The Nexus of Folk Ornament and Mythology in Latvia: Traditionalization, Commodification, and Spirituality

Through an ethnographic lens, this essay examines how creative rearrangements and recontextualizations of traditional practices become a subject of traditionalization. It offers a nuanced look at the interpretative and poetic approach to folk ornamentation in Latvia and its intersection with elements of local mythology. Grounded in previous theoretical conceptualizations of traditionalization, this essay brings a new perspective on the relationship between traditionalization, commodification, and spirituality. Based on interviews, this essay looks into the lifeworlds of three creative individuals, who are both professionally educated and self-taught, whose creative practice engages with Latvian folk ornament.