Stories of the Livonians

Directed by

Enn Säde

Livonians are among the smallest Finno-Ugric nations still existing today. They are the closest kindred people to Estonians and Livonian language is the closest one to Estonian language. Currently, there are only a few dozens of speakers of Livonian language left and even for them Livonian is not their native tongue. However, there are about 200 people who consider themselves as Livonians; most of them live in Riga, Ventspils and Kūolka, Latvia. Livonian coast in Courland (Kurzeme in Latvian) once had twelve villages inhabited by Livonian people - now there is no one left there who would fluently speak the language. Only a few people can speak the story of their small nation in their own native language. The documentary has been filmed in 1988 and 1990 in Livonian villages on Courland peninsula and in Riga, Latvia. Archival materials dating back to the years of 1940 and 1966 have been also used in the film.