Paper Short Abstract:

The epistemology of girls from birth to maturity is examined in ethnology as a dynamic process where biological, cultural, social factors intertwine. Girls are integrated into the adult world from early childhood through daily practices, play and rituals.

Paper Abstract:

This study examines children’s epistemologies through their relationships with family, environment, and invisible entities in both traditional and contemporary Lithuanian culture. It analyzes how girls’ attachment to family members, especially mothers and fathers, shapes their values ​​and social roles. From birth, girls enter a cultural environment in which their gender determines specific social expectations. Rasa Paukstytė-Šaknienė (2008) demonstrates in her studies of birth customs that in Lithuanian culture, girls from an early age engaged in “feminine” activities – household chores, childcare, and needlework. These activities are not only practical, but also epistemological, as they help shape girls’ understanding of their roles in the family and society. Play is an essential part of girls’ epistemology, allowing them not only to imitate the adult world, but also to create their own interpretations. In traditional Lithuanian culture, girls often played the role of “family”, imitating the role of motherhood, illustrating how play becomes a tool for understanding social reality. One of the most significant epistemological moments in a girl’s life is the first menstruation, marking the transition from childhood to womanhood. This biological event in traditional Lithuanian culture is often accompanied by rituals symbolizing the girl’s entry into the adult world. Ethnographic cases show that children’s worldview and ability to construct their own knowledge are dynamic processes, closely related to the cultural context and changes in family traditions. In modern society, girls’ epistemologies develop along with the processes of modernization and individualization of society.