Kreevins
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Kreevins ( lv, krieviņi;
Votic Votic, or Votian (''vaďďa tšeeli'', ''maatšeeli'') vɑːdʔda ˈtʃɨlɨ, mɑːt.ʃɨlɨ is the language spoken by the Votes of Ingria, belonging to the Finnic branch of the Uralic languages. Votic is spoken only in Krakolye and Luzhits ...
: ''kreevinid'') were Votes who lived in the proximity of
Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
n town of Bauska and spoke a dialect of
Votic Votic, or Votian (''vaďďa tšeeli'', ''maatšeeli'') vɑːdʔda ˈtʃɨlɨ, mɑːt.ʃɨlɨ is the language spoken by the Votes of Ingria, belonging to the Finnic branch of the Uralic languages. Votic is spoken only in Krakolye and Luzhits ...
. In the middle of the 19th century they merged with the surrounding Latvians, although many traditional aspects of Votic culture are still preserved. The name means "little Russians" (diminutive form) in Latvian due to their equally foreign-sounding language to Latvians.Roots-Saknes.lv - Vots
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History

The ancestors of the Kreevins were Votes who originally lived in Ingria. Vincke von Overbeg of the Teutonic Order took about 3,000 Votic prisoners of war during his attack of Ingria in 1444–1447. They were transferred to be used as laborers during the construction of
Bauska Castle Bauska Castle (; german: Schloss Bauske) is a complex consisting of the ruins of an earlier castle and a later palace on the outskirts of the Latvian city of Bauska. While originally a hill fort, the Livonian branch of the Teutonic Knights buil ...
. Before this, virtually whole of Semigalian population moved to
Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
in 1290 (The Rhymed Chronicle claims 100,000 migrated to Lithuania at once) and the later
plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...
had killed many of the rest original inhabitants. When the castle was finished, the Votes settled the area and became farmers. The first written record of them dates from 1636. In 1805, there were estimated 1,200 Kreevins in Bauska and its surroundings, but according to local priest Karl Lutzau, five years later there were only 12–15 persons who could still speak Votic, all of whom were elders.
Anders Johan Sjögren Anders Johan Sjögren (also spelled Andreas Johan Sjögren; May 8, 1794 in Iitti, Finland – January 18, 1855 in St. Petersburg, Russia) was a Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finl ...
made a research trip to the area in 1846, and concluded that Votic had almost disappeared from the region. After this there are no records from living Kreevins.
Ferdinand Johan Wiedemann Ferdinand Johann Wiedemann ( in Hapsal (now Haapsalu) – in Saint Petersburg) was an Estonian linguist who researched Uralic languages, mostly Estonian. Wiedemann was also a botanist. Wiedemann was of German-Swedish Swedish or ' may refer ...
, in 1871, was the first to prove a link between Votes and Kreevins.


Culture

Many early ethnologists noted the distinctive clothing of Kreevins. Many of the clothing types used by Kreevins were also in use in Ingria. Men's clothing (''kiut'' or ''kiuting'') was embroidered with blue and red thread. Men's shirts were fastened with ribbon instead of buttons. Men also wore jackets (''viita, viite, viiten'') made of woolen fabric, possibly copied from Estonian immigrants who also lived in area. Typical Latvian clothing was also used. Kreevin women used headscarves similar to those used by Votes and Izhorians in Ingria. A decorated scarf was often worn on top of the headscarf. Younger girls had their hair plaited.


Language

Language sample''Linguistica Uralica'' XXXIII 1997 3, p.182-18
in Google books
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Lords Prayer The Lord's Prayer, also called the Our Father or Pater Noster, is a central Christian prayer which Jesus taught as the way to pray. Two versions of this prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer form within the Sermon on the Mount in the Gosp ...

''Meģģi ise taiwâs!''
''jadku elka śiwu śenna''
''tulap meģģi tiwi śivu riikki!''
''Śiwu meelle se iggau ka kui taiwâs ni kans ma bēli!''
''Meģģi arma leipe anna meli tennawa.''
''Ġedde meggi padudd, kui me jattim umili nisi meli jad!''
''Elas meite kurja sad.''
''Śewon wodse kurģe miusse erre''
''Jo siula kalpap śiwu kikki śiwu appi un śiwu üwiwi śewonśe śewonśe.''
''Amen!''


People

Latvian poet Rainis and Latvian actor
Uldis Dumpis Uldis is a Latvian male given name that is a variant of the German name Ulrich, which means "powerful heritage". The name may refer to: * Uldis Augulis (born 1972), Latvian politician * Uldis Bērziņš (1944–2021), Latvian writer * Uldis Bri ...
have Kreevin ancestry.


References

{{Uralic peoples Historical ethnic groups of Europe Ethnic groups in Latvia Votians