Kindziulis is a fictional character from Lithuanian joke cycle commonly known as "Here came Kindzulis" (Lithuanian: Čia priėjo Kindziulis). The punch lines of the jokes of this cycle start with the standard phrase "Here comes Kinzsiulis and says:..."[1] The Kindziulis character was created by theatre director Vytautas Mikalauskas and these jokes, written by collective efforts, were regularly printed in the Lithuanian satirical magazine Šluota.[2]
During the Communist times many of them were an element of Communist propaganda:
- A tourist asks, why the Bundestag building is round?
- Here comes Kindziulis and says: Where have you seen a circus of a different shape?[2]
Kindziulis jokes have become less popular in post-Soviet times.[3]
Sample jokes from the Union of Lithuanian Journalists website:[4]
- Two citizens are talking: As the building materials became more expensive, it is simply impossible to build a house or an apartment!
- Here comes Kindziulis and advises: Build yurts.
- A company boss says to an applicant:
- - I hire only people with exemplary behavior.
- Here comes Kindziulis and says:
- - Well, he was just released from prison ahead of time for the exemplary behavior.
Journalist and writer Juozas Bulota, a long-time editor-in-chief of Šluota, published the collections of jokes titled Čia priėjo Kindziulis several times (1970, 1972, 1982).[5]
References
edit- ^ Čia priėjo Kindziulis, Šluota, September 25, 2022
- ^ a b The Storytelling Human. Lithuanian Folk Tradition Today, 2021, ISBN 9781644694251 p.249
- ^ Soviet Society in the Era of Late Socialism, 1964-1985, 2013, ISBN 0739175831, p. 113
- ^ Pasijuokime kartu. Archyvas :: Čia priéjo Kindziulis...
- ^ Juozas Bulota. Čia priėjo Kindziulis. – Vilnius: Mintis, 1982.