EXPELLED FROM THE KIN

“It comes from your lineage. You are expelled from the kin.” That's what an old, wise woman from the forests of Latgale told me once when I shared with her one of my dreams that repeated itself over the years. Only later, upon delving deeply into my family history, I discovered that my great-great-grandmother was a healer, or as it is often said in Latvia, a white witch, who healed both people and animals with a help of spell words and healing plants. Her destiny and experiences had somehow emerged within me and woven into my often repeated dreams. The history of my women's lineage inspired me to explore what the image of women-witches truly encompasses. “Expelled from the Kin” is a performance that delves into the archetype of the witch, exploring the personal experiences and stories of the women in my family.

At the beginning of the performance, I read to the audience a poem I had written, inspired by the experiences of my maternal lineage. Afterward, I asked an audience member to help me carry a bowl filled with honey, and I also asked people to carry me to the next performance location. The audience was then invited to dip their palms into the liquid honey and afterward into black soil. Later, I climbed a tree and asked the audience to pour milk from the cans into bucket. I then pulled the bucket up and washed their hands with the milk. They were also encouraged to wash each other's hands with the milk. After the performance, the soil was used for flower beds in the same park.