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Gaismas Pils (Castle of Light) Jazeps Vitols, words by Auseklis. Composed in 1899, during the First Awakening.This song was removed from the repertoire in Soviet era song festivals. ˉ ˉ
Manai Dzimtenei (For my homeland) Raimonds Pauls & Janis Peters.Written for the Song Festival centennial in 1973. ˉ
After Soviet attacks in early January the new government called on the people to build barricades to protect possible targets such as government and media buildings. People from all over the country came forward.They built walls in front of entrances, dragged in sandbags, set up barbed wire and parked their trucks, laden with heavy cargo, across important passages. Civilians monitored the barricades 24 hours a day. The cold crept through their soles and turned street artists’ paint to a thick paste.They didn’t have weapons. As Lija says, ‘bare lives, protecting their country around campfires’. Campfires were built to keep warm and songs were sung to stay human.
Saule Perkons Daugava (Sun Thunder Daugava) Martinš Brauns, words by poet Rainis. Composed in 1988. ˉ ˉ
Ieva Akuratere of the rock band Perkons singing ‘God, Help’ at a music festival in 1988. This song became the anthem of the awakening of the late 1980s. ˉ ˉ
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Some stunning footage from The Barricades, showing the situation in 1991.
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