Poetry & the Lithuanian Sutartine

Performance: The sutartine, a pre-Christian polyphonic song form, was historically sung by the women weavers of Lithuanian villages.  As such, the songs often flow in warp and weft rhythms.  Using this song form as an inspirational guide, Debrah Morkun has crafted poetry honoring the old gods of Lithuania.  Debrah hopes to demonstrate the continued relevance of these ancient songs as well as how the old religion is kept alive through the music and poetry it inspires.  In 2010, the sutartine was inscribed into UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Culture of Humanity, solidifying their importance.  While the song form has been repopularized in Lithuania, it continues to be unknown in most other parts of the world.  These songs are a living form of spiritual heritage that may find a larger audience as people begin to learn about them.