From June 2 to 30, the exhibition “Raksti”("Patterns") dedicated to knotted writting can be seen in the gallery on the 1st floor of the Riga Culture and Recreation Center "Imanta".
It is believed that the beginnings of writing can be traced back to the Stone Age, the Neolithic. These were the first attempts of the ancient people to communicate, transferring information with the help of various signs. The oldest such form of communication is knotted writing, which is still used by some peoples today. Since ancient times, Latvians have preserved the custom of tying a knot in the corner of a handkerchief to remember something. Is such an action to be considered only as a kind of memory stimulator, or is there a deeper meaning and connection with the knotted writting?
The exhibition was created in cooperation with the Repository of Ethnographic Material, Institute of Latvian History and the Bauska Museum. The creation of the exhibition was advised by Ph.D., Mg. assistant professor, researcher of Latvian studies, Japanese translator and lecturer Uģis Nastevičs, the visual materials were “knotted” by private researcher Līga Galeja. While collating and reproducing the materials collected by Jānis Briņkis, Edgars Jundža and Andras Mičulis, L. Galeja says the following about the writings: "Energy, time, place and events were rolled into balls, which it is our task to fan out and bring into the Light."
Even in the 21st century, there are knot and loop writing experts among Latvians who had experienced this form of writing in their childhood. One of them was the folk craftsman Betija Strautniece, who inherited the knot writting tradition from the ancestors of her family. Visitors to the exhibition will be able not only to learn, but also to try to decipher the silken patterns themselves.
on June 7 at 18.00, interested parties are invited to the opening of the exhibition and informative and educational lectures, which will be led by Dr. hable philol. Janīna Kursīte, Ph.D., Mg. assistant professor, researcher of Latvian studies, Japanese translator and lecturer Uģis Nastevičs, researchers of knot writting patterns Andris Mičulis and Līga Galeja.
The curator of the exhibition and the author of the idea, Līga Ploriņa, invites everyone to open the dowry chests of their families, which are kept in attics, basements, alleys and sheds, to see if there is some carrier of information - a yarn ball - among the variegated decks.
Free entrance.
Every day from 10.00 - 20.00