Former President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga Presents Book on Latvian Dainas in Vilnius

On 4 September 2025, former President of Latvia Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga presented her new book, The Logic of Poetry: Structure and Poetics of the Latvian Dainas, at an event hosted by the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore and the Embassy of Latvia in Lithuania.

Drawing from decades of scholarly work and personal experience, Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga shared insights into her career as both a political leader and a linguist deeply rooted in the poetic structure of the Latvian dainas—traditional four-line folk songs that carry centuries of cultural memory.

The book offers a thorough structural and theoretical analysis of dainas, beginning with a general introduction to poetics and progressing into an in-depth exploration of their unique verbal artistry. “I wanted to show just how finely constructed these poems are,” said Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga, “with incredibly subtle details that reveal a rich inner logic and worldview.”

Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga engaged in a discussion with the audience on the role of folklore archives, challenges of translation, and how the early work in computerizing dainas relates to today’s questions about AI. She emphasized the need to maintain Latvian identity across generations and borders and recalled the moral duty to keep that identity alive during the years of occupation.

The event also highlighted shared Baltic cultural heritage, including her past meeting with Lithuanian-born scholar Marija Gimbutas, whose work inspired greater understanding of ancient Baltic traditions.

Photo by Sonata Grėbliūnaitė, Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore