Cultural Programme

#mindpower: Rainis and Aspazija end their video journey in Romania

With the end of the first Latvian Presidency of the EU Council, the half-year-long trip through Europe of the #mindpower short film project dedicated to the 150th anniversary of Latvian poets Rainis...

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Whistlers

I spent my childhood next to a lake in Kurzeme - a place rich in blue clay. My sister and I moulded everything we wanted from it. Then, we dried our creations, painted them with watercolours and coated them with glue for a glossy finish. To this day, I create little birds with love to make their songs more beautiful!

You can find svilpaunieks in an old tale. Nobody knows how it has started and when it will end. When you blow the svilpaunieks, you can hear that once upon a time… and now it's your turn to continue the tale because the magic whistle is in your hands!

When I was little I saw a film about Latgalian ceramics and still remember the scene with a little boy playing a svilpaunieks. 20 years later and now a potter, I saw the film again and recognised my teacher – the little boy with the whistle. Let the svilpaunieks also bring you pleasant surprises!

Every svilpaunieks I decorated with a traditional Latvian symbol. Their variety reflects our rich culture. Let my starling svilpaunieks be its messenger to the world!

LISTEN TO ALL SVILPAUNIEKS