Author:
Valts Ernštreits
Other domains
Oral traditions and their expressions, including language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage
Social practices, rituals and festive events
Music/performing arts
Traditional kitchen
Traditional craft skills
Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe
Title
Livonian Cultural Space (2018)
Līvõd (Livonian).
Geography
The Cultural and Historical Land of the Livonians in northern Kurzeme and other areas historically inhabited by Livonians.
Livonians are a Balto-Finnic people who came into being on Latvian territory over 1,000 years ago. Earlier Livonians had inhabited large areas of Vidzeme and Kurzeme, but this significantly decreased over the course of time. By the middle of the nineteenth century, they were reduced to a small area around the lower reaches of the Svētupe River and fourteen Livonian fishing villages in Northern Kurzeme from Oviši to Ģipka, which is today referred to as the Livonian Coast [Lībiešu krasts in Latvian; Līvõd rānda in Livonian].
In the last few centuries, this densely populated area has been traumatized by several traumatic events, which included pressure to relocate to Latvian locales after the 1859 Livonian rebellion and the complete evacuation of the Livonian villages during the First and World War and the German occupation of the Second World War, which Livonians refer to as the “time of being driven out” [ulzõajtõbāiga in Livonian; izdzīšanas laiks in Latvian]. This was followed by deportations and emigration abroad. The final blow to the survival of this densely settled Livonian territory came in the 1950s when the Soviets imposed a borderzone in northern Kurzeme and limited subsistence activities such as fishing. As a result, Livionians were forced to relocate in search of work and leave their native villages for other places in Latvia resulting in the formation of large communities in Rīga and Ventspils.
It is estimated that in the mid-nineteenth century there were 2,500 Livonians living in northern Kurzeme; early in the twentieth century there were approximately 1,500, and after World War II there were approximately 700. According to Latvian census data, there are 250 individuals living in Latvia who consider themselves Livonian. Of these, 119 live in Rīga and its surrounding area, 47 living in Ventspils, and 38 live on the Livonian Coast.
In recent centuries, the Livonian community has always been characterized by a strong sense of identity and the desire to know, study, safeguard, and develop their cultural heritage. This is evident in the thriving cultural and social life of the interwar period and strong heritage safeguarding activity under the conditions of Soviet occupation. Today, they likewise continue to safeguard and develop their language in today’s technologically complex environment and involve themselves in community organizations, singing groups, interest groups, publications and planning events. They also actively utilize the newest technologies involving in the process a variety of social groups with special attention to youth and children.
Although the Livonian community is small and scattered, it is very active and has tight connections with the traditional cultural and historic Livonian land in northern Kurzeme, which includes the Livonian Coast and other areas where Livonians once lived. Beside the Livonians themselves, there are also people who have concerned themselves with the safeguarding and development of intangible Livonian cultural heritage for a variety of reasons (Livonian origin or family connections, engagement in Livonian ensembles or projects, social or research interest, residence or seasonal presence on traditional Livonian lands, etc.).
Importance in Community Life
Livonian cultural space is shaped by a diverse but tightly interconnected body of intangible cultural heritage material possessing both traditional and modern elements.
Activities/Actions
Oral traditions and expressions including language as a carrier of intangible culture.
Livonian cultural space is inextricably intertwined with with the Livonian language. Intangible Livonian cultural heritage took shape in close interaction with Latvian intangible cultural heritage and exerted a strong influence on it. For this reason, language has long served as a distinguishing marker of Livonian heritage and a sign of belonging to the Livonian community.
Lanugage still has this role today. There are almost no elements in the cultural space that are imaginable without its presence. Becoming familiar with the language always entails a larger coming to knowledge of the culture with both traditional cultural sources (folklore and traditions, traditional music, stories, etc.) and newer cultural texts (Livonian literature, life stories, etc.) serving as sources. The Livonian language and its elements are employed in the process of maintaining and developing cultural traditions, events and song traditions, as well as in the cultural milieu, food preparation, and the making of traditional clothing.
Despite the Livonian community’s difficult situation, the Livonian language is still being passed on through an uninterrupted oral tradition. Currently, at least 20 individuals have the ability to communicate in the Livonian language that they have inherited. However, the number of people involved in this process is much larger and it is diverse. Language learning occurs in the family (from grandparents, parents, more distant relatives) and from others who know the language.
The Livonians have developed a wide support network for the purpose of safeguarding and developing their language which ranges from informal gatherings, the children’s and youth summer school “Mierlinkizt” and camps for speakers of the language to university programmes, events for diverse audiences, publications and internet resources (dictionaries, language and song collections, etc.) This network has traditionally been international in scope and inclusive of a variety of educational institutions, community organizations, and enthusiasts.
Performance
The tradition of singing, musical ensembles and groups has had a very important role in safeguarding and developing Livonian cultural space. The tradition of singing together began in the early 1920s with a repertoire that included both folklore and works whose lyrics or music were composed by Livonians themselves.
In 1972, the founding of the ensembles “Līvlist” and “Kāndla” in Rīga and Ventspils were particularly important events. These were actions the Livonians took in order to legalize the safeguarding of their cultural heritage under conditions of Soviet occupation. Today, these have been joined by other groups and currently Livonians songs are the predominant repertoire for more than nine groups, ensembles, and choirs comprising both older traditional music and newer compositions. Most of these are songs that have become folklorized, but new works are being added to the repertoire on an ongoing basis. The musical heritage is widely utilized at events and in a variety of heritage processes.
Social customs, rituals, and festivals
Singing has a large role in calendrical customs. The most unusual is the bird wakening ritual known to the entire Livonian community through the song “Tšītšōrlinkizt,” an incantatory song sung in the spring to waken the birds from their winter sleep. In the traditional calendar, which has its roots in the ancient mythology of the Balto-Finnic people, this was the beginning of the new year.
The Livonian festival celebrated in Mazirbe on the first Saturday in August is a newer tradition. This festival first took place in 1989 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the building of the Livonian Culture Centre. This is the largest community gathering of Livonians and their associates where all cultural sectors are represented. New traditions continue to come into being today. One example is Livonian Flag Day, which has been marked on November 18 in a number of locations since 1998 to honour the consecration of the Livonian flag at the Mazirbe rectory in 1923. Since 2011, Livonian Culture Days take place in Ventspils biennially.
In addition to such organized events, there are also customs associated with belief structures. One of these is the presentation of offerings to the Mother of the Sea, which are brought to the seashore to pray for success. Tradition has also undergone transformation with the bringing of wreaths into the sea during the Livonian festival. One custom, among many, involves placing rowan brances above doorways (even in apartment buildings) and gates on the evening before summer solstice.
Livonians have a rich, unique corpus of traditional culture that is saturated with animistic beliefs and a variety of mothers, fathers, and spirits as well as a singular array of spirit beings (e.g. werewolves, malevolent and undead spirits) that have also entered modern cultural forms of expression (poetry, story, children’s camp activities, etc.).
Knowledge and Skills Related to Nature and the Universe
The northern Kurzeme coast and its characteristic geography has historically facilitated the isolation of the villages and along with them the continuity of the Livonian community. The Livonians also have a distinctive lifestyle; knowledge about the sources of their main subsistence activities also had an important role, i.e. the sea and farming in the sandy and marshy areas of the coast.
Despite the longstanding prohibition against fishing during the Soviet period, fishers today have inherited their ancient knowledge about the intricacies of fishing which includes knowing the location of shallow areas and best areas for fishing, favourable weather conditions and phases of the moon, and ways of dividing up the catch. Gardeners still make use of traditional techniques which include collecting algae to fertilize the sandy soil and sea shells for chickens.
Traditional crafts
Livonian culinary traditions are also closely tied to the sea. Fish are consumed widely, often in combination with meat which is typical only of Livonians. Fish are also combined with dairy products. Examples include poached salt flounder in a sauce of fried meat and unpeeled potatoes and rye-flour pie baked on a bed of cabbage leaves with a filling of bacon, onions, and sprats. A variety of fish soups are also traditional—cold-smoked flounder soup and other fish soups made with milk or heavy cream. There are also cold fish soups made with soured milk and fire-roasted herring. Porridges were also consumed along with other more widely known foods such as sour porridge and rye-flour pies with potato-carrot filling.
Cooking is also connected to fish processing which includes hot smoking, cold smoking, salting, and drying (especially flounder) for winter.
Livonians also possess some unique traditional craft skills. One of these relates to the national costume and the making of women’s caps with distinctive ornamentation in the back. There is also a new style dating from the 1940s that references the ancient Livonian practice of multi-stranded chain necklaces and penannular brooches.
Inheritance and Transfer
With a literary heritage dating to the mid-nineteenth century, modern culture is just as important to the Livonians as traditional culture.
Literature took on a particularly important role after World War I when the study, collecting, safeguarding, and development of the Livonian language and intangible cultural heritage began with the assistance of related peoples, which simultaneously bolstered Livonian self-confidence and identity formation. A significant amount of original literature was created during these years as new artists and composers emerged.
Livonian culture tradition has never been interrupted—original works of literature continue to be published, music continues to be composed, cultural events (poetry readings, contemporary music concerts, arts exhibitions) take place regularly, which contribute a distinctive Livonian cultural sector to Latvia’s contemporary cultural space.
The means by which culture develops today has an important role both in establishing continuity and the transmittance and development of intangible cultural heritage. This is illustrated by the way songs that have originated since the 1930s with lyrics by Livonian poets (K. Stalte’s “Min izāmō” [My Fatherland], “Plagā loul” [Flag Song], Kalāmīe loul [The Fisherman’s Song], “Mäng” [Singing Game], Vȭrõl mōl [In a Strange Land]; P. Dambergs’ Kas tūndõd mōd [Do You Know the Land] have become folklorized. Newer songs have similarly been folklorized. These include Alā jūo [Don’t Drink] by U. Frasere/A. Skadiņš; Älloul [Lullaby] by U. Frasere/P. Dambergs; Rikāz rānda [the Wealthy Coast] by J. Stalte/K. Stalte and others. The publication in 2011 of a reading primer created by K. Stalte in the 1930s illustrated by students of the Kolka and Pāle primary schools and the modern Livonian legends written by Kolka children in 2013 demonstrate this continuity.
Although the structure of the community shows dispersal throughout Latvia, Livonians continue to maintain close ties with the last Livonian settlement in northern Kurzeme—the Livonian Coast, whose uniqueness facilitated the preservation of the Livonian cultural space that still continues to hold items of important intangible cultural heritage including an important cultural milieu with monuments of language, culture, vernacular architecture, and tradition. The culture milieu continues to be foundational for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and learning. Livonian intangible cultural heritage is likewise integrated in all regions of Kurzeme and Vidzeme formerly inhabited by Livonians.
History
The Livonians are a Balto-Finnic people who came into being on Latvian territory more than 1,000 years ago. In early times, Livonians inhabited large areas of land in Vidzeme (around the lower reaches of the Daugava and Gauja rivers and along the coast as far as Estonia) and in Kurzeme. The Livonians were important people in the Baltic littoral. In later times, these areas decreased in size, but by the nineteenth century, they could be found only around the Svētupe River area and in fourteen fishing villages in northern Kurzeme from Oviši to Ģipka.
Active study of the linguistic and cultural heritage began in the mid-nineteenth century when the first publications and literary works in the Livonian language were published. The development of an ethnic Livonian identity took shape in the 1920s when Estonian and Finnish academics and culture workers became involved in research and safeguarding. The Livonian community received significant moral and practical support for their endeavours to maintain their identity as they formed various social movements, publications, and events. The culmination of this process was the opening of the Livonian Community House in Mazirbe in August 1939 with the funding of the Livonians themselves, related nations, and Latvia.
The safeguarding and development of Livonian heritage continued during the Soviet occupation as well. In the beginning, it was partially underground, but later with the assistance of the Livonian folklore groups “Līvlist” and “Kāndla” this was legalized but still in tight cooperation with Estonian academics and culture workers. Since Latvian independence was restored, Livonian culture has experienced a remarkable upswing, which is expressed in the endeavours to research and safeguard tradition as well as in contemporary cultural developments.
Over time, Livonians have blended with other ancient inhabitants on Latvian land leaving their imprint on the Latvian nation as we know it today. They have become one of the cornerstones of Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage, which unlike many others, has managed to survive and maintain its uniqueness up until today. For this reason, a complete understanding of Latvia’s intangible cultural heritage is not possible without the inclusion of Livonian heritage, but the key to this heritage lies in Livonian cultural space and primarily in the Livonian language and cultural knowledge. Livonian intangible cultural heritage exists only in the Livonian language, which has not been fully documented which means that language loss will largely make other heritage elements inaccessible.
Livonian intangible cultural heritage is also significant in a larger regional sense since Livonians are one of the oldest Balto-Finnic peoples. The interest in this community from outside Latvia attests to the historical importance of the Livonians; their uniqueness has been and continues to be crucial to understandings of the intangible cultural heritage.
Until quite recently, Livonian cultural space took shape in conditions of marginalization and isolation from Latvian intangible cultural heritage. Research, documentation, and safeguarding efforts were largely supported by foreign institutions, social activists and academics. For this reason, the most important collections and affiliated scholarship are located outside Latvia. This is also why the Latvian public is still lacking in a basic understanding of Livonians and their cultural heritage, even though Livonians are one of Latvia’s foundational nations, shaped and lived on the lands belonging to the Latvia of today.
In the last twenty years, Livonians have undertaken wide ranging measures to educate the public about Livonian heritage, ensure its accessibility creating all necessary conditions for further study of the Livonian cultural space and its safeguarding and promotion. All of this is evidence there is tremendous interest among Livonians themselves in safeguarding and develoipment their own intangible cultural heritage.
Another sign of the special place Livonian heritage has in Latvia is that Livonians are inscribed as a foundational nation in Latvian legislation “On Free Development of Latvia's National and Ethnic Groups and Their Right to Cultural Autonomy”. Livonian traditions were also incorporated into the preamble to the Constitution of the Republic of Lavia and Livonian traditional culture is part of Latvia’s Cultural Canon while the Livonian language is covered by the Official Language Law and is on the UNESCO List of Endangered Languages.
Masters
1. Andris Antmanis – zvejas un tautas celtniecības tradīciju kopējs.
2. Gundega Blumberga – Livonian social activist, founder and longtime leader of the “Līvõ kultūr sidām” [Livonian Culture Centre]; editor of various Livonian community publications; keeper of Livonian cultural traditions.
3. Renāte Blumberga – founder of the “Līvõ kultūr sidām” [Livonian Culture Centre], Livonian social activist, language speaker, keeper and researcher of Livonian cultural traditions, author of many publications.
4. Irmgarde Cerbaha – language speaker.
5. Baiba Damberga – founder of the “Līvõ kultūr sidām” [Livonian Culture Centre], language speaker, poet, artist, keeper of Livonian cultural traditions (including musical and culinary traditions).
6. Ausma Ernestovska – Livonian social activist, president of the Ventspils Livonian Association “Rānda,” founder and singer in the “Rāndalist” ensemble.
7. Ieva Ernštreite – Livonian social activist, leader of the “Līvõd Īt” [Livonian Union].
8. Valts Ernštreits – Livonian social activist, founder and leader of the “Līvõ kultūr sidām” [Livonian Culture Centre], language speaker, poet, keeper and researcher of Livonian cultural traditions, author of many publications.
9. Zigurds Ete – keeper of musical heritage, leader of the “Līvlist” ensemble.
10. Ulla Frasere – language speaker, keeper of Livonian musical heritage, composer.
11. Ģirts Gailītis – researcher of Livonian choral music, founder and conductor of the “Lōja” choir, musical arranger.
12. Ilmārs Geige – Livonian social activist, former member of Saeima.
13. Ēriks Kāpbergs, sr. – keeper of fishing traditions.
14. Ērika Krautmane – language speaker, Livonian language teacher at “Mierlinkizt” children’s and youth summer school.
15. Maija Kronberga – keeper of musical heritage, leader of the “Rāndalist” ensemble.
16. Gita Kūla – language speaker.
17. Ķempju Kārlis – Livonian social activist, language speaker, poet, keeper of Salaca Livonian language tradition.
18. Dženeta Marinska – keeper of culintary heritage.
19. Maija Norenberga – language speaker.
20. Rasma Noriņa – research of Salaca Livonian genealogy traditions.
21. Ilga Porniece – keeper of musical heritage, leader of “Kāndla” and “Piški kāndla” musical ensembles.
22. Irisa Priedīte – researcher of intangible Livonian heritage.
23. Jēkabs Raipulis – keeper of musical heritage, longtime participant in “Līvlist” ensemble.
24. Zoja Sīle – language speaker, keeper of musical heritage and traditional clothing traditions, longtime member of “Līvlist” musical ensemble.
25. Dāvis Stalts – language speaker, keeper of musical heritage.
26. Helmī Stalte – keeper of Livonian cultural tradition and especially musical heritage.
27. Julgī Stalte – Livonian social activist, language speaker, keeper of Livonian cultural tradition including musical and culinary tradition, composer, leader of the “Skandinieki” folklore group and “Kalā jeng” musical ensemble.
28. Ingrīda Šneidere – researcher of Livonian family traditions in Kurzeme.
29. Baiba Šuvcāne – Livonian social activist, local historian, keeper and researcher of genealogy and cultural traditions, author.
30. Dzintra Tauniņa – keeper of musical heritage, leader of Kolka Livonian ensemble “Laula.”
31. Edroma Veide – keeper of musical heritage, longtime member of the “Līvlist” ensemble.
32. Alvīne Veinberga – researcher of Livonian family traditions in Kurzeme.
33. Māra Vīgerte – Livonian social activist, organizer of Ventspils Livonian Culture Days, keeper of Livonian cultural and culinary traditions.
34. Tiit Rein Viitso – Livonian social activist, president of The International Society of Livonian Friends, language speaker, keeper and researcher of Livonian language and traditions.
35. Mārīte Zandberga – Livonian social activist, language speaker, keeper of Livonian musical and material heritage.
36. Ieva Zdanovska – Livonian social activist, director of the “Mierlinkizt” children’s and youth summer school.
37. Dagmāra Ziemele – language speaker, keeper of musical heritage, longtime member of the Līvlist ensemble.
38. Māra Zirnīte – researcher of Livonian oral history heritage.
39. Linda Zonne-Zumberga – language speaker, teacher at the “Mierlinkizt” children’s and youth summer school.
Agencies and Institutions
Community public organisations of the Livonian Community:
“Liv (Livonian) Union“ Līvõd ”, founded in 1923;
• “Līvõ Circular” association (Livonian cultural centre), established in 1994;
“Ventspils Living Association Randa” was founded in 2012.
Other organizations and institutions:
international Livonian Society, founded in 1998, registered in Estonia;
“Coris Lōja”, founded in 2011;
Latvian University Institute, founded in 2018.
Strengthening
The daily work in the preservation of Livonian identity, language and culture is performed by three Livonian Community public organisations – the association “Liv (Livonian) Union“ Līvõd ”(LS), the association“ Līvõ crops ”(Lcc cultural centre; LCC) and the foundation“ Ventspils Livonian association “Randa” ”, from which the activity of the Livonian culture is largely dependent on the existence and continuation of the Livonian culture, if the cultural space is assumed to be based on the Livonian Community.
LS is organized annually in August by traditional Livonian festivals, which is the largest Community assembly event; provides access to the Livonian People's House in Mazirbé – exhibitions, Livonian music and tradition events, Livonian language and cultural traditions, previews of significant events and personalities. LS also organizes the Livonian children and youth summer school “Mierlinkizt”. LS regional groups organise their activities, including the day of the Livonian flag.
THE main task OF THE LCC has been to maintain a livones.net cultural space portal aimed at strengthening the Community identity of the Livonian community, informing the public of the events of the Livonian culture, as well as documenting, maintaining and promoting the inheritance of the Livonian intangible cultural heritage.
In 2018, 2020 and 2022, “Randa” has organized the Livonian cultural days in Ventspils, which have both popular scientific readings on Livonian language, culture and history, and concerts that introduce both the traditional and modern culture of the Livonian. In 2022, “Randas” and LS Ventspils group members went on an exchange of experience in Colas and Pitragh.
Organizations have issued or participated in the issuance of such books: the poetry Krajums “Trillium” (2018), the newsletter “Livs/Livlizt” 2. d. (2019), b. Damberg poetry sample “Eu and cit eu” (2020), Livonian Years (2020), K. Staltes poetry sample “rich Jurmala/Rikaz randda” (2020), R. Blumberg monograph “History of the Livonian People's House” (2021).
The association “koris Lōja”, which deals with the preservation of the Livonian Cork Heritage, has organized the V libian singing festival on August 18, 2019 in Dzegujkalns Riga. In 2019, the choir “Lōja” organized a Sunday event at the Latvian camp “Sidrabene” with the promotion of Livonian traditions. In 2019-2022, the association implemented a number of projects (CKF, LNKC) for the promotion of Livonian Corps, six composers jointly ordered 16 pieces, updated and improved website livodcuor.lv. In 2022, the video for “Lina Nurm” (Agneta Krilova, Kempi Carl, Lōja) is published. Annual bird wake-up events have been actively organised and the choir participates in all events of the Liv Union, including the Livonian festival in Mazirbé, actively cooperating with LU Livonian Institute, State and local government organizations.
THE LU Li Institute (LU LI) is a scientific institution that focuses on the modern research of the Livonian and their heritage. Part of the study carried out in the 2018-2022 studies is also applicable to the Livonian SNA, such as the Livonian dictionary and the Livonian site collection available at livonian.tech. There are also lībiešu language learning tools developed by the Institute. LU LI has implemented language learning projects “seven Livonian-language hours” (2020) and “sing and learn the Livonian language” (2021). LU LI engages in the development of the educational content of the summer school “Mierlinkizt”, as well as investing large resources in the publicity of the Livonian issue.
The International Livonian Society's association supports LU LI research and publicity activities and the small extent of the Community activities of the Livonian Community (participating in the collection of the poetry stock “Trillium” (2018) and issued the stock “Trillium 2.0” (2020)), organizes events related to the Livs in Estonia and excursions on Vidzeme and Kurzeme Liber.
The transfer of THE NKM is facilitated by the summer School “Mierlinkizt” of children and young people of Livonian origin, in which around 50 participants take classes in Livonian traditions in Mazirbe each year. The Livonian language classes continue also during the autumn-spring period – once a month online or in person, where the number of participants is 40-50. There is continuity in school activities – former participants later become volunteer assistants and educators. The various publications and other cultural events, both for the Livs themselves and for the wider audience, allow a deeper understanding of the Livonian culture and history. The Livonian Festival and the Livonian cultural days of Ventspils fulfil the function of familiarising Livonian culture, as well as strengthening the sense of belonging to the Livonian Community. On the portal, people get information about both current and historical events of the cultural space. All measures generally allow people to get to know their liberal roots and, as experience has shown, to facilitate their path to integration into the Libyan Community and even decide to change their nationality to “Libian/- e”, thus contributing to the sustainability of the element. Although the chorus “Lōja” does not represent the Lybian Community, its active and artistic quality involvement in Community events and the performance of the chorus in Lybian helps popularize the Libyan cultural space, while members of the Community have the opportunity to gather from various places in Latvia and sing together in Lybian, thus maintaining and developing a vital living tradition of the Lybian Community – singing libidly even if the only knowledge of the language is lyrics. Learning materials created by LU LI are for beginners, while higher-level learners and language users use an online dictionary. Online Livonian learning tools promote the Livonian language, provide access to it for all interested persons, and help to maintain and raise interest in members of the Livonian Community in order to ensure the inheritance of the language.
LS has received municipal support (Dundaga until 2021, Talsi from 2022) for both administrative expenditure and implementation of the measures – a total of approximately EUR 19 000 in five years. State funding for the improvement of the infrastructure of the Livonian People's House and the organisation of events have been obtained. The support of the Livonian cultural activities is also linked to the support of private foundations and private individuals, as well as the funding from THE CKF, THE LNKC and the Kurzeme cultural programme. THE LCC has received funding for the livones.net of the portal and other cultural activities from THE LNKC, THE CKF and Kurzeme Culture Programme. “Randa” for Ventspils cultural days in 2018, 2020 and 2022 from Ventspils municipality received a total of 6500 EURO. The other funding received from THE LNKC, THE CF and the Kurzeme cultural programme. Volunteering is also carried out in all organisations. Similarly, the association “choir Lōja” is also active.
In order to ensure the sustainability of THE SNA element, organisations continue to cooperate with local governments, as well as to submit projects TO THE LNKC and THE CKF, to seek private support.
LU LI provides itself with funding through the participation of scientific project competitions.
Continuity/Development
All participating institutions registered in Latvia shall be involved with documentation and research. LU LI intends to continue the existing scientific projects (multi-functional linguistic dictionary 2001-2024), returning voice to cultural landscapes: marginalised intangible cultural heritage narcotics, perspectives and practices (2021-2023), as well as developing and submitting new ones. The Livonian Community organisations focus on projects that are more practical for the Community to enhance and maintain knowledge of traditions, history, livelihoods, important people and events. One way of presenting the results of these projects to the Community and the public is the Livonian Years, which have been in place since 1990. The next, which will be devoted to the centuries of the Liv Union, will come out in 2023. THE LCC will carry out the study of the contribution of the Livonian Cultural Employee Jānis Beltes (1893 –1946) and the results, in collaboration with LS, will be published in the book “Belte, that maller”. In 2023, Z. Ernštreite's interview with the people of the Livonian cultural space (“Randa”) will come out. Two studies of cultural significance will be conducted by the Livonian culture-historian r. Blumberga and B. Šuvcāne (History of Livlist, established in 1972). The association “koris Lōja” will prepare for extradition in the Livonian Cormusical Antology.
A more detailed plan of measures – in the Annex.
LS will continue to organize annual Livonian festivals in Mazirbé, Livonian children and youth summer school “Mierlinkizt”, to improve and ensure the content of the activities of the Livonian People's House in collaboration with the municipality. THE LCC will continue to maintain the livones.net of the Livonian culture portal, which is intended to make a substantive change – to increase the presence of the Livonian language as a cultural area, as well as to create it as a site that will be widely familiar with the Livonian heritage (folklore, traditional skills, ancient Livonian mushrooms, etc.). “Randa” plans to continue organising the Livonian cultural days in Ventspils every second year (2024, 2026 and 2028). LU LI will continue to maintain and build the Livonian language learning tools at livonian.tech. The association “koris Lōja” is planning to organize THE celebration of VI and VII's singing festival and to engage with the promotion of Livonian chores.
All participating institutions intend to engage in public awareness of the values of the Livonian culture by organising educational seminars, lectures, exhibitions, masters, publicity events, etc. In 2023, all organisations are planning to engage in the events of the Livonian Heritage Year, as well as the celebration of the Livonian Union and the Livonian flag.
A more detailed plan of measures – in the Annex.
The main objective of the measures is to ensure the sustainability of the Livonian culture, which, as indicated in the application, is threatened by: (1) Community dissipation and, consequently, the encumbered inheritance process, (2) the unavailability of the sources required to ensure inheritance, 3) insufficient knowledge of the Latvian society about the Livs and the modern-day Livonian Community. Although there has been much progress in reducing these risks over the past five years, the main focus of Community dissipation remains, and this will be the case in the future, and therefore the measures to strengthen the Community and its involvement in the inheritance process are of particular importance.
At the same time, most of the planned measures have a number of functions: raising and transferring knowledge, informing the Livs and the public, and strengthening the Community. The activities involve both modern technological possibilities (Livonian language learning materials on the web, portal livones.net, Livonian themes and social network profiles), as well as local events (annual Livonian festivals, Livonian cultural days in Ventspils, musical collective activities, Livonian festival, children and youth summer school “Mierlinkizt”, bird wake-up, etc.).
Cultural activities and the transfer of knowledge strengthen the Livonian Community and promote the integration of people into cultural activities, as well as the promotion of the elements of the Livonian culture in the wider community. By offering various content activities at different levels, a broader audience is addressed and involved in ensuring the sustainability of the Livonian culture. By providing in-depth opportunities for familiarisation with the Livonian heritage, which is accumulated abroad and often due to language barriers, many are not available, the shared knowledge of the estate will be expanded. The fact that such knowledge is necessary shows feedback from users, such as the Livonian culture site livones.net.
The new generation of education provides inheritance, while the maintenance and development of the Livonian language learning tools will ensure the preservation and development of the Livonian language as a cultural space. Awareness and education of the Livonian Community and society is another set of measures that will contribute to the protection and development of the cultural area. It is important to use the Livonian People's House in Mazirbé, which is regarded not only in the eyes of the Community but also in the wider public as the Kurzeme Livonian Centre and the symbol.
Threats
The preservation of the Livonian culture is undermined by a number of factors, some of which exist for a long time. The first of these is the diffusion of Community, sources and resources associated with the Livonian culture. The factor relates to the complex history of the Livonian community in recent centuries and creates permanent logistical difficulties in the preservation of intangible heritage: the Community's involvement in the process of inheritance and related activities, the availability of measures, sources and resources etc. However, this problem can be addressed through the benefits of modern technological development (e-solutions, social networks etc.).
The fact that the sources and resources needed to ensure the inheritance of the Livonian culture is often difficult (for example, located abroad) or created in languages with a skill for most of the Community members (Livonian, Estonian, Finnish, German) is closely linked to the diffusion of sources and resources. In recent years, both the Community's active efforts to address this situation are seen, aiming at ensuring the availability and availability of sources and resources as easily and as possible.
The small size of the Community, which limits the efficiency of the inheritance measures (the amount of projects or activities to be implemented, the speed and the availability of human resources), is also an important factor, as well as the congestion of human resources and the busy borrowing. The problem could be addressed by the current non-existing national support and coordination mechanisms which should be derived from the laws of Latvia, which determine the state's responsibility for the protection and development of the Livonian heritage.
Latvian society's lack of knowledge of Livs, Livonian culture and the contemporary Livonian Community is also considered as an important factor. This is often a threat to decision-making on the support and direction of projects important for the Community and also creates situations where the various institutions of the Livonian culture are prepared or projects that are not based on real situations and needs are created using inadequate information on the elements of the Livonian culture, are duplicative or low-quality.
Applicant
Valts Ernštreits, head of “Līvõ kultūr sidām”
Image Gallery
Video Materials
Text Materials
Publications
Blumberga, R., Mekeleinens, T., Pajusalu, K. (sast. and red.) (2013). Lībieši. Vēsture, valoda un kultūra. Rīga: Līvõ kultūr sidām. [Book includes articles on the ancient and modern history of the Livonians in Kurzeme and Vidzeme, the Livonian language, the Livonian folklore and the People's Calendar, Livonian diet, literature, fine art and musical life.]
Blumberga, G., Blumberga, R., Damberga, B., Ernštreits, V. (2017). Lībieši. Līvlizt. Rīga: “Līvõd Īt”, Livonian Union.
Blumberga, G. (sast.) (2014). Aprobežosimies ar maksimumu. Rīga: Līvõ kultūr sidām. [Livonian latest history (1994-2014) events collection in documents, publications and photographs.]
Blumberga, R. (2006). Lībieši dokumentos un vēstulēs. Somijas zinātnieku ekspedīcijas pie lībiešiem. Rīga: Latvijas vēstures institūta apgāds.
Caune, A. (1998). Rīgas lībieši un viņu īpašumzīmes. Rīga: Latvijas kultūras fonds; Jumava.
Cimermanis, S. (1994-1999). Būves un to izmantošana lībiešu ciemos. Monthly magazine Līvli.
Ernštreits, V. (2011). Lībiešu rakstu valoda. Rīga: Latviešu valodas aģentūra; Līvõ kultūr sidām.
Karma, T. (1994). Lībiešu mitoloģija. Book Mitoloģijas enciklopēdija. 2. edition. Rīga. 232–238.
Lībiešu tautastērps. Attachment of the monthly magazine Līvli. 1998. No. 2. [Article on 10th-20th century Livonian clothing.]
Loorits, O. (1935). Lībju folklora un mītoloģija. Grām. Latviešu konversācijas vārdnīca. XII edition. Rīga. 23298–23307.
Loorits, O. (1936). Volkslieder der Liven. Tartu: Gelehrte Estnische Gesellschaft (Õpetatud Eesti Seltsi toimetused XXVIII. Verhandlungen der Gelehrten Estnischen Gesellschaft XXVIII). [The broadest study of the Livonian traditional songs, as well as the most complete publication of Livonian traditional songs.]
Loorits, O. (1998). Liivi rahva usund. Mit einem Referat: Der Volksglauben der Liven. I–III. Faksiimileväljaanne. Tartu: Eesti Keele Instituut. [Study of the Livonian religious views.]
Loorits, O. (2000). Liivi rahva usund. IV–V. Toim. L. Krikmann, M. Hiiemäe, M. Kõiva, K. Salve. Tartu: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum. [Continuation of the study of the Livonian religious views]
Mälk, V., Damberg, P., Kokare, E. u.c. (sast.) (1981). Liivi vanasõnad eesti, vadja ja läti vastetega. I–II. Tallinn: Eesti Raamat. [The widest compilation of the Livonian proverbs.]
Šuvcāne, B. (2017). Lībiešu krasts. Rīga: Latvijas Mediji. [The book talks about every Livonian village, highlighting the main natural and cultural characteristics of the village.]
Šuvcāne, V. M. (sast. un tulk.) (2003). Lībiešu folklora. Rīga: Jumava. [The widest compilation in which Livonian fairy tales, sentences, beliefs, proverbs, pastry and folk songs are published in Latvian.]
Zirnīte, M. (2011). Lībieši Ziemeļkurzemes ainavā. Rīga: Dabas aizsardzības pārvalde. [Life stories of Kurzeme Livonians.]
Šuvcāne, V. M. (2002). Lībiešu ciems, kura vairs nav. Rīga: Jumava.
Viitso, T-R., Ernštreits, V. (2012) Līvõkīel-ēstikīel-leţkīel sõnārōntõz. Liivi-eesti-läti sõnaraamat. Lībiešu-igauņu-latviešu vārdnīca. Tartu, Rīga: Tartu Ülikool; Latviešu valodas aģentūra.
Websites
http://www.livones.net - Basic information on Livonians, Livonian community events since 2006, Livonian information archive, descriptions of people and organizations etc. Personal and Organisation Descriptions, etc. The portal is available in Latvian, English and Livonian.
http://www.livones.net/lingua/ - Livonian-Estonian-Latvian dictionary, database of grammar forms, register of Livonian place names, Livonian language body, studies on Livonian language.
http://www.livodkuor.lv - a web page dedicated to the musical heritage of the Livonians, where the Livonian songs with sheet music and pronunciation, descriptions of the authors of melodies, and other information related to the musical heritage is available
http://virtuallivonia.info/ - In 1996 Uldis Balodis created a website with basic information about the Livonians in English.
https://www.facebook.com/livones.net/ - the profile of the portal Livones.net where the portal's news applications are published, as well as other news related to Livonian community and Livonians
https://www.facebook.com/livuval/ - Līvõ kēļ - profile for the learning the basics of Livonian language, where the words or phrases are published daily with translation in Latvian and English.
https://www.facebook.com/livudiena - Livonian day / Līvu diena /Līvõd pǟva – a profile that informs about the monthly events of Līvu diena, as well as some of other Livonian community activities.
https://www.facebook.com/libiesi/ - Līvi. Livs, Līvlizt – a low-active profile who informs about some of Livonian community activities.