Poetry slam tradition in Latvia: how is it different from poetry slams in other countries?

Last year, for the first time, Liene TīĖere, Latvian national poetry slam winner, took part in the European Championship. How has the tradition of poetry slams developed in Latvia, and how does it differ from poetry slams in other countries?

“Poetry Slam” is a competition of poets, where poets perform their original works in front of an audience, and the winner of this competition is determined by the vote of the jury or the audience. The poetry sung in a slam is different from the kind we are used to enjoying in the pages of poetry anthologies, in a live performance there is the presentation, the context, the moment of wonder. extremely important. Slammers change clothes, release balloons, create atmosphere in the performance, make fun of each other and what is happening in the world.

A year ago, Latvia’s poetry slam movement entered wider waters. For the first time, the winner of the 2023 National Competition, Liene Tīgēre from Liepāja, took part in the European Poetry Slam Competition. The winner of this year’s National Poetry Slam will be determined on November 22, in Riga, in the Kokaru Hall on the Mežaparka Stage. A series of poetry slam competitions are currently taking place in Cēsis, Liepāja, Riga and Daugavpils to select the participants of the national competition.

The founder of the slam poetry movement in Latvia is the head of the art center “Totaldobže”. Kaspars Lielgalvis.

Poetry slams in Latvia are organized not only by the art center “Totaldobže”. As part of poetry days, Latgali poetry slams “Rogovky’s dzejis voga” are held regularly. The “White Poetry Slam” was held at the festival “White Night” on Latvian radio.

In the months of September and October, poetry slams were actively held throughout Latvia to identify participants for the Latvian national poetry slam competition on November 22, in Riga, Kokaru hall. Also this year, the Latvian champion will have the opportunity to further compete in the European Championship.

Liene Tīgēre’s performance at the European poetry slam.

Walter Liberts writes both poetry and news in the magazine “Avīze Nosaukums” published by Walter Dakša. He both leads poetry slams and also takes part in them himself, for example, this year’s spring international poetry slam in the “Splendid Palace” cinema in Riga. International poetry slams like this are held regularly, and this year 17 poets took part, including participants and winners of European and global poetry slams.

Slam poetry with the champions Splendid Palace 26.04.2024

Famous poets have participated in poetry slams. Sergejs Timofeevs, Orbita association deals with a similar theme in his events – that poetry is not a printed word, but a spoken word. Toms Treiberg, Inga Pizāne, the voice of the Liepaja poetess Linda Skrandas just sounded. But I also understand why poets don’t feel comfortable in a slammer environment. Poetry slammers use completely different methods.

In a poetry slam, the context of the performance is very important. In an international poetry slam this spring at the Splendid Palace, the winner of the European competition 2023, the Estonian champion Joonas Veelmaa, won the competition of 17 poets. He read a long and naive poem about poetry and the fate of a poet, in which the words “I am a poet, I am a poet” were repeated. Disappointingly, there were 17 poets including those who suffered only from oral diarrhea. Of course, they were also praised for having the courage to come and play. That is why Jonas Velmā’s poem about what happened to the right poet at the right place and at the right time, the hall burst into applause.