According to records there used to be three God’s Oaks at Kaibala School which were believed to be sacred and where people brought sacrifices. Shortly before World War I only stumps had remained from the oaks the place of which people still remembered in 1928, when the oak spots were localized as remembered by the locals. Nowadays in the place where the oaks used to be there is the stadium of Kaibala school. During the construction of the stadium the relief was considerably changed and the likely evidences about the God’s Oaks eliminated. The location of each of the God’s Oaks cannot be identified any more. The God’s Oaks have been immoratalized in Auseklis’ poem “The Trinity of God’s Oaks”. The God’s Oak tradition is continued in the so-called “Poetry Oaks” which were planted on 22 September, 1971 in commemoration of the 130th anniversary of poet Andrejs Pumpurs. The oaks were planted not far from the earlier God’s Oak site at the corner of the banks where the Kaibala River falls into the Daugava.
Narrative
Where Kaibaliņa snuggles up To the old Daugava River, There in Laima’s fields Three gods’ oaks flourished. They were stretching their gorgeous branches From the hill into the valley And the holy silence of heaven Dwelled here. No songs resounded here, Nor loud prayers, Just hearts jumped in happiness In this sanctuary of gods. There green branches were laid On the stone altar, there eyes were upward turned Through the leaves inscripted. Go, look for three stumps At the grieving Kaibala River It will still tell you About the gods’ oaks. The morning star. Trinity of the gods’oaks.
On Rīga – Daugavpils highway in Kaibala there is a road sign “Dzejas ozoli”, which marks the place where the Sacred Oaks used to grow, however there are no further signs in Kaibala village and it will be difficult to find the Poetry Oaks without asking. There is an indicative sign at the Poetry Oaks.
