The Latvian Literature Annual Awards (LALIGABA) are handed out by the International House of Writers and Translators and the Latvian Writers' Union. The award is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Baltic International Bank and Photo space Riga.
At a press conference in Rīga, the judges announced nominees lists in poetry, prose, children's literature, translation and best debut categories, as well as announcing in advance the recipient of a lifetime achievement award.
BEST WORK OF POETRY
Inga Gaile “Lieldienas”
Arvis Viguls “Grāmata”
Uldis Bērziņš “Idilles”
Liāna Langa “Velēnu kleita”
Gunta Šnipke “Ceļi”
BEST WORK OF PROSE
Māra Zālīte “Paradīzes putni”
Inga Žolude “Materia botanica”
Jana Egle "Svešie jeb miļeņkij ti moi"
Andra Manfelde "Mājās pārnāca basa"
BEST WORK OF LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN
Māris Rungulis "Trīs Nāves Mārtiņdienā. Pārupes spoku stāsti. 2. grāmata"
Kārlis Vērdiņš, "Dilles tante"
Lilija Berzinska “Skelets skapī”
Aivars Kļavis, "Ceļš uz nezināmo zemi"
BEST TRANSLATION
Guntars Godiņš
Gita Grīnberga and Dens Dimiņš
Māra Poļakova
Dace Meiere
BRIGHTEST DEBUT
Ināra Kaija Eglīte "Kliedziens starp āboliem"
Haralds Matulis “Vidusšķiras problēmas”
Dainis Deigelis “Dievs beidz”
The jury also went off piste and decided to award a special award for highlighting bilingual poetry to the collection "Trilium/Trillium" in the Liv language and English. The authors represented in the groundbreaking collection are Baiba Damberga, Valts Ernštreits and Ķempju Kārlis, with translations into English by Uldis Balodis and Ryan van Winkle.
"Personally, the book moves me deeply as an affirmation of persistence, perseverance, even heroism - and this heroism is not in vain,” commented Anda Baklane, Chairman of the Prize Commission.
The Lifetime Achievement award will go to decided to London-based poet Velta Sniķere for her outstanding contribution to Latvian poetry.
"The main theme of Velta Sniķere's poetry is the ability of mankind to discover the deepest metaphysical meaning of the world and nature," said Inga Abele, one of the judges.
