On 16 and 17 June, partners of the “Heritage Stories” project from the Šilutė Hugo Scheu Museum and Šilutė District Municipality visited Kuldīga Municipality on an experience exchange visit. The purpose of the visit was to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical heritage of Kuldīga Municipality, share experience in its preservation, and discuss current project activities and future cooperation opportunities.
The visit began in Alsunga, where the guests visited Spēlmaņu Krogs to learn about the unique Suiti cultural space, which is included on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as its traditions and culinary heritage. Together with Laila Puķīte, a teacher at Alsunga Primary School of Arts, craftswoman, and Suiti woman, the project partners learned the art of baking sklandrausis, while discovering the stories behind this traditional dish, its significance in local culture, and its role in supporting community-based economic activities. The experience was complemented by a traditional Suiti lunch, offering an authentic taste of the region’s culinary heritage.
The visit continued at the Alsunga Crafts House, where masters of various traditional crafts work under one roof, preserving cultural and historical heritage and passing on traditional skills to future generations. Guests listened to traditional Suiti songs, bagpipe music, and stories about Suiti cultural heritage, and also had the opportunity to try on the colourful traditional Suiti folk costumes.
As conservation works of the Kuldīga Castle cellar are currently being carried out within the framework of the “Heritage Stories” project, the guests, accompanied by Baiba Vētrāja, museum educator at the Kuldīga District Museum, visited the castle cellar, explored the historical evidence uncovered there, and learned more about the history of the former Kuldīga Castle.
Ilze Zariņa, Head of the Kuldīga Restoration Centre, introduced the visitors to the centre’s objectives and diverse activities. Participants toured the wood restoration workshop and observed restoration work in progress. They also had the opportunity to visit the Kuldīga Living Museum, which presents the city’s history through an interactive and contemporary experience.
At the conclusion of the visit, the project partners met at the “Nornieki” farm in Snēpele. While enjoying the hosts’ hospitality, learning about their business activities, and sharing a delicious lunch, the partners discussed the project’s progress to date, achievements, and planned activities. The meeting strengthened cooperation among the project partners and laid a solid foundation for the successful implementation of future initiatives.
This article has been produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Silute Hugo Scheu museum and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
