Upīte
ethnographical ensemble
June 1998
Created: 1980
Location: Upite, Skilbeni parish, Balvi distr., Latgalia
Leader: Antons Slišāns
Number of participants: 14, of them by age:
from 25 to 44 years: 1
from 45 to 64 years: 11
older than 64 years: 2
and by gender:
males: 4
females: 10
Forms of activity: sing, play music
Musical instruments:
squeeze box,
zither,
kokle (psaltery),
violin,
drum.
Description: The Upite ethnographical ensemble was founded in 1980,
because of participation in the first Latgalian Holiday of folklore (in Preili).
But traditions of joint singing of its participants are much older: they have
sung on weddings, on parties in the Culture house, and in 1972 some participants
sang all calendar songs for tape-recorders of Mikelis Jermacāns and Antons
Slišāns.
All participants live in Upite or small neighboring hamlets. Some
participants are moved to an other place, but, although less, continue to
sing in the ensemble.
In repertoir of the ensemble there is Latgalian folklore from Northern Latgalia,
inherited from previous generations through life contact. There are songs of
seasons, wedding songs, dances, love songs, obscene songs, soldier's songs.
Participants of the ensemble use to ask riddles, tell legends, they know
folk believes and sayings. Senior women sing spiritual songs too, especially
psalms and funeral songs, voices of which are transferred from
generation to generation by joint singing.
In Upite works a children-youth folklore group too.
August 1997
Sound sample: Rudzeišami, rugaiņami (At rye, at stubble) (1997)
One couplet in AU format (353 Kb)
Full song in MP3 format (412 Kb)
Address:
in Latvian:
Antons Slišāns, Upīte 2-13, p/n Šķilbēni, Balvu raj., LV-4587, Latvija
in English:
Antons Slisans, Upite 2-13, p/o Skilbeni, Balvi distr., LV-4587, Latvia
Phone: (+371) 45-75648
Date of presenting the information: 14 August 1998