Folklore group
Delve

Baltica, in Sigulda, 2003

      Name: Delve
          meaning: a paw
          recommended transcription in English: Delve
          approximate pronunciation in English: Delve
          Listen pronunciation in AU format (12 Kb)

      Created: 2001
      Location: Vidrizhi, Limbazhi distr., Livland
      Leader: Aina Tobe
      Number of participants: 9, of them by age:
          younger than 14 years: 3
          from 14 to 24 years: 1
          from 25 to 44 years: 3
          from 45 to 64 years: 2
      and by gender:
          males: 5
          females: 4
      Forms of activity: sing, play music, dance, play roundelays
      Musical insruments: kokle (psaltery), bagpipe, pipes, monochord, guimbarde, violin, accordion, drums and other pulsatile instruments

Symbolism:  The bear, the brother  Has five fingers on his paw;  All the five are shod  With silver-mounted claws.        /Latvian folk song/

      Description: The name „delve” is an ancient word, which means „a bear's paw“ - in it appears both playfulness and force. Participants of our ensemble have both these qualities, we are able both to play pranks and to unite in the force of calendar ceremonies.
    The group has reconstructed Livonian archeological clothes (the copies are made by participants themselves) and ancient ornaments and footwear.

In „Birzites“, Germany, August 2003

    In repertoir of the group are vocal melodies, calendar songs and games, and also dance music. Each year repertoir replenishes by new finds from Folklore storehouse, basically - songs from Northern Livland.
    „Delve” has a close cooperation with Ledurga dendrological park, we perform there with a special wedding or celebratory program.
    Our first international festival was Baltica-2003.
    In August, 2003 „Delve” performed in France and Germany.
    To Christmas of 2004 we realized a project „I had a spotted cow“. It is an original puppet show for children, based in Latvian folklore. We still show it in schools, kindergartens, houses of culture and offices.
    In 2005 „Delve” represented Latvia in the folklore festival Baltica in Lithuania.

      Sound sample: Kupla liepa / Ai, saulīte (Leafy linden / Ah, my sun) (2005)
Full song in MP3 format (746 Kb)

      Address:
          in Latvian: Aina Tobe, „Vaivari“, Vidrižu pag., Limbažu raj., LV-4013, Latvija
          in English: Aina Tobe, „Vaivari“, Vidrizhi parish, Limbazhi distr., LV-4013, Latvia
      Phone: (+371) 640-62446, 22426361
      E-mail: kopa-delve_N@N_inbox.lv

      Date of presenting the information: 1 August 2005