Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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Dainu Skapis – Cabinet of
folksongs
Inscribed 2001
What is it
The texts of nearly 218,000 Latvian folk songs in a
wooden cabinet.
Why was it inscribed
This collection represents a detailed view of pre-Christian
pagan life in Latvia and beyond, which cannot be found
anywhere else. It documents folk culture, language,
history, lifestyle and worldview.
Where is it
Archives of Latvian Folklore, Riga, Latvia
Dainu Skapis (‘Cabinet of folksongs’) is the physical
archive and transcribed manuscripts of a huge collection
of Latvian folk songs. This was edited and compiled by
the noted Latvian scholar Krisjanis Barons from 1878
to 1915.
Since antiquity, folk singing has been a part of traditional
societies, including that of the Latvian common people.
Customs changed only slowly, and so did the songs,
acquiring new layers, changing interpretations with the
course of time, but always preserving the deeper roots.
Not until the 19th century did any changes pose a threat to
this tradition. Awareness of these changes and a growing
appreciation of the cultural and historical value of ethnic
antiquities led to a search for and a preservation of folklore
in the 19th century.
A massive effort was launched to collate Latvian folk
songs, spearheaded by Barons and carried out by Latvians
themselves. This not only gathered nearly 218,000 song texts to be classified and later published in eight volumes,
but also helped develop the growing sense of Latvian
national identity. To this day it remains a source
of collective self-confidence and inspiration for the Latvian
people, revealing their rich cultural heritage that had
not been previously recorded, yet had endured through
centuries by oral transmission.
The source material for each of the printed songs was
sent in to Barons by thousands of singers and other
correspondents. The original manuscripts were copied
by re-writing them and then cut into the required
� Krisjanis Barons Sample song texts �
format. With the originals and copies there are now over
374 Dainu Skapis – Cabinet of folksongs