Sventava and Māris Muktupāvels

When serfdom was abolished in Latgale in 1861, the peasants were left with no land of their own, and yet the Russian Empire did everything it could to hinder the buying of land. Peasants were thus forced to move to distant Siberia, where land was cheaper. Ever since the Third Awakening, Latvians have travelled to Siberia to become acquainted with the Latvians still living there and their culture. Their songs, many of which are no longer known in Latvia, have preserved many features from the mid-19th century. The Sibīrijas dziesmas (Siberian Songs) album is the most recent project by Māris Muktupāvels and the Sventava musical association. By arranging and recording songs documented during folklore fieldwork expeditions, they hope that at least some of these songs will become beloved again in their original homeland.