VIII Selonian folklore fest, Akniste,
2 August 2003

The sunny morning of the 2 August promised a lot of interesting for Aknistans: already for the eighth time to the Selonian folklore fest were coming both Selonians, Aukshtaits and visitors from farer places. 6 Latvian folklore groups have arrived: Viesite CH folklore ensemble Augšzeme, Rite folklore ensemble, Antuzi CH folklore ensemble Vīkala, Jēkabpils district CH folklore ensemble Raksti, Akniste Lithuanian ensemble Sutartine and ensemble of Garsene psychoneurological hospital.

      From Lithuania have arrived 4 ensembles: Juodupe folklore ensemble Volunge, Rokiskis folklore ensemble Gastauta (they this year participated in the International folklore festival Baltica too) and Zarasai CH folklore ensemble Seluona.

The guests from Lithuania sing and play

      For the first time in the fest have participated folk musicians from Estonia - students of Viljandi Culture college.
      This year a subject of the fest were wood, animals and fire. After the official opening of the fest on the city's platform, participants went to the Folklore garden, created this year especially for the fest, where have listened a lecture about woods and trees, and each group have sang one song about trees.
      In the Folklore garden is created a place for fire too - the Hearth of four winds: on evenings, when the winds calm down, the fire here burns slowly and quietly.

Ingmārs Līdaka with a turtle

      In the another - Selonian - park, which is located on one of the Aknistes hills, with stylized towers of Selonian castle, was a surprise for participants: there have arrived workers and inhabitants of the Riga Zoological garden.

Ernests Spīčs teaches folk games

      After a dinner all wishing had an opportunity to go in roundelays and to play folk games with the director of ECC Ernests Spīčs. The Lithuanian participants also have shown some games.
      The final concert passed on the city's platform. The participants sang songs about wood birds and about animals and sun too. The Lithuanian instrumental playing was very nice - the musicians keeps both old instruments and the playing tradition. Estonian youth, in turn, has surprised with an interesting interpretation of folk music.

Jam-session

      The concert was finished by a joint song and words of gratitude to the municipality and sponsors, but the fest, as it should be, was finished by beer, pies and cheese, and by dancings till morning...

      Article: Vita Talla, 8 August 2003
      Photos: Vita Talla