International Folklore Festival “Skamba skamba kankliai” (“The Kanklės Play”)

The folklore festival “Skamba skamba kankliai” held every last week of May since 1973 is a cultural phenomenon of a special significance for the Lithuanian ethnic tradition. The festival was born out of the growing folklore movement; it carried and fostered the feeling of resistance, national identity, it contributed to the preservation, documentation, revival of authentic folklore traditions, the growth of the number of folk groups and the development of research on the traditional culture, it as well disseminated the values of national culture for the society. The most anticipated annual folklore celebration gathers folklore groups, traditional instrumental and vocal groups, other musicians and the entire community of people cherishing the traditional culture. During 4–6 days the festival events (around 40) involve 1.5 thousand performers from Vilnius and Lithuanian ethnographic regions, also musicians of foreign guest groups and over 20 thousand visitors. The festival’s programme is jointly created by organisers and leaders of folk groups, researchers of traditional culture and practitioners. The festival has preserved the well-established structure and content – it is hard to imagine the festival without sutartinės, other folk genres, thematic concerts, massive singing, night-time dances etc., however, every year the programme is enriched with new initiatives, creative folklore projects, specially designed for young people, and educational workshops. Every year a fair of folk artists and craftsmen is held in the frame of the festival. The entire Old City of Vilnius – Vilnius University, Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum, other yards, squares, streets, churches, chamber and representational halls – become the festival venue filled with sounds and colours. The concerts are held also outside Vilnius in Druskininkai, Trakai, Trakų Vokė, Širvintos, Ukmergė.

For the participants of the festival it is an occasion to extend knowledge in traditional culture, to explore its relevance, and to practice performing skills. For the spectators it is an especially democratic and open event where every generation – kindergartners, young people, families with children and the elderly – fnd activities to join in. The overall positive atmosphere becomes a space to strengthen the connection with the nation, culture, land, the state, provides experiences, full of sense, artistic value and good mood, while singing, dancing and playing together with the festival’s performers gives the feeling of being part of the inherited culture, still living and continuous.

Submitter – Vilnius Ethnic Culture Centre of Vilnius City Municipality, 2018

Custodians – Vilnius Ethnic Culture Centre of Vilnius City Municipality, folklore groups of Vilnius