Paper short abstract:

The paper will discuss the potential of the idea of authenticity to encourage or limit the individual freedoms of folklore performers. The discussion will be based on a study of the Latvian ‘folklore movement’ that developed under the Soviet regime in the 1970s–1980s.

Paper long abstract:

The Latvian ‘folklore movement’ was a social movement in the 1970s–1980s that revived interest in folklore in society and advanced political changes. ‘Authenticity’ became a core concept of the movement. It was actively discussed and defined during the first years of the movement when the values, aesthetic principles, and control mechanisms of the movement were established. The revival performers used the concept of authenticity to oppose themselves to the Soviet style of arranged folk music (Boiko 2001). At the same time, the official amateur art system also used the concept to evaluate and, to some extent, control the performances of revivalists, creating a debate about aesthetically and morally right/wrong approaches to traditional music. These forms of protest and control were rooted in the theory of authentic folklore as a disappearing and almost unattainable ideal, which has a long history in folkloristics (Bendix 1997).

The research questions of this paper derive from the current theoretical considerations of authenticity studies by asking, “under what conditions, by whom, and for whom is the concept of ‘authenticity’ deployed, rejected, or debated, and who profits from it?” (Claviez, Imesch, Sweers 2020) Considering the non-democratic Soviet context of the events and opinions of that time, the paper will explore how different individuals and institutions acted “in the name of authenticity” or treated this doctrine with criticism, irony, or distance. The paper will address the potential of the idea of authenticity to encourage and limit individual freedoms.

Paper short abstract:

The folklore movement arose in Lithuania in the 1960s, and Vilnius University was one of its central foci. The participants were brought together by the lectures they heard, singing evenings, and folklore-collecting expeditions; they created a ‘parallel society’ which shared its anti-Soviet values.

Paper long abstract:

In Soviet times, the fields in Lithuania underwent reclamation, farmers from their homesteads were moved to collective farms, and many young people moved from villages to larger cities. Although the post-war migration of the Lithuanian people did not take them far it nonetheless caused some deep psychological consequences. The young people who left their villages experienced a longing for their native places and kept thinking of their homesteads, their tall trees, gardens, yards, and paths. They became members of urban folklore groups and expressed this longing by singing.

The folklore movement arose in Lithuania in the 1960s, it took shape in the capital, and Vilnius University was one of its central foci. The movement manifested itself through the reviving of traditional culture, activities of folklore groups, and the like.

The communities of folklore groups and circles differed considerably from anonymous gatherings of urban residents in Soviet factories, canteens, or public transport. The members of the former trusted one another and voiced views in their private communication that were contrary to official statements. Sociological research into Soviet society has revealed that the members of the folklore movement created a ‘parallel society’, and it was a form of national resistance. Those who protected traditional culture and nurtured the Lithuanian identity were seen as reliable individuals with whom one could talk about aspirations for freedom.

Paper short abstract:

By combining the theoretical approaches of visual culture studies and research on folklore revivals, the presentation looks at expressions of visual resistance and self-representation of the folklore revival movement in Latvia during the Singing Revolution (1987-1991).

Paper long abstract:

Folklore revival in Latvia took a crucial part in the so-called Singing Revolution (1987-1991) – a non-violent resistance movement that resulted in the restoration of independence of the Baltic States. Part of the cultural opposition was carried out also in the visual realm. Representation in visual terms mattered not only as the self-representational identity consolidation tool of the revival movement but also as the visualization of discontent with the oppressive Soviet regime.

Some of the visual symbols that were used to convey ideas and attract attention to folklore revival had ties with the previously independent Republic of Latvia and thus had been banned during the Soviet occupation; some forms had new meanings and content attached; some were newly created to fit the ideas of the era and the revival.

Combining the theoretical approaches of visual culture studies and research on folklore revivals, the presentation looks at expressions of visual resistance and self-representation of the folklore revival in Latvia. The questions at the focus of the presentation are aimed at identifying what kind of symbols were used, what made some of the symbols carry ideas of resistance, and the meanings behind the visuality.

Paper short abstract:

The paper describes some significant features of the revival of folk music instruments –resources, influences, contexts of playing, negotiations of authenticity. An increased interest towards simple, primitive, not-modernised instruments is discussed.

Paper long abstract:

Two different approaches how to incorporate folk music instruments in the current cultural processes have developed in the 20th century.

The first one is based on the idea of modernisation – certain changes in construction, tuning etc. to make the instruments fit for modern (basically, romantic style classical) music. This approach took certain shape in Latvia already in 1930s. After WW2 under the Soviet regime it became part of state-sponsored folk music practices, and was supposed to conform to "progressive" folk traditions. As a result, orchestral groups of modernised folk music instruments were created, with music for these instruments by professional composers.

The other approach aims at the revival of instrumental traditions – to preserve traditional construction, tuning etc. and make music with the musical resources provided by such instruments. This approach emerged within folklore movement at the turn of the 70s and 80s. It was started by personally motivated enthusiasts, and gradually involved significant part of folklore practicioners, turning into a weighty alternative to the modernised segment.

The paper describes some significant features of the revival – available resources, different influences, contexts of playing, negotiations of authenticity. Selective manipulation of the material is discussed – there was an increased interest towards simple, primitive instruments, considered also as "the oldest". This manipulation, in fact, had a counter-culture nature, and its unspoken purpose seems to be to resist to modernity, or even to present a radical standpoint against the conformism within the sphere of the modernised instruments.

Paper short abstract:

One of the significant turning points in the Latvian Folklore Movement was first International Folklore Festival ‘’Baltica’’ that took place in Latvia in 1988. This paper focuses on its role in the Latvian folklore revival of 20th century looking into festival's publications, press, and interviews.

Paper long abstract:

During the second half of the 20th century in Soviet Latvia emerged Latvian Folklore Movement, balancing between legality and illegality, staged representation and search for authenticity. In 1987 Lithuania held the first International Folklore Festival ‘’Baltica’’ that the next year happened in Latvia, changing the local folklore revival environment.

The aim of this paper is to analyze how the setting of a non-democratic environment influenced the program and repertoire of the first ‘’Baltica’’ festival in Latvia (taking into account the institutional aspects of the organization regulated by the totalitarian government) with further step analyzing the impact that the festival left on the Latvian Folklore Movement. That includes researching three groups of information:

• Official data and festival publications

• Printed press articles

• Oral life story interviews

As the discussion about authenticity is still ongoing amongst Latvian folklore practitioners today, this article links the historical influence of ‘’Baltica’’ festival with current issues and questions in the field of folklore praxis in Latvia.

Paper short abstract:

In this presentation, I will focus on how the Hungarian communist government adjusted the harvest festival to the new political reality and how it organized these festivals in Sztálinváros in the 1950s. This town was special because it was built as the communist dream town of Hungary.

Paper long abstract:

This study argues that the political system changed in Hungary after World War II and that when the new political government was established by the communists, there were also many changes in cultural life. The new communist party followed Soviet methods in establishing new institutions (for example the Folk Art Institute in 1951), periodicals, cinemas, theatres, literature, public holidays, folk customs, etc., all of which went under state control.

Firstly, in my presentation, I try to understand the relationship between culture and politics during the early period of socialism in Hungary, called the Rákosist era.

In the second part of my paper, I focus on the harvest festival organized in Sztálinváros (Fejér County, Hungary) in the 1950s. This town was special because it was built as the communist dream town (like Magnitogorsk in Russia) with an enormous number of workers from several parts of Hungary taking part in the construction. The harvest festival as an invented folk custom in the 19th century was celebrated throughout Hungary among peasants, mainly at the end of July or the beginning of August when the crops were harvested. In this paper, I will focus on how the Hungarian communist government adjusted the harvest festival to the new political reality and how it organized these festivals in Sztálinváros in the 1950s. I would like to reflect on how the communists used the harvest festival to stabilize their political power after the moral, existential, and economic uncertainties that followed the Second World War.

Paper short abstract:

Ethnographic ensembles were founded in Latvia during the Soviet period (1945-1991) from the mid-1950s onwards. Ethnographic ensembles played an important role in the maintenance, transmission, and revival of folklore traditions during the Soviet period in Latvia.

Paper long abstract:

Ethnographic ensembles were founded in Latvia during the Soviet period (1945-1991) from the mid-1950s onwards, but prototypes existed in the inter-war period and even earlier. The ensemble was formed by members of a local community, mostly women, who were musically skilled but without academic musical training. Their repertoire was rooted in local folk music traditions. The task of such ensembles was (1) to introduce local musical traditions, mainly singing traditions, to the general public through theatrical performances of weddings, christenings, or annual customs; (2) to preserve and pass on the traditions.

On the one hand, ethnographic ensembles were part of Soviet performance culture, but on the other hand, they were the opposite of Soviet stage culture and the artificial stylization of folklore traditions. Especially in the period of the Awakening (the 1980s), both the personalities of individual folk singers and ethnographic ensembles (and their performances) became important actors in maintaining national identity and cultural values.

Ethnographic ensembles played an important role in the preservation and transmission of folklore traditions during the Soviet period in Latvia. In the 1980s, ethnographic ensembles became romanticized bearers of ancient traditions and folk songs, and their performances became part of the folklore revival movement.

Paper short abstract:

The presentation will analyse the state and fate of the musical folklore of the native inhabitants of the Klaipėda region during the Soviet era. Two aspects are analysed: the folklore field research carried out here during the Soviet period and the folklore revival practices.

Paper long abstract:

In 2023, Lithuania celebrates the centenary of the annexation of the Klaipėda Region (part of the former Lithuania Minor ethnographic region) to the Republic of Lithuania. Administrative control of this ethnographic region changed five times over one hundred years. During World War II the majority of native residents died or were evacuated, and later emigrated or were deported to Siberia. The entire territory of the former Lithuania Minor was resettled with new people by the Soviet government after the war. The presentation will analyse the state and fate of the musical folklore of the native inhabitants of the Klaipėda region during the Soviet era. Two aspects are examined: the folklore field research carried out here during the Soviet period and the folklore revival practices. Folklore collectors recorded a sparse but valuable collection of musical folklore from the native inhabitants of the Klaipėda region. However, at the end of the 20th century, the end of the existence of the old folklore layer was established. However, in the second half of the 20th century, a folklore revival movement emerged in Lithuania, as it did throughout Europe. The revitalization of folklore in the Klaipėda region was started and intensively developed by the first folklore ensemble "Vorusnė", founded in 1971.

Paper short abstract:

What were the possible ways to survive/revive for the actors and principles of an erased folk culture movement in communist Hungary? How communities of popular culture changed and what were the possible scenarios for an uncertain future for them? Can a non-democratic system erase identity?

Paper long abstract:

During the interwar period, Hungary had a well-developed movement to safeguard and present popular culture: the Gyöngyösbokréta /Pearly Bouquet/ (1931–1948) started as a tourist attraction, but it the same time, it has become a movement with the aim to protect the still-living popular heritage of the peasants of the countryside. For nation-building reasons, the politics supported this movement, as ‘ancient’ popular culture could be used as a source of cultural supremacy and the movement was also a pillar of the revisional program. During the communist era, it was not only forbidden to continue this type of nationalist protection of popular heritage, but a whole new programme was built instead of this movement: the communist folk ensembles aimed to be the total opposite of the Gyöngyösbokréta. This article analyses the effects of the communist regime’s annulation of the previous structure of the preservation and presentation of popular heritage, and the different answers of the erased movement and its actors to survive/revive. How communities of popular culture changed and what were the possible scenarios for an uncertain future for them? In addition to the analysis of these questions, I will present a significant example of the strength of a minority group in a non-democratic system: one of the highlights of the research is the survival of the movement in the annexed territory of Vojvodina (today Serbia), where the movement could adapt and survive in the non-democratic system also to be a still-surviving festival.

Paper short abstract:

Meykhana is spoken word improvisation, and an example of a musical genre in the promotion of which the state and society find their common goals. This paper explores the relationship between what is offered by the government and how meykhana is practiced and perceived by ordinary people.

Paper long abstract:

The paper explores meykhana — a popular trend in Azerbaijani music and poetry. Over the past three decades the formats of meykhana performances, its content, as well as the social status of performers, have changed significantly. Because of these changes meykhana has moved from the cultural periphery to the most prestigious locations of Azerbaijan. Considering changes described above, the author explores which role in this process is played by the state activities aimed at providing society with culture. Based on the assumption that in all political regimes music is used to unite the nation, it is noted that alternative musical space is constructed via discourses aimed at constructing associations that allude to the fact that meykhana is a subject of national pride. The correlation of meykhana with folklore, an authoritative tradition of competition, as well as likening meykhana performers to classical poets, automatically affect the surge in prestige of meykhana.

The data used in this article is the result of fieldwork conducted by the author in Baku and its suburbs from April 2012 till November 2016 (10 months total). The main methods used are participant observation as well as interviews in Russian and Azerbaijani languages with representatives of the musical milieu of the capital of Azerbaijan: meykhana performers and their audience, researchers, publicists, employees of cafés in which the performances took place, and government workers who were responsible for cultural development programs in the country.