Rikava hamlet ethnographical ensemble
Rikava
Production Evening party, Rikava, May 1998
Name: Rikava
meaning: toponym
recommended transcription in English: Rikava
approximate pronunciation in English: Rikava
Listen pronunciation in AU format (11 Kb)
Created: autumn 1954
Location: Rikava, Rezekne distr., Latgalia
Leader: Janīna Mičule
Number of participants: 21, of them by age:
younger than 14 years: 3
from 14 to 24 years: 1
from 25 to 44 years: 9
from 45 to 64 years: 1
older than 64 years: 7
and by gender:
males: 6
females: 15
Forms of activity: sing, play music, dance, play roundelays
Musical instruments:
zither,
accordion,
violin,
drum.
Symbolism:
Our emblem is woven into the flag of the ensemble (Gobelin tapestry).
A mighty oak with strong leafs symbolizes the stability of folk songs and 33
years of activity of the ensemble (the flag is made for the festival
Baltica-88). Oak is the strongest among the trees. Our people has went
through different political storms, but they could not destroy the ancient
ethnic culture. Falling acorns symbolize the continuity of life, the existence
of our culture and also of our ensemble. On the branches of the oak there
is inscription "Rikava", on the roots - "1955".
Sketch by Inese Dundure, tapestry by Linda Dombrovska.
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Description: In 1954 in the vicinities of Rikava a large expedition
of the Academy of Sciences of Latvian SSR had worked; it had collected great
amount of hitherto unknown units of folklore. Folklorist Jānis Rozenbergs had
advised the local narrators to come together in an ensemble - what would allow
to keep and to popularize folklore more effectively. Chief of the club Tekle
Ikauniece managed to find and call 8 women. So our ensemble was created.
In XIX century the squire Rik had built here a manor and a church. The local
inhabitants later had nicknamed the place Rikava.
During the first years we collected and sang wedding, labour, household,
chaffing and other songs. In 1958 we acted in Riga on the Latgalian culture
week.
Later appeared a thought that it was possible to include in programs our
folk believes, riddles, roundelays. Although the Soviet ideology was not at all
favourably inclined to the Latvian ethnic heritage and was attempting to create
new traditions, we were full of determination to keep it. Under the management
of Tekla Teicāne we have put up stagings like Wreathmaking, Wedding in
Latgalia, Christening etc.
Our "handwriting" we have tried to keep all 44 years, because our purpose
has been the preservation of Latvian folk traditions.
Staging Latgalian summer, Vilani, 1976
Sound sample: Mōte dieleņu auklēja (Mother nurse sun) (1998)
One couplet in AU format (337 Kb)
Full song in MP3 format (558 Kb)
Address:
in Latvian:
Ilmārs Šilincovs, 4-2, Jaunviļāni, p/n Viļāni, Rēzeknes raj., LV-4650, Latvija
in English:
Ilmars Silincovs, 4-2, Jaunvilani, p/o Vilani, Rezekne distr., LV-4650, Latvia
Phone: 46-63354
Date of presenting the information: 26 August 1998