Suffrage is universal for all Latvian citizens aged 18 and older. However, as part of the government’s attempts to preserve and increase the dominance of Latvian culture in the face of the country’s large non-ethnic Latvian population, those wishing to become citizens are required to pass a Latvian language test. Until the late 1980s, when several prodemocracy groups united as the Popular Front of Latvia, the Communist Party of Latvia (Latvijas Komunistu Partija; LKP), like its counterparts in the other republics of the Soviet Union, was the only source of political power, under the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The party was dominated by non-Latvians (mainly Russians and other Slavs) and by Russified Latvians who had lived in Russia for large parts of their lives. The power of the Communist Party began to weaken by the late 1980s, and in 1990 Latvia adopted a multiparty system. The Communist Party was outlawed in 1991, and many new and revived parties developed under the Popular Front.

The legacy of the LKP was widespread distrust of large-scale centralized political parties. Thus, the political landscape in Latvia after independence was complex. The Latvian National Independence Movement, founded in 1988, garnered a measure of popular support, but there were many other parties similarly intent on broadening their membership. Parties espousing liberal philosophies, environmental principles, or particular interests, such as those of the growing number of private farmers, were part of the fast-changing political scene.

Education

General literacy was achieved in Latvia in the 1890s. Education is free and compulsory until age 16. A 1998 education law ensured that a certain amount of instruction be provided in the Latvian language in the country’s minority schools. However, state financing is provided for minority schools that teach classes in Belarusian, Estonian, Hebrew, Lithuanian, Polish, Romany, Russian, and Ukrainian, to preserve each minority’s heritage and culture. Notable institutions of higher learning include the University of Latvia (1919), the Latvia University of Agriculture (1939), and Riga Technical University (1990). The Stockholm School of Economics in Riga opened in 1994. The Latvian Academy of Sciences (1946) in Riga is one of the top research institutes in the country.

Cultural milieu

Because it has been invaded and occupied by neighbouring powers for much of its history, Latvia has had to struggle to preserve its distinctive language, folklore, and customs. The country’s loss of political independence in the 13th century effectively halted the development of Latvian culture for centuries. Indeed, it is only since the end of the 19th century that Latvians have been able to openly and actively celebrate their cultural heritage.

Daily life and social customs

Religious and folkloric festivals, which were banned under Soviet rule, are celebrated again in traditional style. The festivals, complete with dance, music, and song, are usually performed in colourful costumes that are typical of specific regions of the country. The most important annual festival is Jāņi, a midsummer tradition based on an ancient pagan ceremony that celebrates the summer solstice. It is considered bad luck to fall asleep before dawn during Jāņi. Huge bonfires are lit, and special foods and beverages are prepared. Staples of Latvian cuisine include ķimeņu siers (caraway cheese), bacon, berries, potatoes, sausages, soups, and rye bread. Smoked or salted herring is also a common dish. Berry pies and tarts served with sour cream are favourite desserts.

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The arts

The Latvian folk song, or daina, is undoubtedly the heart of Latvian culture. Dainas, which are generally no more than four lines long, tend to be stories of family or love or are related to myths. Andrejs Pumpurs’s literary epic Lacplesis (1888; Bearslayer) was inspired by the genre, as was the work of Rainis (pseudonym of Jānis Pliekšāns; 1865–1929), who is considered one of the great Latvian poets.

During the onset of the country’s “national cultural awakening” in the mid-19th century, Latvians established their artistic independence, and for the first time an artists’ community formed in Riga. An eminent poet of this period was Mikus Krogzemis, who took the pseudonym Auseklis, a god in Latvian mythology. Some of the best-known Latvian painters of that time were Janis Rozentāls and Vilhelms Purvītis, while Andrejs Jurjāns and Jazeps Vītols were highly regarded symphonic composers of the era.

Cultural institutions

Most of Latvia’s major cultural sites are in the capital city of Riga. The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (1926) and the Latvian National Opera are internationally renowned. The Riga Latvian Theatre was established in 1868, during the so-called Neo-Latvian movement of the 1860s and ’70s, when Latvians strove to promote their identity in industry, trade, and the arts. Latvian ballet became prominent in the early 20th century, and the Latvian state ballet opened in 1932 in Riga; among its students were Mikhail Baryshnikov and Alexander Godunov.

The Latvian Open-Air Ethnographical Museum (1924) is one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe. It includes reproductions of typical 18th-century peasant dwellings, and artisans of all types produce and display their crafts there. The Castle Museum of Bauska, in southern Latvia near the Lithuanian border, is housed in the fortress built in 1443 by the Order of the Brothers of the Sword.

Sports and recreation

Latvia’s climate is conducive to winter sports, and bobsledding, skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey are popular. The Gauja valley is a well-known locale for winter sports. Canoeing on the Gauja and Abava rivers and the lakes in the Latgale region is a national pastime, as is bird-watching in the countryside. Latvia’s Baltic coast is the site of numerous resorts, and its beaches are popular holiday destinations for tourists from across Europe.

Latvia made its first Olympic appearance at the 1924 Winter Games in Chamonix, France. After World War II, Latvian athletes competed for the Soviet Olympic team. Latvia competed at the 1992 Olympics as an independent country for the first time since 1936.

Media and publishing

Prior to independence, the media were state-owned and controlled by the Communist Party, mainly through state censors. Media censorship was abolished in 1989, and much of the media flourished as the economy became more liberalized. Latvia’s print media is divided into Latvian- and Russian-language media. The daily Diena (“Day”), launched in 1990, is published in Latvian. The Latvian Telegraph Agency (Latvijas Telegrāfa Aģentūra; LETA) is the national news agency. The country’s radio and television outlets mainly air programs in Latvian, Russian, and English; however, according to a 1998 law, at least half of the programming must be of European origin and at least two-fifths must be broadcast in the Latvian language.