拉脫維亞人脫光衣服舉辦夏至派對

自由時報20080622Latvians to strip down for solstice party  ◎胡立宗

Authorities in a Latvian town are encouraging residents to strip naked and run across a downtown bridge as the Baltic nation prepares to celebrate summer solstice.

拉脫維亞一個城鎮當局鼓勵居民脫光光後跑過市中心的橋樑，因為這個濱波羅的海的國家正準備慶祝夏至到來。

The western town of Kuldiga - population 13,500 - will host the eighth annual naked run across the 18th-century, 150-metre bridge at 3 am on June 24, marking Latvia's most popular holiday, Jani.

人口13,500的拉脫維亞西部城鎮庫狄嘉將第8年舉辦這項年度活動，參加者將會在6月24日凌晨3點赤身跑過建於18世紀、150公尺長的橋，慶祝拉脫維亞最受歡迎的節日「Jani」。

In another part of the country of 2.3 million people, at the Pedvale Open Air Museum near the town of Sabile, a group of men plans to gather at 4 am for a traditional naked run.

這個230萬人口國家的另一個地方，一群人計畫在凌晨4點於靠近薩賓勒鎮的佩達威勒戶外博物館舉辦傳統的裸奔活動。

Typically, taking off one's clothes is not a tradition of Jani celebrations. People generally gather with family and friends in the countryside, sing, drink beer, eat cheese and leap across bonfires.

一般而言，脫光衣服並不是「Jani」節的傳統之一。多數人會和家人朋友一起到鄉間，唱歌、喝酒、吃起司、繞著篝火蹦蹦跳跳。

Kuldiga has been holding the run for the past eight years, drawing dozens of participants of different ages and genders who are ready to run in the wee hours of the morning. More people turn up to watch than to participate.

過去8年庫狄嘉年年舉辦裸奔活動，吸引數十名男女老少參加者在凌晨裸奔。更多的人選擇旁觀而非參加。

Police will be on hand in case "puritans" show up in protest, while the runners will be rewarded with beer.

警方也會在現場戒備，避免衛道人士到場抗議。參加者最後能獲得啤酒當獎品。

新聞辭典

solstice：名詞，天文學的「至」，代表太陽位置的極北或極南。夏至（summer solstice）或冬至（winter solstice）的定義是以北半球季節為準，太陽到極北點時為夏至，反之則為冬至。

wee：形容詞，（時間）很早，如wee hours of the day。

puritan：名詞，原意為清教徒或道德嚴謹者，本文的用法是指那些排斥裸奔的人。