Livonian Stories (1991)

[@ConqueringCaffeine]

I absolutely love the Estonian narrator's voice. What a beautiful language Estonian (and Livonian) is.

[@unitrx5535]

Quite a bit of what Oskar is speaking is quite intelligible to native Estonian speaker, especially if one has grown up with grandparents who spoke Southern Estonian dialects. Interesting. Looked at some later-era Latvians speaking Livonian and it usually came over almost unintelligible. Rhytm of the language feels different from Estonian tho, some words Oskar used I recognized as existing in Finnish (tässä for example).

[@mtuulikki]

I literally started to cry at 6:30, when the old woman started to sing. I can hear the pain in her song, a pain about her culture dying and to be unable to make their history to live again. I don't really know about this culture, but it is interesting.

[@kalju_pattustaja]

Me too, crying all the time watching...

[@OtterSam]

The Livonians in Latvia remind me a lot of the Setos in Estonia.

[@joalexsg9741]

They are so beautiful and must have preserved many shamanic practices and folktales. Please don´t let this precious language die!! Thank you so much for this precious documentary about the Livonian people and culture!

[@guleet75]

Shamanic practices are in Siberia not the Baltics !

[@a.v.j5664]

@@guleet75 no. Shamanic practises tretched from Greenland to Northern Europe and batltics

[@KibyNykraft]

No. The word Shaman comes strictly from Siberia. That is probably what she meant. The more correct would be to say "druidic". Well anyway that word also came from somewhere 😃 Sometimes these types of practices of witchcraft, hypnosis, trance states in sweatlodges and herbal specialization knowledge are connected to animism. The säämi people called the leaders of these practices "noäidit". Singular "noäidi"

[@dasarath5779]

​​@@KibyNykraftits not säämi its sámi. its not noäidi its noaidi. shamanism was an important part of ancient finnic religion, as it is/was with all uralic people. why would druidic, a neopagan term from a celtic language, be a better word to describe the ancient pre christian religion of finnics? by that logic a better word would be nõidism but thats stupid. shamans also were/are usually characterized by the fact they go into trances to speak with spirits, thats not animism, thats full on shamanism. the word shaman is used in discussions on other religions besides the evenk religion (shaman originates from an evenk word). also, you forget that livonians, estonians, finns, sami, permics, mari and other finno ugric and uralic people come FROM siberia. estonians cousins, the nganasans, are often used as a perfect example of typical siberian religious practices

[@dasarath5779]

​@@guleet75you clearly dont know anything about the uralic people. probably all "balts who speak baltic languages" in your mind

[@Counteris16]

Huh... I'm a Lithuanian but I don't know from where is the love and interest to Livonians, I feel that I might have been a Livonian before this life. Currently I'm 16. Huh, I would love to learn Livonian if I had an opportunity...

[@joalexsg9741]

Then you will problably like these songs, if you haven´t listened to them yet: Kalā jeng - Rikāz rānda At least in this description of this most beautiful musical video it says: Dziesma lībiešu valodā/ folk song in Livonian language kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4XSp2dqhbiSY6s This one is undoubteldy a Livonian folk song as the singers do seem to be Livonian folks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jn3HY3aFadplrdk

[@taksssloon9899]

Yep, It's on Livonian.

[@kalju_pattustaja]

Yes, you were! The Estonian (Aestii) Continuity through Millennia. new-etymology.livejournal.com/22868.html

[@peterstrianus1790]

What a beautiful language, I speak basic Estonian and can recognize many words.

[@walterl322]

I'm Latvian and it came as a surprise to me that I could recognize so many words... at points, if I didn't focus on what was being said, it almost sounded like Latvian... Livonian has played a huge role in the formation of the Latvian language, on the vocabulary and phonetics... the impact of Livonian still lives on, even if the language, or the people haven't...

[@christybyrne5195]

Wonderful, respectfull, moving documentary. Long live the Livonian People, Julgi, Davis,.....all of them. May they be happy and blessed!

[@elsakristina2689]

Thank goodness for the revival. The native speakers of Livonian may be gone, but their language must not remain dead. Those who learn what's left of it should speak it as proudly as any of their Finn, Estonian or Magyar cousins would speak their own languages.

[@kelvindavis172]

This is probably one of the saddest documentaries I've seen. An entire ethnic group and its language, nearly gone. I wish all the best to the last Livonians and that one day, their culture will make a rebound.

[@iboeshak9128]

@@tori6506 But there are still about 200-300 people that speak Livonian as a second language. Still very sad though :(

[@gastonhitw720]

thay are already extinct

[@Omegaures]

@@gastonhitw720 stop

[@gastonhitw720]

@@Omegaures it is true, the last person died

[@Omegaures]

@@gastonhitw720 Their descendants still speak it.

[@joalexsg9741]

I can't express in words how precious this documentary is. I'd also like to thank the person who added the English subtitles and a special appreciation for the size of the letters, as this helps a lot people with eyesight issues as myself, and they get more problematic as we age!🙏🙏🙏

[@lumikalamiez5096]

The Finnic languages are the most beautiful languages in the world, especially livonian, when you look the words.

[@DJ_Ichiyo]

Perkele

[@KibyNykraft]

Voi riepo ! :) :) 😅

[@whatth444444]

wow, their language is quite similar to estonian, i can understand half of what they are saying.

[@lena9350]

whatth444444 I’ve understood everything!

[@rode7916]

@@lena9350 oh wow. I knew they were similar but I didn't know you can understand so much of it. Can you really understand everything they say in Livonian (but the narrator speaks Estonian as far as I know)?

[@Mirhaus]

@@rode7916 Livonian and estonian are really closely related yea. The narrator speaks estonian but the people in the movie are understandable especially if you read the subtitles.

[@rode7916]

@@Mirhaus good to know. Thank you

[@NordenTV]

Livonians are the true natives. There should be no shame speaking it in public.

[@HeinrichTsanov]

Unfortunately all the native speakers died. The language went extinct in 2013.

[@valt8025]

@@HeinrichTsanov it got revived

[@Omegaures]

@@HeinrichTsanov The native speakers died but it's not like their descendants didn't already speak it, htey just spoke it as a second language. So was it really "revived"?

[@jukkahelisjoki5820]

As a finn language sounds familiar to me.

[@statostheman]

I'm karelian and when I hear this narrator speaks, feels like home. Many my aunties and uncles spoke this livi dialect. Like fork in finnish is haarukka but in our spoken word is kahveli. Then we've cucumber is kurkku but in livi dialect its akursti.

[@e.d.m3076]

This is the Livonian language, not the Livvi dialect of Karelian. An easy mistake to make.

[@rode7916]

There were different tribes and people living in today's area of Latvia. Latgalians, Selonians, Semigallians, Curonians (all four Indo-European Baltic tribes) and Livonians (Uralic Balto-Finnic tribe). More than 1/3 of this area was inhabited by Livonians. These people never really "died" away all together or something. Instead all of the five mentioned tribes melted together while (even nowadays) shifting their language to Latvian making up the modern people of theLatvians and leaving behind tons of Finnic features in the Latvian culture and language (both vocabulary- and especially pronunciation-wise). Today approximately 30 and up to 50% of all Latvians have Livonian descent. That is the reason why the genetically closest relatives of Latvians aren't only Lithuanians but Estonians as well. That's why I (as a Latvian) think Latvians are somewhat and should bee seen as a Baltic-Balto-Finnic nation/ethnicity. I hope we as a nation will revive this beautiful language and thereby enrich our outstanding culture even more.

[@lolikususs]

Yes we are people of this land. Long history...

[@theprivilegeddouchebag8678]

Liivinmaa as we say in Finland

[@pingu4238]

as a finnish speaker i can understand some words of the language.

[@JK-AUTO]

As a speaker of Estonian and Finnish, I notice lot of similarities with Finnish where I'd imagine it would have similarities with Estonian.

[@kalju_pattustaja]

«Ливы являлись одним из самых древних прибалтийско-финских племён, и район их расселения располагался южнее поселения эстонцев. Х. фон Яннау считал ливов прежними эстонцами. В Chronica der Prouintz Lyffland, Росток, 1578, отмечается: «Ливония получила название от ливов, которые являются древним народом, заселявшим её всегда и поныне.» Однако уже в Ливонской хронике Томаса Хярне (1638-1678) повествуется, что в Ливонии ливов осталось лишь немного, они перешли на латышский язык, и богослужение у них ведется на латышском языке. Летом 1852 года А.Шёгрен попытался выяснить численность оставшихся ливов в Курляндии. В районе западного диалекта их было 724 человека, и в районе восточного диалекта - 1600 человек - всего 2324 человека, владевших ливским языком. С точки зрения судьбы ливов решающим событием была, несомненно, 2 Мировая война, изгнавшая их из родных домов. Вторым ударом в 50-е годы ХХ века было полное закрытие побережья и прекращение рыбной ловли в прибрежных деревнях Балтийского моря. Все трудоспособные были вынуждены оставить свои дома и бежать в города, где они слились с латышами. Ныне во всей Латвии ливов, владеющих ливским языком, 13-15 человек.» Эдуард Вяари, «Ливы и ливский язык», сборник под редакцией Мауно Йокипии, «Прибалтийско-финские народы. История и судьбы родственных народов», Ювяскюля, Атена Кустаннус Оу, 1995

[@CaupoSuomi]

Интересно, конечно, пишете. Как известно, в Латвии уже много лет пытаются восстановить ливский язык и традиции, путём их изучения энтузиастами-потомками ливов. Их возглавляет Валтс Эрнштрейтс. А также участвует кто-то из семьи Сталтс. Ясно, что после смерти в 2013 году последней носительницы языка Гризельды Кристини, ливский язык для потомков ливов является вторым, после латышского.

[@walterl322]

As a Latvian, I had no idea that "Pūt, vējiņi" and "Velc, pelīte, saldu miegu" are Livonian songs... my mom used to sing them in Latvian when I was little... the people are gone now and the memory of them is fading...

[@cristixav]

Ethnologue lists the last speaker of Livonian as having died in 2013, an ethnic population of 200, yet the language is not classified as "extinct", just "dormant" which means that there is a revival movement or something like that taking place.

[@stonecold007]

("last known *native* Livonian speaker" according to the description)

[@svenkaasik9868]

If I understand it correctly 4 years after your comment, The last native speaker is dead but a few people speak it as a second language and that there is some kind of revival movement, or more like a preservation movement because the language is never realistically going to be revived as a first language for anyone.

[@izemobama3000]

@@svenkaasik9868 there is a revival attempt: Kuldi Medne born to latvian parents is being taught Livonian as her first language

[@svenkaasik9868]

@@izemobama3000 Love to see that. I get sad everytime i think about disappearing and lost languages and culture

[@robsmith9989]

Thank you for uploading this, it’s a shame they were assimilated. At least there’s a revival going on now, I hope it turns out well.

[@forgottenmusic1]

The bittersweet part is, that today, you can see more Livonian landmarks in Salaca Livonian area (who were finally assimilated about 150 years ago). There is a Livonian museum in Staicele, waving the Livonian flag alone, and the Livonian colors are seen in several other places like Salacgriva as well. But in the Livonian Coast, you can hardly see anything except the Livonian House in Mazirbe. Even in Kolka, there was a huge parking area opened with the help of EU funds, including a stone with inscription "The Livonian Coast" in Latvian, but not in Livonian as well, and, with Latvian and the EU flags, but no Livonian flag present.

[@louisritter7906]

@@forgottenmusic1 I am wondering, if you are you of Livonian ancestry yourself, or is there something else, that sparks interest about the Livonians in you?

[@forgottenmusic1]

@@louisritter7906 Nope, I'm Estonian, and, as far as I know, without any Livonian ancestry. But I am interested in European stateless nations and historic minorities in general, and Livonians are one of the closest nations to Estonians, as well as I am used to travel around Latvia in summertime anyway.

[@priimets]

clear and beautiful livonian.

[@guerraepazpazeguerra5535]

TEACH ME LIVONIAN!

[@VonRix]

Their language could have been saved, but the villages where Livonians and where language was still alive along the Livoniano coast were destroyed by Soviets when they declared the area Soviet border,, outside that area livonian had no chance.

[@forgottenmusic1]

Livonians were doomed after the WWI already. The Livonians were evacuated, when German army advanced to Latvia, and it took 3 years or more before they were able to return. That was when they gave up about using Livonian, and the generation born after that became Latvian-speaking in general.

[@NikoChristianWallenberg]

Another language that has gone extinct due to Russian persecution: Russia talks about being the land of "brotherly people" - when they persecuted non-Russian peoples and forcibly wanted to Russify them.

[@forgottenmusic1]

Unlike many peoples in "proper" Russia like Votic, Ingrians and soon to follow Karelians, in the decline of Livonians are more reasons than that. The most critical factor was actually that already centuries ago, German landlords decided that Latvian only will be the church language for peasants there. In Lutheran church everyone had to learn to read and pass the exam of knowing the religion before being able to marry. At the time when Livonia went under Russian rule, most of the Livonians were already assimilated into Latvians.

[@george.b.]

It does seem like Russia drove the final nail in the coffin, though.

[@cristixav]

I cried, starting 21:50

[@KrissMyt]

Honestly, as a Latvian, I wish the majority language in Latvian territory was still Livonian. Although, as the yanks say, what's done is done. I guess Livonian will have to live through it's influence on Latvian and Estonian.

[@0mgskillz96]

Are livonians seen as the indigenous/original people of your lands?

[@UneEtincelleNocturne]

@@0mgskillz96 No, Latvians are indigenous to our own lands, but historically speaking the Livonians did live in some parts of the current Latvia as tribes that got assimilated.

[@naurisss]

johndoe 695 In Latvia, Latvians are native people, however Livonians would be indigenous people in here, If there would be a nationality like that, and There’s not. I’d say similar to Norway and Sami people, It’s just Latvians have a different story, because Latvians actually were made by 4 Baltic tribes and Livonian uniting together.

[@NikoChristianWallenberg]

Livonians are the original natives of the region together with other Finnic peoples - they lived there long before migration of Balts and Slavs: Livonians were eventually pushed to coastal strips.

[@stephenderogier6790]

Exactly so, Niko.

[@izzatfauzimustafa6535]

Irma Fridrihson's story was profoundly tragic. Huge numbers of ethnic minorities in the USSR were forcibly deported by Stalin to other parts of the vast country in an attempt to culturally dilute so many of their ancestral homelands with ethnic Russians. Stalin and his men called the policy "population transfer" just to make it sound politically correct and pleasant to their die-hard followers.

[@Edness]

Skaisti, man patika

[@lacplesis484]

man arī :)

[@georgeb4869]

Does anyone by any chance know the background music by the composer?

[@carmen_0434]

I am doing a research project about uralic minorities and I wish to speak about livonian. Do you know much about their history?

[@forgottenmusic1]

Perhaps, you should contact the Livonian Institute of the University of Latvia.

[@carmen_0434]

@@forgottenmusic1 I will, thank you very much!

[@mariakatariina8751]

Livonian is Suomi! Beautiful! It's easy to understand with modern Suomi - Not only the Estonian narrator but especially the Livonian people who are speaking. I can understand almost all - only few words strange, probably loans from Russian? It is sad and wrong and illegal and irreprehensible that the synagogue of satan, the pedovore communists genocided them all! They must be held fully accountable for all the wrongs that they did to our humanity, to our Suomi people. INRI X

[@Alexander-t97l]

Livonian has more loans from Latvian and the way how words are pronounced

[@CaupoSuomi]

Tienu!

[@hamalhel]

They should have similar rights to their language and culture as every indigenous people have. They should be treated as crown jewels of Latvia.

[@silentclown1157]

Here you can read about Livos in Latvia! www.livones.net/en They are still there! :)

[@raidokase6090]

And why they died? Why estonians killed king Kaupo and he´s sons? Because of betray. Livs betrayed own blood.. I am sorry about this, but it is the truth. Remember Lembitu!

[@thetasurfers]

and why? thanks to christian missionaries and "prosperity"..

[@Counteris16]

Did Livonians betray their own blood? NO! Caupo of Turaida or as some call Kaupo, was the one who betrayed all pagans (also considering Livonians and Estonians) when he got christened and went to Rome to see the pope and when he came back the Livonians rebelled against him AND that's WHEN he started fighting against all pagans (Livonians and Estonians). So as you see, the Livonians did not betray their blood so before stating anything in the future please do some research and be sure that you are right.

[@lena9350]

Английские субтитры мешают!

[@CaupoSuomi]

А вы знаете ливский?