Solve Riddles While Taking Public Transport in Riga!

Starting 6 January 2025, thematic riddle selections will appear on screens across Riga’s public transport for the entire year. This initiative is organized by the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia (ILFA) in cooperation with the municipal company “Rīgas satiksme”.

To promote Latvian traditional culture, a public vote was held in December 2024 on “Rīgas satiksme”’s social media channels. Passengers were asked to choose which folklore genre they would most like to see featured on screens in 2025. Among proverbs, beliefs, riddles, and folk songs, riddles received the most votes.

The aim of the campaign is to celebrate the richness of Latvian folklore. Throughout the year, commuters will have the opportunity to guess riddles selected from the Archives of Latvian Folklore, each themed around everyday life, objects, and nature. Some riddles may take a playful or humorous look at serious matters. The selections will also reflect the richness of the Latvian language, including older linguistic forms, dialectal expressions, and words that may have faded from everyday use.

Participants are encouraged to enjoy the guessing process — and not be discouraged if the answer displayed on-screen differs from their own. Folklore sources often contain multiple answers to the same riddle, just as a single answer may be the solution to many different riddles. Since riddles are based on associations, everyone brings their own experience and interpretation, and many answers can be considered correct.

This year’s initiative builds on the success of the 2024 campaign, which featured Latvian folk songs on public transport screens to mark the 100th anniversary of the Archives of Latvian Folklore and the completion of the academic edition Latviešu tautasdziesmas. That project was warmly received by the public as an effective way to promote traditional Latvian culture.

The Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art expresses its gratitude to “Rīgas satiksme” for its continued support in promoting Latvian cultural heritage.