TRADITIONS

L AT VIA
Diversity of colours in Latvia
 Estonia
Baltic Sea

Russia

RIGA

VIESITE

Lithuania
CULTURE

With Latvia being located on the

crossroads between Western and
Eastern cultures, and having a history of
tumultuous developments, it is clear
that foreign nations have left significant
footprints in Latvia.
LATVIA IS PROUD OF RICH
HERITAGE OF FOLKLORE AND
FOLK CUSTOMS
A significant part of the modern Latvian lifestyle includes:
- summer solstice holiday Jāņi or “Liigo!”,
- the Latvian Song and Dance Festival,
- a treasure trove of folk songs (dainas),
- mythology,
- traditional dress,
- folk dancing.
- A unique value of Latvia's folklore are
the folk songs called Dainas.
- Nothing like them can be found
anywhere in the world.
- Dainas consist of four lines and it is
not possible to transfer them to
another language.
- They can be lyric and witty,
philosophical and ironic, like
aphorisms bringing the ancient
wisdom through the thousands of
years.
CENTURY-OLD TRADITIONS
• folk songs, fairy tales, and legends describe life long ago.
• customs are most evidently manifested at the Jāņi summer solstice
celebration, via mummery during the winter solstice,
• Meteņi festival in February,
• specific egg-dying traditions at Easter.
CULTURE TRADITIONS

Folk song festival. Gala concert in Riga. About 15000 singers are taking
part
LATVIAN NATIONAL SONG
AND DANCE FESTIVAL
• Since 1873 the has taken place.
• The amateur groups from all around Latvia come together in Riga, in
order to join their voices in a powerful chorus and dance folk dances.
• The Song Festival anthem "Sun, Thunder, Daugava" was written by the
Latvian composer Mārtiņš Brauns.
• Foreigners have admitted – only here at the song festival can one fully
see the wonderful and powerful soul of Latvia.
 SONG AND DANCE
• Every five years, for one week. This is the time frame for the main event in
CELEBRATION
Latvian cultural life - the Nationwide Latvian Song and Dance Festival.
• It involves hundreds of choirs and folk dance groups, entrancing thousands
in the audience.
• The Festival has earned high honour internationally, being included on the
UNESCO Oral History and Non-material Cultural Heritage List.
• The next Nationwide Latvian Song and Dance Festival will be held in 2018,
as a tribute to Latvia on its 100th birthday.
FOLK DANCERS
FOLK DANCERS AND FOLK
COSTUMES
PAGAN TRADITIONS

The pagan traditions which are followed in almost every family or

farmstead, such as Summer Solstice or Līgo.
Then on many hills in Latvia bonfires are made, around which people
sing and party through the shortest night of the year until the dawn
rises.
There are Easter and Christmas – these festivities are celebrated twice,
both as a Christian and as a pagan holiday.
Latvia simultaneously honors Christian and Hebrew traditions, as well
as elements of the German and the Slavic cultures.
JANI OR "LIIGO!",

• Do not miss the most Latvian holidays of all –the night from June
23 to June 24 (in harmony with the summer solstice), when people
participate in joyous festivities, just as their ancestors did centuries
ago.
• On the longest day and shortest night of the year, Latvians make
garlands, drink beer, eat caraway cheese, sing, dance, and go to sauna,
all up until dawn!
FESTIVE MARKETS

• Ahead of Jāņi, Christmas, and other celebrations, Latvian towns are

known for their annual fairs
• Fairs provide a good lesson about traditional craftsmanship – weaving,
ceramics, basketry, jewelry-making, wood carving, and metal forging
• You are able to try your own hand in these ancient trades
FOLK AND ANCIENT CULTURE
FESTIVALS
• Every three years, - the International Baltic Folk Festival "Baltica" is
organised, where one can get feelings of the ancient customs
• Ancient traditions in modern execution can be seen at the "Baltijas
Saule" (Baltic Sun) Festival, which is dedicated to the 1236 Battle of
Saule (Sun). Held in Riga every year, the festival offers various activities
from sword fighting in authentic apparel to ethno-rock concerts.
LOCAL VALUES AND
TRADITIONS
• VIESĪTE LOCAL HISTORY MUSEUM "SĒLIJA« –
TREASURE HOUSE OF LOCAL VALUES
• Offers a permanent exposition on history, traditions, heritage
SELONIAN TRADITIONS

• Selonia, Augšzeme, and Aukštaitia all mean highland. The first is derived
from Livonian through German, the second is Latvian, and the third is
Lithuanian.
• The Selonians (Latvian:Sēļi) were a tribe of Baltic peoples. They lived
until the 15th century in Selonia, located in southeastern Latvia and
northeasternLithuania.They eventually merged with neighbouring
tribes, contributing to the ethnogenesis of
modern Latvians and Lithuanians. They spoke theEastern
Baltic Selonian language.
SELONIAN FOLK COSTUMES
SELONIAN TYPICAL FOOD
WELCOME TO LATVIA!