UNESCO nomination file

COVER SHEET

A. State Party

The Republic of Latvia

B. Name of element

Suiti Cultural Space

C. Community, group or, if applicable, individual concerned

The Suiti is a small Catholic community in the Protestant (Lutheran) western part of Latvia. In the course of time, religious differences have led to development of a strong sense of identity which has helped create and preserve a unique cultural heritage. Today this heritage is a mixture of old cultural elements, some of which date back to the pre-Christianity period, and religious traditions which have blended with modern lifestyles. Today the Suiti Cultural Space covers 400 square kilometers. It is inhabited by around 2000 persons of Suiti ancestry - down from 10,000 at the beginning of the 20th century.

D. Brief textual description of the nominated element

The Suiti Cultural Space historically has developed as a complex cultural phenomenon, diverse in both content and its manifestations. Today the Suiti community strongly recognizes elements of this heritage as a significant part of their identity and lifestyle. The synthesis of pre-Christian traditions and religious rituals has created a unique blend of intangible cultural heritage in the Suiti community.

The Suiti Cultural Space can be described by a number of distinct features, such as vocal drone singing performed by Suiti women, wedding traditions, colorful traditional costumes, the Suiti language, local cuisine, religious traditions, celebrations of the annual cycle, a remarkable number of folk songs, dances and melodies recorded in this community. Old-fashioned extended family structures are still common here like different customs, traditions and unwritten rules.

The origins of vocal drone singing performed by Suiti women are believed to pre-date Christianity. Due to their ancient origin, Suiti wedding rituals are very different from what is today considered Latvian wedding traditions. Wearing of traditional costumes is gradually coming back.The Suiti appreciate their difference and the importance of being preservers of a unique heritage inherited from previous generations with an obligation to pass it on to the generations to come.

E. Brief statement of the viability of the element, its need for safeguarding and the proposed safeguarding measures

The main pre-condition for safeguarding the Suiti Cultural Space is the community itself. The existence of the old families and local practitioners of old traditions and rituals, support on state and municipal levels, as well as general improvement of economic conditions to decrease outward migration of the younger generation are significant aspects. Only the young can carry on the unique values of the Suiti intangible heritage.

Prior to World War II, the Suiti Cultural Space flourished in its unique diversity. The situation changed after the Soviet occupation in 1940. Deportations, the war, emigration, deportations again, collectivization, nationalization of land and property - all these factors negatively influenced the community. Many centuries old farms – the cradles of Suiti culture - were destroyed, property seized and their owners deported. The role and authority of the church was intentionally destroyed. Due to the fact that the Suiti lifestyle was different from that of the surrounding regions, they were often portrayed as uneducated, backward and simply under-developed people. In the 1950s, some enthusiasts started trying to preserve the Suiti intangible cultural heritage in folk groups. But they were small-scale efforts. The number of people, who knew Suiti customs and traditions and actively practised them on a daily basis, dramatically decreased during the Soviet period (1940-1991).

Taking into account the fact that currently only a few people – all of them over 60 - have a good knowledge of the elements of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage, safeguarding measures are aimed at urgent recording and transfer of this knowledge to the younger generation. However, these efforts will never bear fruit if all the young Suiti will continue leaving their region due to unfavourable employment and living conditions. Therefore, safeguarding measures are also proposed to start improving economic conditions in the community.


NOMINATION

1. Identification of the element
1.a. Name of the element

Suiti Cultural Space

1.b. Other names of the element, if any

Suitu zeme (Suiti land)

1.c. Identification of the community, group or, if applicable, individual concerned and their location 

The Suiti is a small, densely living ethno-confessional (Catholic) group of Latvians. Due to its religious self-isolation for over 375 years, the Suiti community has created, accumulated and preserved a unique intangible cultural heritage, some elements of which predate the advent of Christianity to this region. This heritage bears imprints of not just early Curonians (Western Latvians), but also of the almost extinct Fenno-Ugric Livonians, as well as the Polish and German communities, which flourished in this area for centuries. 

Today the borders of the Suiti homeland resemble very much the borders of the von Schwerin family’s property in the 17th century. It was back then, when the landowner decided to convert to Catholicism together with his peasants. The Catholic faith was the one that effectively created this conservative environment within which, like in a live museum, a unique intangible cultural heritage has survived until the present time. 

This has always been a rural area rich in forests and dotted with isolated farms. In the beginning of the 20th century, the total population of the Suiti community here was even up to 10,000 people, of which only about 2000 have remained today. The main reason for this decline is economic migration, mostly of young people, to towns, cities and sometimes also abroad. Today a lot of persons of Suiti origin live in the neighboring towns of Ventspils, Liepāja, Kuldīga, as well as in the capital city of Riga, where they gradually lose their unique cultural identity. 

An isolated lifestyle and ongoing struggle with a harsh environment, as well as the pressures of assimilation are often mentioned as main causes for such well-known traits of the Suiti as: individualism, stubborness, straight talk and sometimes a bit rough sense of humor. Many of the old farms have existed here for several centuries, and they represent real cradles and fortresses of the Suiti cultural heritage. It is very common in this area that farms have belonged to the same family for many generations. 

The Suiti have adopted a policy of self-isolation to preserve their identity over centuries. Due to the fact that marriages with Protestants were considered a sin and were strongly discouraged, this tiny community is closely interknit by family ties. When the Suiti start discussing their ancestors, it is very likely that they will find some common relatives. Even today a confessional divide clearly runs through the local population in the Suiti homeland area, and people often note on which side of the line everybody is. Maybe due to this reason the tiny Suiti community has survived the assimilation pressures for so long and has created and largely preserved a unique cultural heritage which can make a noticeable contribution to the intangible heritage of not just Latvia and Europe but the whole world.

1.d. Geographic location and range of the element 

The Suiti Cultural Space covers an area of 400 square kilometers in the western part of Latvia. On one side it borders the Baltic Sea, but on other three sides – the neighboring Protestant areas. The distance from the East to the West is about 24 kilometers, but from the North to the South - 28 kilometers. The coastline border is around 14 kilometers long. The highest point is Ķīķa kalns - 112 meters above the sea level. The distance to Riga, the capital of Latvia, is 180 kilometers. To recognize and preserve the uniqueness of the local environment, four nature reserves have been set up here. Almost a half of the total land area is covered by forests. The dominant tree species are the pine, birch and spruce – common trees in Nordic forests. 

In terms of topography, the Suiti homeland can be roughly divided into three parts. The most densely populated is the hilly eastern part dotted with farms, ponds, forests, marshlands and beautiful lakes. The western part, closer to the sea, is flat, dominated by large tracts of forests, marshlands and natural meadows. A narrow area along the coastline is again densely populated and, due to its natural beauty, is considered quite valuable for building large country houses by wealthy inhabitants of Latvian towns and cities. 

During the 20th century some small stretches of historically Protestant areas were integrated into the three Suiti municipalities. Some areas, such as the former Adze manour, were heavily depopulated during the Soviet period. The territory around Jūrkalne, due to its location at the costline, has experienced the largest influx of people from other parts of Latvia. Alsunga, as a major population center, has also been strongly influenced by such migration.
Even though every Suiti village has its own folk group and often also a dance group today, the traditional way of life and knowledge of intangibe cultural heritage has mostly been preserved in Alsunga area and some pockets of Basi. In Jūrkalne area much more of the unique Suiti cultural environment has been already lost due to the recent influx of people. 

In the neighboring Protestant areas in the South and Southwest of the Suiti Cultural Space, elements of the traditional Suiti costume, dialect and cuisine were found in the past. Due to the fact that these territories have mostly lost their intangible cultural heritage, nowadays it has only a historical meaning.

1.e. Domains represented by the element 

The Suiti Cultural Space to a varying degree is manifested by all domains of intangible cultural heritage, as identified in Article 2.2 of the Convention:

(a) oral traditions and expressions, including laguage as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage are represented by: 

The Suiti language (a dialect of the Latvian language) – a product of a long-term interaction between the now defunct Old Curonian (Western Latvians) language and the almost defunct Fenno-Ugric Livonian language. The Suiti language has also borrowed words from Old German and Polish. Today the language is poorly recorded, however, attempts to improve the situation are currently under way. It is only a spoken language, as no books in it have never been printed. 

Local tales and stories passed on from generation to generation about times long forgotten are another excellent example of Suiti oral traditions. 

The region is still rich in old geographic place names, many of which have been used for centuries. The previous recording work has not been properly mapped. 

Many of the Suiti farm names were recorded in Church registers as early as in the 17th century. Today people cannot either explain or translate most of these names. According to a Suiti tradition, an owner of a farm even today often prefers to have the name of the farm used together with his or her given name instead of the surname. 

(b) performing arts: 

One thing that clearly stands out is the vocal drone singing. Though this specific Suiti style of singing has not been broadly studied, it is believed that its origin dates back to the pre-Christianity period. It is traditionally performed by women only. Even some decades ago no wedding or another large public gathering could take place without drone singing. Good singers were very well respected and they received numerous invitations to perform every year. There are several main types of the Suiti vocal drone, but most commonly it includes one lady singing a sentence followed by another lady repeating it together with the rest of the ladies performing the long drone sound. Talented lead singers can skilfully improvize by generating sentences in the middle of a singing performance and adapt texts to the surrounding circumstances and requirements. 

When bagpipes and kokles (a traditional Latvian string instrument) were replaced by more trendy violins and the accordion all over the country, here, in the conservative Suiti Cultural Space, bagpipes and kokles were both used at weddings and other public gatherings until the late 1930s. A considerable share of Latvian bagpipe melodies has been recorded in the this region. During the Soviet period these traditional instruments went out of fashion also in the Suiti community. However, lately there have been successful attempts to restore the skills of playing kokle among the younger generation of the Suiti. 

Traditional dancing was an integral part of almost any important festive occasion in the Suiti community in the past. People danced not only at dancing parties but also at christenings, weddings and funerals. The origin of some of these dances, for instance, the Long dance – the Suiti Polonaise, the Splinter dance – a remnant of an old soldier dance, the Hook dance, the Four-pair dance, etc. dates back centuries. Today Suiti traditional dances have been saved and preserved by several folk dance groups covering all age groups from the youngest schoolchildren to senior people. These dances are often performed on stages. Almost one hundred persons are active members of traditional dancing groups. It is a considerable number for this small community. 

When television, radio and the Internet were not invented yet, Suiti games were a common way of entertainment for children and young people. Today they are well recorded, but, unfortunately, not actively practised. Nevertheless, these games are an integral part of the Suiti cultural heritage, which mentally connects us with our ancestors and their way of life. A challenge for the future is to include them into the education system. 

(c) social practices, rituals and festive events: 

Suiti social practices often include a harmonic coexistence of the religious and traditional. Christening, wedding, and funeral are the three most important milestones. Their significance has led to the creation of ceremonies which have been able to survive in this conservative environment for centuries almost unaffected by external influences, fashions and trends. The Suiti are well known in Latvia for their ancient and very detailed wedding rituals. Though a full-scale Suiti wedding has not been practised for several decades, all the activities and their sequence have been very well recorded not just on paper but also in a film of 1935. Besides, Suiti folk groups have always used many elements of Suiti wedding ceremonies during their performances both on the stage and at real weddings. 

Annual cycle festivities, the most important of which is the Midsummer festival, have been celebrated in this region since the times of pre-Christianity. Although the modern environment sometimes tries to simplify celebration of these events by limiting them to having some beer and barbecue and listening to recorded music, the Suiti community has preserved the rich layer of old traditions, dishes, superstitions and habits nourished within families from generation to generation. 

There is a number of old traditional social practices connected with the Catholic Church often not known in Catholic congregations outside the Suiti community. This applies to church decoration customs during festivals, to annual commemoration of the deceased at cemeteries, to traditional May singing events at roadside crosses, pilgrimages, etc. Catholic priests supported and respected these local differences also in the past recognizing that they form a valuable and unique heritage of this small community that has a cultural value to be preserved. 

The tradition of protective signs and customs is still occasionally evident in the Suiti community. They were used as additional means for safeguarding buildings, property and health against natural disasters, bad people and diseases. These signs can be subdivided into Christian and older pre-Christian ones. The Chistian signs involve different forms of crosses and writing of “K+M+B” (first letters of the names of the three Biblical kings: Kaspar, Melchior, Balthasar) on buildings with a blessed piece of chalk. People keep blessed coal, herbs, water, etc. at home and use them in certain circumstances. Today it is more difficult to interpret the meaning of different pre-Christian signs, as very often the purpose of their original is not known anymore. But the signs still exist and are believed to perform their prescribed functions. 

(d) knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe: 

Tradicional medical practices and methods of weather forecasting represent knowledge which was important for previous generations during the times when doctors were far away and services provided by them were expensive. Weather forecasts, so important for agriculture, could not be heard on the radio and television or found on the Internet. In those days people found their own solutions and medicines, as well as used their own knowledge which was less perfect, less effective, but it helped find solutions. Bits and pieces of this old knowledge is still possessed by the older generation in the Suiti community. Although there is no practical need for this knowledge today, it is still part of the Suiti traditional lifestyle which should not be lost. 

Many traditions and superstitions of the Suiti community are connected with souls and the dead. There are over thirty larger or smaller cemeteries within the Suiti Cultural Space, which, as a rule, are well tended and frequently visited. The Suiti, particularly women, have a custom to regularly visit their deceased ancestors, bring fresh flowers and light candles. Many cemeteries have bells or even small bell towers which have been erected for the dead. The Suiti believe that it is possible to deliver messages to the deceased through bells. The cemetery bell is tolled when somebody dies, when a grave is to be dug, when the deceased person is brought into the cemetery, when he or she is lowered into the grave and when the burial is completed. The Suiti believe that every deceased newcomer to the graveyard has to work as a gate keeper until he or she is replaced by the next one. November 1 is the date when all the Suiti go to cemeteries to light candles. Hundreds of burning candles that night make Suiti cemeteries into a very special light show. 

(e) traditional craftsmanship:

Many different craftsmanship skills are needed to produce articles of the Suiti traditional dress, jewelry, household articles, handicraft, tools and traditional musical instruments. There are also traditions regarding home design and construction. Today nobody practises the traditional blacksmith’s handicraft or pottery anymore. The Suiti have to order their musical instruments elsewhere. These skills were lost during the Soviet period. By a concerted effort they can be recovered in the future. Only a few old ladies still continue to make traditional costumes. Local production enables locally based product development which is vitally important to maintain the Suiti intangible cultural heritage as an integral part of a live local culture of the Suiti community.

2. Description of the element (cf. Criterion U.1)

In the course of its colorful history, the tiny Suiti community has developed and largely preserved a very rich intangible cultural heritage. The dawn of many of its elements dates back hundreds of years and some of them may even predate the advent of Christianity in this area. Today the most important elements of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage are:

a) Vocal drone singing performed by Suiti women. It is believed that its origin dates back over a thousand years. Vocal drone singing is often performed at public gatherings, weddings and on the stage. This style of singing, with its diverse variations, is considered quite a unique phenomenon. Unfortunately, there are only six good lead singers left – all of them over 60.

b) Suiti folk groups often help enact small scenes of Suiti wedding rituals in real weddings. Such performances are very popular not only within the Suiti community but also all over the country. These rituals are very different from the ones generally considered Latvian wedding traditions. Although these Suiti rituals are well recorded, a full-scale Suiti wedding has not taken place for several decades.

c) Bright traditional costumes worn by many people on important religious and public occasions; traditions of their wearing. It is possible to tell the Suiti from other Latvians by these costumes immediately due to their significant differences. Some of the skirts, collars, headscarves and belts are over a hundred years old passed on through several generations. Some articles of this clothing have existed unchanged for several centuries and skills of their making have not been lost in the community yet. However, there is only one 80-year-old woman who can make the whole set of a Suiti woman’s national costume.

d) Quite specific Suiti foods and dishes are still made in many families though they have to compete hard with modern sweets, barbecues and potato chips. Some families have still preserved a tradition of making home-made bread and beer by using recipes inherited from generation to generation, and they usually differ from one farm to another. In some respect all these recipes, often known only by one woman, are unique and they usually have not been recorded.

e) The Suiti languge, basically a dialect of the Latvian language, today is very close to extinction. The generation which knew it has already passed away but the generation which understands but does not speak this language is getting older year by year. The Suiti have been taunted for speaking their own language for decades, therefore today it sounds funny even to them. Books have never been printed in the Suiti language, and today there are only about seven good speakers of the language left. All of them are over 60.

f) As the Catholic Church has perfomed not only its usual religious role in the Suiti Cultural Space but has also served as the main pillar of local identity for almost four centuries, this conservative community has also created and preserved a considerable number of different church-related traditions. This is demonstrated by distinctive songs and decoration traditions, home-made candles, a custom that certain things can be done by women only, etc.

g) Despite the small number of the Suiti community population, a considerable number of folk songs (over 52,000 including their variations) have been recorded in this area. As this is the last place were bagpipes and kokles were played in a live (not staged) environment, a high percentage of Latvian melodies for these instruments have also been recorded here. Thus the Suiti have provided a significant contribution to the intangible cultural heritage of the whole country.

h) Various rituals and customs are still observed regarding the annual cycle, the deceased and funerals. Bits and pieces of these traditions can be found almost in every family of the Suiti. However, today indepth knowledge about them is limited to only three ladies who all are over 60.

Important bastions of the Suiti cultural heritage are the so-called old farms and old families where the transfer of skills from generation to generation still takes place. These old farms are often real depositaries of traditional garments, furniture and household articles. People who live there often still look at all these items as a value to be preserved not just because they are old, but because they have been used by previous generations in the family. These families often observe different old customs because the previous generations have done the same.

Despite the ageing problem, the Suiti community still has a considerable number of people actively interested in the preservation of their culture. Today there are three folk groups and two traditional dance groups for adults who enjoy active practising of these activities. There are two folk groups and three traditional dance groups for schoolchildren at local schools to introduce the Suiti younger generation with the local culture from an early age. Alsungas Suitu Sievas (Suiti Women of Alsunga) is among the most popular folk groups in Latvia performing about 80 times per year all around the country.

Over the past years, the Suiti Cultural Space has experienced a gradual renaissance. The pillar of the Suiti identity – the Catholic Church – has successfully recovered after the Soviet period. Pride in the Suiti identity and its different cultural manifestations have returned. As today only a few, mostly old people, have a good knowledge of the Suiti cultural heritage, there is an extreme need to disseminate this knowledge and to involve more people in its preservation. This period of strong interest in the Suiti community must also be used to recover the elements preserved only in written documents, film archives and museum depositaries. It must be done immediately - before it is too late.

3. Need for urgent safeguarding (cf. Criterion U.2)
3.a. Viability assessment

Rapid shrinking of the Suiti population in their historical area started in the 1940s. A large-scale migration of the younger generation to towns and cities continued during the following decades. Today this has already caused a noticeable ageing of the Suiti community. The death rate in this region has been exceeding birth rate for a long time. In a rural community like this, it is difficult to offer employment opportunities available for young and educated people in urban centers of Latvia and abroad.

Today only around ten persons aged over 60 have a good knowledge of one or several elements of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage. Children participate in activities of school folk groups but after graduating from schools they continue their education elsewhere and very seldom return to their native place to settle there. Some of them return only at an older age when they have to take over family properties. Adult folk groups are ageing as well. The ongoing efforts and resources aimed at transferring of skills at schools will not be successful if the outward migration continues.

Today general awareness and the sense of belonging to the Suiti community is on the rise again. Wide-ranging attendance of important cultural and religious festivals is a proof to it. More and more people like to manifest their identity by wearing traditional costumes on special occasions. Interest in the Suiti cultural heritage is increasing. Almost every Suiti family has small pieces and elements of local traditions, superstitions, habits and dishes inherited from previous generations. However, indepth knowledge about the Suiti culture is limited to a few people, mostly active participants of folk groups.

Some old recipes of bread, beer and different Suiti dishes, kept in a family for centuries, remain in possession of one or a few persons. The same refers also to different old skills such as candle, trumpet and whistle making. Today many items have to be made outside the Suiti Cultural Space, as there are no more skilled artisans left in the local Suiti area. This applies also to the making of jewelry, pottery, traditional musical instruments and many other things.

The Suiti language, used by the community throughout its history, is disappearing right in front of our eyes. The older generation that, despite the negative attitude by authorities and bullying by inhabitants of surrounding regions, used it in everyday communication has passed away. The next generation, which no loger uses the language but undestands it, is ageing. As there are very few written records of the language, it can be lost forever. Nowadays even the native Suiti sometimes find words in folk songs that nobody understands anymore.

The Suiti intangible cultural heritage is still alive in many ways. Besides, there is a strong interest within the community to recover these skills through education, training and public events. However, urgent efforts need to be made, as loss of any senior member of this small community often means an irreversible loss of old knowledge forever.

3.b. Threat and risk assessment

Depopulation of this rural area today is the major risk for long-term sustainability of the Suiti Cultural Space. The population of Alsunga municipality has decreased by 50% over the past 70 years. In Gudenieki the population today constitutes 25% of what it was in the 1930s, but in Jūrkalne - about 30%. Depopulation continues despite considerable inflow of people from other parts of Latvia during the same period of time. The key reason for this trend is economic stagnation and the lack of competitive employment opportunities within a commuting distance.

Today the shrinking Suiti community constitutes only about 2/3 of the remaining population in the Suiti Cultural Space. The community, which to a great extent is maintaining alive the rich Suiti intangible cultural heritage, is ageing quickly. If this process is not stopped, soon this area will be inhabited by retired people who arrive from elsewhere, who are unfamiliar with the Suiti culture and traditions and who are more interested in escaping hustles of city life by settling in this peaceful place. Measures boosting economic activity and increasing local loyalty supplemented by teaching of local heritage at schools and support to folk groups and local NGOs are the only ways to reverse this trend in the future.

The Suiti language is the most endangered element of the Suiti intangible heritage. If no action is taken, it will be completely lost after 20 years. No grammar of the language has ever been studied. No vocabularies have been made and no books have been printed. The people who know this language are shy or hesitant to use it. Proper recording of the language can help not to lose it forever. To keep the Suiti language alive, efforts and resources will be necessary to bring it back as a means of oral and written interpersonal communication within the Suiti community.

There is a number of cultural elements which are not part of everyday lives in the Suiti communtiy anymore. But they have been well recorded and therefore can be restored through dedicated activities in the education system, courses, festivals, books, etc. Some examples of this include a large part of wedding rituals, games, oral storytelling, old songs, dances, playing traditional instruments, such as kokle, bagpipes, horns, pipes, etc. There are ongoing attempts to restore kokle playing by children that may result in the first real success story.

Every year less and less families, under impact of modern trends and fashions advertised on TV and in glossy magazines, follow the old habits and superstitions that once governed in the local life. A strong sense of Suiti identity and patriotism is a good start but it has to be supplemented with constant efforts and material resources to enable this small community with such a rich cultural heritage to withstand and resist the onslaught of today's everpresent pressures of assimilation posed by popular culture.

4. Safeguarding measures
4.a. Current and recent efforts to safeguarding the element

For a long time Suiti folk and dance groups have played a critical role in preserving and transferring many elements of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage from generation to generation. Only following the creation of the Ethnic Culture Center Suiti Foundation in 2001, a number of other activities involving education, research and external experts to promote collection, preservation and transfer of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage were started.

The first summer school for schoolchildren was organized in 2002. The next ones followed in 2005 and 2008, and they all focused on vocal drone singing and playing of the kokle. High importance was attached to the involvement of practitioners of Suiti traditions and local artisans. Local children have always demonstrated high interest in these summer schools which have always been well attended. Funding has been raised to continue kokle classes during the school year 2009/2010.

To increase publicity and raise the profile of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage internationally, two international drone singing festivals have been organized since 2004 (once in three years). Many practitioners of vocal and instrumental drone from the Suiti community, other parts of Latvia and abroad have participated in these events. Programs of these festivals contain not only concert performances but also seminars and presentations regarding Suiti and other traditions, as well as issues of the preservation and transfer of intangible cultural heritage.

Since 2007, considerable efforts have been made to develop the Suiti community web site: www.suitunovads.lv. Today it is an impressive digital library containing various articles on the Suiti community, its life, history and intangible cultural heritage. Due to financial constraints, currently this information is available only in Latvian. It has been planned to develop also a shorter English version.

Mobilization of state and EU funding for the restoration of the Alsunga medieval castle started in 2007. It has been planned to use part of the complex of buildings for hosting the Suiti Culture Study Center. Fundraising for renovation of community centers in Alsunga, Basi and Jūrkalne is also in progress.

Last year Alsunga Secondary School joined the UNESCO Associated Schools Project for a three-year period in order to study the Suiti intangible cultural heritage and to identify its practitioners. The UNESCO Latvian National Commission together with experts in education and intangible cultural heritage has developed a study guide to assist schoolchildren in documenting this cultural heritage. This activity was financially supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation.

In 2008, a small weaving workshop was set up in Alsunga to revive traditional weaving skills in the Suiti community. A number of ethnographers and skilled weavers have been involved in the training process.

The implementation of the abovementioned Suiti NGO activities require significant efforts of fundraising and project development. During 2008, the Ethnic Culture Center Suiti Foundation and Suitu Novads Foundation mobilized EUR 70,000 for their activities. Financial constraints are the main obstacles hampering the operation of these NGOs.

4.b. Safeguarding measures proposed

To support the preservation and restoration of the Suiti intangible cultural heritage until 2014, the following safeguarding measures have been planned: