Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - The Baltic Song and Dance

"Both a repository and a showcase for the region’s tradition of performing folk art, this cultural expression culminates in large-scale festivals every fifth year in Estonia and Latvia and every fourth year in Lithuania.These grand events, held over several days, assemble as many as 40,000 singers and dancers. For the most part, the participants belong to amateur choirs and dance groups.Their repertories reflect the wide range of musical traditions in the Baltic States, from the most ancient folk songs to contemporary compositions. Directed by professional choir conductors, bandleaders and dance instructors, many singers and dancers practise throughout the year in community centres and local cultural institutions..." 

Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Postcard 1 - Lithuania
Lithuanian National Song and Dance Festival. Thanks to Lina of Lithuania.

Postcard 2A - Estonia

Song Festival Grounds at Tallinn, Estonia. Nice Year of Rabbit stamp used. Thanks to Heidi of Estonia.

Postcard 2B - Estonia

Lauluvatjak - National Song Festival Grounds. Thanks to Marco of Austria for mailing from Tallin, Estonia.

Postcard 3A - Latvia

Latvian National Song and Dance Festival. It is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Thanks to Marco of Austria for mailing from Riga, Latvia.

Postcard 3B - Latvia

Latvian Dance and Song Festival is held every 5 years in Riga. It is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage amongst the Baltic countries. Thanks to Jean-Pierre of France. Postmarked July 31, 2020 and arrived in Penang island on August 25, 2020.

Estonia - Seto Leelo, Seto Polyphonic Singing Tradition

"For the Seto community living in south-eastern Estonia and the Pechory district of the Russian Federation, the tradition of leelo, an ancient polyphonic singing tradition, is a cornerstone of contemporary identity. Performed to traditional melodies and in traditional costume, leelo features a lead singer who delivers a verse line followed by a choir that joins in for the final syllables and then repeats the whole line. Although lyrics are sometimes learned from former great performers, skill in composition is the mark of an excellent lead singer. Most choirs are composed wholly of women, and the most notable lead singer is crowned on Seto Kingdom Day as the King’s ‘Mother of Song’. Singing formerly accompanied nearly all daily activities in the Seto’s rural communities; today, although it is increasingly restricted to stage performance, the tradition remains prominently alive in community events as a central, vibrant and highly valued element of Seto culture. Popular among tourists and a source of pride for the Seto, leelo choirs are the hubs of their community and the embodiment of local identity." Source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

Multi-view showing Setomaan Farm Museum, Seto Tsaimaja unique teahouse and Setu traditional singers. Thanks to Heidi of Estonia.