LATVIA: ART AND LITERATURE

Traditional arts in Latvia are generally centered around crafts and craftwork. These crafts can be broadly divided between the ones that women generally do and the ones that men handle. Craft art such as textiles, embroidery, pottery, weaving, and other types of needlework were generally done by women. Men also do pottery, but they also handle heavier hands-on work such as woodworking and blacksmithing. Although the traditional arts aren’t quite as encouraged as they used to be, there is still quite a following by those who want to keep these old Latvian crafts alive. Today, these types of handicrafts and woodworking products are produced for arts fairs and tourist shops. 

Latvia is also known for its architecture. The Old City section of Riga is picturesque in its closely built multicolored buildings. The German-influenced Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals and castles gives the city center the feeling of stepping back into time. Many of the older homes were completely wooden; foreigners moving into the area introduced them to masonry techniques. They’re also widely known for their Art Nouveau style of architecture with its characteristic ornamental flowers, faces, swirls, and curls. 

After Latvia gained its independence, one of the first things they did was to establish a Cultural Foundation. This foundation saw to the promotion of Latvian arts and also provided financial assistance toward artists and art schools, galleries, and events. The arts were one of the key things they used to help solidify their identity as a Latvian people. 

  

However, when the Russians moved in and took over, the communist government kept a close eye on the artists. Because artists are such scary people, right? Their works were heavily censored and had to promote a sense of nationalism per the views of the Russian government and philosophy. When the country regained its independence once more, the arts were able to freely flourish again. Today, Latvian artists spread the gamut of all mediums—from painting to sculpture to photography to contemporary art displays. 

by Igor Maikov

Latvian literature is mostly written in either Latvian or Latgalian. In the earliest days, stories and folk songs were passed down generation to generation by word of mouth. Written literature didn’t really become popular or a widely practiced art until about the 19^th century. The works of literature were mostly poetry. Many of the Baltic-German members of the upper crust viewed the Latvian language as the language of peasantry, which partly influenced Juris Alunans to write his work entitled Songs. Not long after this, Andrejs Pumpurs produced the classic epic poem called Lacplesis.

 

Lacplesis is also the name of a Latvian beer, apparently. I don't see why we can't have both.

The 20^th century saw many changes in literature, but it was mainly reflecting the turmoil and the social-political changes taking place around them. Themes surrounding Latvian nationalism seem to be the core topic in poetry, prose, and drama. During Latvia’s first bout of independence, literature took on the modernity that rivaled other parts of Europe. Poverty and the seedier sides of life were often romanticized in such as way to make it seem almost desirable. Or at least recognizable and familiar. Some of the writers popular from this period include Aleksandrs Caks, Eriks Adamsons, Linards Tauns, and Gunars Salins.

 

Knuts Skujenieks

Writers suffered during the Soviet years. Their works were by far more scrutinized and censored. And many writers who were deemed as a threat to the Soviet government (or the possibility of a threat) were sent out to the emptiness of Siberia. This caused many Latvian writers to flee the country to friendlier places such as Stockholm, London, other areas of Europe, and the U.S. (particularly, New York). Many of these writers wrote about their experiences in respect to their views on the political scene. Not all writers left; there were many who stayed. Notable writers during this period include Ojars Vacietis, Vizma Belsevica, Knuts Skujenieks, Imants Ziedonis, Klavs Elsbergs, and Mara Zalite. There were also a group of Latgalian writers who write in Latgalian in order to keep the language alive. Every year, this group of Latgalian writers publish their works, mainly through the same publishing house, and the best of their work is published in the Latgalian Literary almanac.

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KENYA: ART AND LITERATURE

Craftwork is quite popular around Kenya, and it’s important to note that every group of people have their own skills and artistic styles. Much of their art work may be tied to their region, their ancestry, and their religion. Although there are many areas hit hard by poverty, there is a sense of pride in their craft work. While originally, many of these crafts were designed as home wares, and certainly some of these objects still decorate Kenyan homes, but today many of the handicrafts and sculptures are made with the tourists in mind. Wood carvings are popular, and many of the most common items are of animals or people (especially the iconic African figures, such as a woman carrying a basket on her head).  Besides wood carvings, there are also soap stone carvings. Soap stone is a material that is often mined in the western regions of Kenya and has to be wet sanded and polished and dyed. 

 

Other handicraft objects include jewelry, especially brightly colored beadwork. They also use a lot of cowry shells, which has a special meaning in many of the Kenyan cultures. Maasai spears and shields are also popular items tourists buy, although a little more difficult to take home.

One art lies in the tradition of making drums. Drumming and percussion instruments are an important part of Kenyan society, and with this there are many different types of drums that are often decorated with geometric designs on the outside or with tassels and rattles. 

Basket weaving and gourd carving are not only beautiful, but it’s also functional. Baskets are various sizes and shapes are used to store food while gourds are mostly used for storing liquids. 

Kenyan literature is primarily written in either English or Swahili, the two official languages of the country, although you may also find books written in other local languages. Swahili was actually written in the Arabic script during its early days. The language was spread along the coastal areas by fishermen, and as trade with Oman and other Arabian countries ventured into the area, Swahili adopted many Arabic words into its own language. The Story of Tambuka (Utendi wa Tambuka) is one of the earliest examples of poetry from this area, written in 1728, and is an example of Swahili written with the Arabic script. As the Europeans arrived later, the language script was changed over to Roman letters as it is today. 

Swahili literature generally fell into three styles: poetry, novels, and drama. Because of the ties between Swahili and Arabic, there are a few similarities between the two styles of poetry, but they are essentially as different as the languages are. What started out as oral narratives soon became the early forms of novels, but these were generally in the form of histories and other nonfiction works. However, written fiction in Swahili didn’t really make its entrance until the 1940s. 

There are many Kenyan writers who have emerged in the literary field. When Ngugi wa Thiong’o wrote his novel Weep Not, Child, it was the first English-language novel published by an East African writer. Although he writes in English, he also writes in his native language of Kikuyu. Thiong’o is also known for his novels The River Between (which is required reading for schools) and A Grain of Wheat. 

Perhaps because of its exoticness or its picturesque view of what non-Africans view as being “African,” Kenya has long been the setting of many other books by authors from abroad. Quite possibly, the most well known of these would be Out of Africa by the Danish author Isak Dinesen (writing under the nom de plume Karen Blixen). If you want to read other books set in Kenya, you might also want to check out Coming to Birth by Margorie Oludhe Macgoye, The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley, and West With the Night by Beryl Markham.

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GABON: ART AND LITERATURE

Gabon is globally known for its wooden masks. Each ethnic group has its own set of masks, with different masks representing different purposes. Masks are generally used ceremoniously, whether it’s for marriage, birth, funerals, harvest season, and other life milestones.  Although it would be relatively easy to buy modern materials, many of today’s mask makers stick to traditional methods by using local woods and materials to create their work. One of the most famous types of masks are the n’goltang created by the Fang tribes.

Not only do the Gabonese make these elaborate masks, but they’re also known for their face paint as well. The colors used are based on natural dyes, mainly white, red, and charcoal.

 Face paint is often used in Bwiti ceremonies. And apparently grass and leaves on your head is cool too. 

Reliquary figures of the Kota are another art form that has been preserved. Also called Bakota, their communities reside in the northeastern regions of Gabon.  These reliquary figures, mostly made from copper or brass, are an important feature in the Bwete religion.  These figures are viewed as guardians.

Every village values craft work because these are the items used in everyday life. Women – some professional craft workers, some not – make everyday objects with designs unique to their region such as mats, bowls, wall coverings, and other items for their families and the community.

Mvett, also spelled mvet

The literature of Gabon has a relatively short lifespan. The older members of each tribe passed stories down to the younger members, retelling these stories for many generations. It wasn’t until the French arrived when written language became prevalent as well. However, it would take until the last 10-20 years before literacy rates would rise; today it’s about 89% (92.3% for men; 85.6% for women).  Even though there is a growing canon of newly written literature in French, there are “raconteurs” in Gabon working to keep the oral traditions alive.  Two of these traditions that are the most documented are the mvett of the Fang peoples and the ingwala of the Nzebis. The mvett not only refers to the musical instrument (similar to a berimbau of Brazil), but also the performer, and the style of epic poetry that is performed.

Bessora

A few of the more prominent Gabonese authors include Jean-Baptiste Abessolo (educator and short story writer), Angèle Ntyugwetondo Rawiri (novelist), Bessora (award-winning novelist, born in Belgium, daughter of a Gabonese diplomat), and René Maran (poet and novelist, born in French Guyana, lived in Gabon for a while).

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