Susaji parish ethnographical ensemble
Susāji

Songs festival in Ethnographical museum, Riga, 4 July 1998

      Name: Susāji
          meaning: toponym
          recommended transcription in English: Susaji
          approximate pronunciation in English: Susaayi
          Listen pronunciation in AU format (13 Kb)

      Created: February 1994
      Location: Vilaka, Balvi distr., Latgalia
      Leader: Daina Mihailova
      Number of participants: 8, of them by age:
          from 25 to 44 years: 3
          from 45 to 64 years: 3
          older than 64 years: 2
      and by gender:
          males: 2
          females: 6
      Forms of activity: sing
      Musical instruments: accordion.

      Description: The ethnographic ensemble was founded in February 1994 in close cooperation with the parish council, as its chairman is one of our participants. We are not so many, only 8, but all with strong voices, enthusiastical and loving to sing - what does not remain unnoticed by our spectators.
    We have begun with obscene songs, because in May 1994 in Balvi a festival of obscene songs was organized. We have participated in many regional arrangements, in Baltica-94, Days of a cultural heritage of Europe in Turaida in 1997, Baltica-97, Songs and dances festival in Riga in 1998 etc. In November 1997 we have recorded a compact disc at the Folklore storehouse of Estonia in Tartu.
    In our repertoir there are songs from our and neighbouring parishes, we learn from the local narrators. We try to choose songs, which are not performed by other collectives. Each year we learn new songs, unfortunately, it becomes harder and harder to find ones.

Jubilee of participant of ensemble A.Baumane, 1996

      Sound sample: Voi, Dīveņi, augšti sauļe (Oh, God, sun is high) (1998)
One couplet in AU format (593 Kb)
Full song in MP3 format (654 Kb)

      Address:
          in Latvian: Daina Mihailova, Šķilbēni, Balvu raj., LV-4583, Latvija
          in English: Daina Mihailova, Skilbeni, Balvu distr., LV-4583, Latvia
      Phone: (+371) 45-91633

      Date of presenting the information: 21 August 1998