Strautmaļi Linden

Description

It is also called the Strautmaļi Swedish Linden and Strautmaļi Secular Linden. Its age is about ~200 years. The linden is 16 m long, at a breast-height it has reached the circumference of 4 m. Initially there were three lindens, out of which only the one growing next to the Strautmaļi homestead has remained. According to E. Sproģis’ childhood memories (the end of the 30s of the 20th century), the second Swedish Linden had only one large forked branch at the end of its life. Apparently, the third Swedish Linden perished already earlier, because even older inhabitants of the parish did not know anything about it (Laime, 2005; Tourism Information Centre of the Valka County, 2012). At the beginning it is hardly visible from the road, because it grows in a tree clump (the linden and its new offsprings, a birch-tree, a fir-tree and rowan-trees). Nearby there is a stone cairn in the form of a drop/teardrop that has been made by the landlady of the Strautmaļi homestead Dagnija Pēterāne during many years when cleaning up the territory around the linden.

Narrative

According to the narration provided by the landlady of the Strautmaļi homestead Dagnija Pēterēna, in former times the Swedish Lindens were used as a church where swains were fed, and after her grand-grandmother’s wedding in the Ērģeme Church there was a service held. Yet in the 50s of the 20th century the grand-grandmother used to go to the linden just like to a church. North Vidzeme is one of the regions where offerings at trees and stones in Latvia preserved for the longest time. Offerings were made in the stone cairn laid of fist-size stones in a semi-moon form around the Strautmaļi Swedish Linden. A forest-guard recalled a tale, “When the Swedish War was over and in Mierkalni peace was concluded, they say that at the Straumaļi a Swedish commander stuck three linden poles into the ground. If they grew, the Sweeds would come back again.” (G. Eniņš. 100 Most Secular and Holiest (100 dižākie un svētākie).2008)

Location

Coordinates: 57.84221, 25.56211

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Comments

The Strautmaļi Linden was considered to be like a church — grand-grandmother of Dagnija Pēterāne used to go to the linden just like to a church until approximately 1950. There souls of the dead were fed — food was brought to the spirits. Avaricious people searched for gold at the linden, but they failed as the linden’s roots hindered. During after-war years kids from the local homesteads came to the linden to shoot at its ending with the arms (gums) that had remained after the war. Although they did not take the guns home, but rather left them in the linden hollow. In the nearby forest there is a bog/swamp where even Dagnija often loses her way, although she has been living at the forest her entire life. Before 500 years by the linden a river flew, now only a small bogged-up spring has remained. In the nearby territory there was a hill that was dug off in 1983 to build a road leading to the Strautmaļi homestead. Now instead of it there is a pit.

Photo, video

Archive of the “Cult Identity” project