Daina (organization)

Daina (literally: song) was a Lithuanian cultural organization promoting Lithuanian folk traditions and songs.

During the Lithuanian national revival, several organizations committed to promoting and maintaining Lithuanian folk traditions were formed. The most prominent of these was Daina, formed by composer Juozas Naujalis in 1899. Daina was registered with the Russian government in 1905, with the official purpose of being a church choir. Singers from Daina traveled across Lithuania, singing and communicating with like-minded Lithuanians.

Daina's staging of America in the Bath-House and the choir's performance of several nationalist songs was a great cultural event that gave momentum to the nationalist movement, and Daina spread across the country. Violinist Mykolas Leškevičius was a part of Daina during this time.

After suppression by the German authorities in 1915, Daina ceased all activities. Only a year later, however, Naujalis and Stasys Šimkus revitalized the society. Opera singers like Antanas Sodeika and Kipras Petrauskas performed during this time.

External links

(Lithuanian) Short history of the organization.