SIEF Series in Ethnology and Folklore

Hande Birkalan-Gedik and Anthony Bak Buccitelli announce the creation of the new SIEF Series in Ethnology and Folklore. New Directions in the Study of Everyday Life, Past and Present with Berghahn Books, and also introduce the international editorial board of the series.

1. Conference on Tradition Archives

The international conference “Archives of Traditional Culture: 100 + 10” took place on October 29–31 in Riga, Latvia. The conference was organized by the Archives of Latvian Folklore, ILFA UL, in cooperation with the SIEF Working Group on Archives and the SIEF Working Group on Cultural Heritage. Celebrating 100 years since the establishment of the Archives of Latvian Folklore, the conference offered a discussion forum about the past and future of tradition archives. It brought together archivists, folklore researchers, and scholars from other branches of humanities and social sciences, participants from Canada, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The plenary lectures were given by Maryna Chernyavska (“Listening Deeply, Holding Plurality, Unfolding Relationships: What Archivists Can Learn from Folklore Archival Practice”) and Sanita Reinsone (“Digital Dynamics in Folklore Archives: Charting Community Engagement Patterns”).

This academic event also served as a hybrid meeting of the SIEF Working Group on the Archives board.

Abstracts (PDF)
Video recordings

 

SIEF Working Group on Archives board meeting: Rita Zara, Susanne Österlund-Pötzsch, Ave Goršič, Clíona O’Carroll, Maryna Chernyavska

Photos by Guntis Pakalns

The online streaming of all three days of the conference was funded by SIEF.

2. Archives of Latvian Folklore turn 100

On December 2, 2024, the centenary of the Archives of Latvian Folklore and the 10th anniversary of the digital archive garamantas.lv were celebrated in Riga at the Latvian National Library. The celebrations brought together folklore lovers, researchers, former Archives staff, collaborators, and many supporters.

Exactly one century ago, on December 2, 1924, the “Regulations on the Archives of Latvian Folklore” were published in the Latvian Republic’s official newspaper, “Valdības Vēstnesis”, outlining the need for a centralized archive of traditions in Latvia. The objectives were to collect, archive, publish, research, and make available folklore materials – all genres from all over Latvia. The new institution was established at the Board of Monuments of the Ministry of Education, and its initiator was folklorist Anna Bērzkalne (1891–1956).

At the gala event, Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, former President of the Republic of Latvia (1999-2007), folk song researcher herself and Honorary Patron of the 100th Anniversary of the Archives of Latvian Folklore, and many other guests gave the jubilee ceremonial addresses. After the official part, there were informal conversations and songs, followed by a concert by the musical group “Black Rooster Kapelye”. Their new concert programme provided fresh interpretations of Latvian and Jewish folk music recordings by folklorist Emīls Melngailis (1874–1954).

Ad multos annos!

 

Staff of the Archives of Latvian Folklore

Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga

The 100th anniversary cake is being cut by the outgoing Head of the Archives of Latvian Folklore, Rita Zara (Grīnvalde), and the new Head (from 2025), Digne Ūdre-Lielbārde

Concert of “Black Rooster Kapelye”

Photos by Didzis Grodzs

3. The Elphinstone Institute Archive

Those attending the upcoming SIEF conference in Aberdeen may be interested to know that our host institution, the Elphinstone Institute, has its own tradition/folklore archives. For a wee preview, listen to the traditional legend of ‘Aul Cruvie’, as told by celebrated Traveller storyteller, ballad singer, and piper, Stanley Robertson.

Photos by Maryna Chernyavska