Initiations, Rituals, Celebrations: Cultural Features of Latvian Villages 

Many village festivals and traditions are still alive today. These include pagan and Christian rituals, initiation ceremonies, songs, dances, and national dishes. They are still practiced in places like Alsunga, Mazirbe, and other small towns and settlements. Like other cultural expressions, they vary greatly from region to region.

This material highlights some of the vibrant village traditions that have survived to the present day. For a more detailed introduction to Latvia’s rural traditions, we recommend a visit to one of the ethnographic museums listed at the end of this text.

Family and Wedding Rituals

Village relationships are based on neighborhoods and family ties. Several related initiation rituals are still alive in rural areas. The most prominent example is the wedding, where the bride is blindfolded and led out of her parents’ house. This custom dates back to pagan times, when brides were ” stolen” and blindfolded to prevent them from finding their way back.

The Suiti people, an ethnographic group living in the western part of Kurzeme and practicing Catholicism, are also known for their ancient and lively wedding traditions. Suiti ethnographic and folklore ensembles often present episodes from Suiti wedding traditions in performances and real weddings.

According to Latgalian traditions, bridesmaids used to weave a wreath before the wedding – this was the last day the bride would wear it. On that day, the groom and his father arrived at the bride’s house, where the father inquired about the family’s household and asked to see a bride suitable for his son. The hosts might present a little girl and jokingly suggest her as a bride. After some symbolic negotiation, the promised bride would be brought out. Realizing the impending separation from her home, the bride would often weep.

The couple then proceeded to the church for the wedding ceremony. On the way, they were tested for family life: the groom chopped wood, the bride kneaded flax, and their ability to sleep together on a narrow bench was judged. After the wedding, songs, dances and blessings for a happy life began. The bride’s wreath was removed and her head was covered with a kerchief, symbolizing her new status as a married woman.

When a child was born, it was welcomed into the family with a krustabas ritual. Traditionally held on the ninth day after birth (although nowadays it might be later), this ceremony gave the baby its name. Krustabas could last up to two days. On the first day, relatives and godparents gathered around a table and consumed white foods symbolizing the newborn’s purity – usually bread and milk. The guests stood close together around the table to symbolize the hope that the child’s teeth would grow firmly. They became acquainted with the infant, sang protective songs, and danced while holding the baby to attract good luck and happiness.

On the second day, gifts were presented to the baby as it rocked in its cradle. In wealthier families, boys were given a foal to grow into a horse, and girls were given a calf to grow into a cow.

Festivals and customs

Seasonal cycles are linked to agricultural work and calendar celebrations. One of the most colorful and widespread is Līgo, or Jāņi Day, which is celebrated nationwide. We have written more about this summer solstice festival. Its celebration varies in different regions. On the Baltic coast in Mazirbe, for example, bonfires are lit on the beach to honor the fertility and abundance of the sea. In this and other places, such as Jūrkalne, fiery wheels are rolled down steep hills into the water as an offering.

In addition to Līgo, villages also celebrate Miķeļi, the autumnal equinox on September 29, which symbolizes the end of the harvest. Called apjumības or appļāvības in Latvian, it is the last day for harvesting grain. A large fair is held in Old Riga, attracting farmers from all over Latvia. Women bake bread and men serve home-brewed beer. In Kurzeme villages, the day is marked by the preparation of sklandrausis or zograusis – old rye pastry baskets. Sklandrausis can be replaced by carrot cake for those who do not want to experiment with traditional cuisine.

Miķeļi includes rituals to bring prosperity to the household: some grain is left in the field for Jumis, the deity of fertility. Observations on Miķeļi help predict the weather for the coming year: acorns left on oaks indicate deep snow at Christmas; leaves falling late predict lingering spring snow.

Another Latvian tradition still celebrated in the fall is Mārtiņi (St. Martin’s Day) on November 11. It marks the end of the grazing season and the beginning of winter. As during Meteņi, people dressed in masks visit their neighbors to offer blessings. To ensure a fruitful and successful year, a feast is held where portions of food are offered to spirits and deities. Typical dishes include black pudding, potato and pea dishes, bacon rolls, cottage cheese and honey.

Paganism and Christianity

In Latvia, as in other Baltic countries, pagan and Christian traditions are intertwined in spiritual life. This is especially true in villages with indigenous populations. In Alsunga, the capital of the Suiti region, an important tradition is the making of wooden crosses for family graves.

Traditional celebrations in Alsunga include Māras Day on August 15. On this day, medicinal herbs are gathered and blessed in church. These herbs are consumed, given to livestock, and kept in homes for special occasions.

Five Places Preserving and Promoting Traditions

Latvia has several large museums and ethnographic centers dedicated to preserving traditions for future generations. Visiting such a place offers not only an introduction to the cultural features of Latvia’s peoples but also helps fund programs for restoring and maintaining cultural values.

• Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum

Located on the shores of Lake Jugla in Riga, it is one of the largest open-air museums in Europe. The museum features 118 residential, farm, and public wooden buildings from the 17th to the 20th century, including the homesteads of Latvian peasants, craftsmen, and fishermen, houses of Russian Old Believers in Latgale, Liv fishermen in Kurzeme, as well as churches of various denominations and bathhouses. By prior arrangement, you can visit the museum’s storage facility and explore its extensive archive.

• Alsunga Cultural Center

For almost 400 years, Alsunga has been the heart of the Suiti region. In 2009, the Suiti Cultural Area was declared a UNESCO Intangible Heritage Site. The Cultural Center introduces visitors to the history and life of the Suiti people, hosts workshops on making traditional costumes and tools, and organizes evenings of folk songs and dances. The easiest way to follow the announcements is on Facebook.

• Madona Local History and Art Museum

Founded in 1944, this museum is dedicated to the local culture and crafts of the Madona region. It collects, preserves and exhibits materials related to the history, culture and art of the region. The museum also supports educational programs for schoolchildren and holds regular musical evenings (check the museum’s Facebook page for the schedule).

• Slutišķi Old Believer Village Museum
  

Located in the village of Slutišķi, this museum showcases Old Believer culture and features old houses with distinctive wooden decorations. Visitors can learn about the traditions of the Old Believers, who migrated to the region from Russia in the 17th century. The open-air exhibition is divided into two sections: “Traditional Old Believer Home” with religious garments, icons and decorated towels, and “Horse Tack and Farming Tools of the Daugavpils Region” with equipment from the early 20th century.

• Ethnographic House “Zvanītāji”

This place offers a modern interpretation of ancient traditions. It displays household items, traditional Rucava folk costumes, socks, mitten patterns, and introduces visitors to the local cuisine: rye bread, sklandrausis (carrot or potato-filled rye tarts), honey, and herbal teas. The house itself is noteworthy, having preserved its historical 19th-century appearance.