, and Elizabeth Kleinfeld. The Bedford Book of Genres: A Guide & Reader. Print.
"Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga." Lietuvi Skaut Sjunga. Web. 26 Jan. 2016.
"The First Scout Camp." The First Scout Camp. Web. 04 Feb. 2016.