Liet International
Liet International (West Frisian: Liet Ynternasjonaal), formerly Liet-Lávlut, is a song contest for musicians who speak any of Europe's regional or minority languages that was held the first time in Friesland in 2002. The goal of the festival is to boost interest in Europe's minority languages, especially with young people.
Liet International began in 2002 as a spinoff of the Frisian-language song contest Liet (West Frisian for "song"), held annually in Leeuwarden/Ljouwert since 1991. The first three editions of Liet International likewise took place in Leeuwarden. Since 2006 it has been held in a different city each year. The 2006 and 2008 contests, held in the Swedish Sápmi, were titled Liet-Lávlut (lávlut is Northern Sami for "sing").
Since 2008 Liet International has been organized under the patronage of the Council of Europe.
Contests were cancelled in 2007 and 2013 when the hosting organizations, in Narbonne and Corsica respectively, backed out at a late stage. No Liet International was held in 2015.
Qualification
The winners of certain song contests for particular languages or groups of languages automatically qualify as entrants for Liet International. These contests thus function as selection rounds for the international contest. They have included:
- Liet (West Frisian)
- Premiu al Meyor Cantar (Asturian)
- Sámi Grand Prix (Sámi)
- SUNS (minority languages of Italy and the Alpine region)
- Laulun Laulut (minority languages of the Nordic and Baltic regions, 2007)
- Nós Úr (Celtic languages and Scots, 2008-2009)
- Liet Corsica (Corsican, 2012)
Additional entrants are chosen from applying artists by a selection committee.
Liet Ynternasjonaal 2002
The first Liet International song contest was held on April 28, 2002 at the De Harmonie theatre in Leeuwarden/Ljouwert, Friesland, the Netherlands. The West Frisian-language Liet contest was held on the previous night, and in a pattern that would be repeated in future editions the winner of Liet went on to represent Friesland in the international contest. However in later years Liet International would be held some months after Liet.
Both the jury and public awards were won by the Catalan band Pomada for their song "En Pere Galleri".
| Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angelit | Sámi | 3 | ||
| Da Åntretemåntre (frr) | North Frisian | |||
| Bat Bitten | Basque | |||
| ChëCZ | Kashubian | |||
| Flat Out! | "Fûgelfrij" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2002 | |
| Gwerinos | Welsh | |||
| Le Chéile Trio | Irish | |||
| Mescladissa | Occitan | |||
| Stone Age | Breton | 2 | ||
| Pomada | "En Pere Gallerí" | Catalan | 1 Jury and public awards |
Liet Ynternasjonaal 2003
The second Liet International contest was again held at the De Harmonie theatre in Leeuwarden, on November 23, 2003.
Transjoik, a Sámi group from Norway, won the jury award with their song "Mijjajaa". The public award was won by Welsh/Cornish singer Gwenno for her song in Cornish, "Vodya".
| Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dept. | "Sensacions" | Catalan | 8 | 36 | |
| Nux Vomica | "Barbet pantaï" | Occitan | 4 | 56 | |
| Awful Noise | "Jarobinka" | Sorbian | 9 | 31 | |
| Transjoik | "Mijjajaa" | Sámi | 1 Jury award | 70 | |
| Briege Murphy | "An Mhuir" | Irish | 6 | 39 | |
| Gwenno | "Vodya" | Cornish | 3 Public award | 57 | |
| Prorastar | "Michi" | Friulian | 10 | 22 | |
| Epitaff | "Yr ateb" | Welsh | 2 | 66 | |
| Anubía | "Ai" | Galician | 5 | 44 | |
| Bacon and Bones | "It allerheechste guod" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2003 | 6 | 39 |
Liet Ynternasjonaal 2004
The third edition of the contest was held on the 22nd of October, 2004. The venue was once again the De Harmonie theatre in Leeuwarden. Sámi singer Niko Valkeapää won both the jury and the public award with his song "Rabas mielain". This was the second time in a row that the contest was won by the Sámi entry.
| Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niko Valkeapää | "Rabas mielain" | Sámi | 1 Jury and public awards | 91 | |
| Bombes 2 Bal | "Lo Merle" | Occitan | 2 | 63 | |
| The Alyth McCormack Band | "Dean cadalan samhach" | Scottish Gaelic | 3 | 61 | |
| Uxía | "Cadeas" | Galician | 3 | 61 | |
| EV | Breton | 5 | 52 | ||
| Kosovni Odpadki | "Bye bye bombe" | Friulian | 6 | 49 | |
| Elin Fflur | Welsh | 7 | 39 | ||
| Istvan Kobjela | Sorbian | 8 | 37 | ||
| Meindert Talma & the Negroes | "Dûnsje wyldekat dûnsje" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2004 | 9 | 32 |
| Ondiep | Limburgish | 10 | 25 |
Liet-Lávlut 2006
Since the Sámi had won two out of the three competitions, the festival was held in Östersund, Sweden, which is the southern reaches of the area, Sápmi, that the Sámi live in the Nordic Countries. Sixty competitors, singing in 25 minority languages, took part in the preliminary elimination round. Eleven songs, representing 11 languages, were selected for the final competition.
Although the winner was selected by the festival's jury, the audience could vote for their favorite artist at the festival, on the Internet and by SMS message. The Sámi duo of Johan Kitti from Sweden and Ellen Sara Bæhr from Norway won the competition with "Luđiin muitalan", sung in Northern Sámi. The audience favorite was Liza Pannetier, with her song in Occitan, "Soleu Rouge".
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Arbe Garbe | "Oh moj sin" | Friulian | 7 | 55 | |
| 02 | Anna Murray and Iain Finlay Macleod | "An-raoir bha mi coiseachd" | Scottish Gaelic | 8 | 46 | |
| 03 | Moot | "Gyn Fockleyn" | Manx | 10 | 38 | |
| 04 | Raud-Ants | "Kui miä kazvolin kanainõ" | Votic | 9 | 41 | |
| 05 | Gari | "Hil ez denak" | Basque | 11 | 30 | |
| 06 | Liza Pannetier | "Solèu Roge" | Occitan | 4 Public award | 69 | |
| 07 | Van Wieren | "Nim dyn tiid" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2005 | 6 | 58 |
| 08 | Jord | "Oonhän meilä vielä kieli" | Meänkieli | 5 | 60 | |
| 09 | Narf | "Santiago" | Galician | 2 | 78 | |
| 10 | Johan Kitti and Ellen Sara Bæhr | "Luđiin muitalan" | Northern Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2006 | 1 Jury award | 86 |
| 11 | Karaván Familia | "Shej baxtali" | Romani | 3 | 77 |
Liet-Lávlut 2008
The competition took place on 18 October at Kulturens hus in Luleå/Luleju, Sweden. Corsican singer Jacques Culioli won both the jury's and public's awards.
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Boy Elliott & The Plastic Bags | "Planeta 19" | Galician | Winner A Polo Ghit 2008 | 10 | 46 |
| 02 | Surunmaa | "Tulethan takasi" | Meänkieli | Public award Laulun-Laulut 2007 | 8 | 51 |
| 03 | Gwennyn | "Bugale Belfast" | Breton | Public award Nòs Ùr 2008 | 6 | 54 |
| 04 | Jacques Culioli | "Hosanna in excelsis" | Corsican | 1 Jury and public awards | 80 | |
| 05 | Spasulati | "Botë e shurë" | Arbëreshë | 8 | 51 | |
| 06 | Elin Kåven | "Áibbas jaska" | Northern Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2008 | 2 | 73 |
| 07 | Jelte Posthumus & Pilatus Pas | "De wiete wyn hellet oan" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2008 | 6 | 54 |
| 08 | Carnicats | "Oz Dream" | Friulian | 4 | 56 | |
| 09 | Yr Annioddefol | "Drysu" | Welsh | Jury award Nòs Ùr 2008 | 11 | 44 |
| 10 | Dixebra | "Indios" | Asturian | 2 | 73 | |
| 11 | Mordens | "Good will blessing" | Mordvinian | Jury award Laulun-Laulut 2007 | 4 | 56 |
Liet International 2009
In January the Board of the Liet Foundation decided to continue under the name Liet International. The 6th competition was held on 31 October 2009, returning to the De Harmonie theater in Leeuwarden.
The Finnish Sámi rock band Somby won the competition with their song "Ii iđit vel", sung in Northern Sámi. The audience favorite was Dr. Drer en Cre Posse from Sardinia, with their song "Apu biu".[1]
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Alfredo González | "La nada y tu" | Asturian | Winner Premiu al Meyor Cantar 2009 | 9 | 40 |
| 02 | Zine | "Lo Prince Charmant" | Occitan | 10 | 31 | |
| 03 | Dr. Drer & CRC posse | "Apu biu" | Sardinian | 2 Public award | 80 | |
| 04 | SomBy | "Ii iđit vel"* | Northern Sami | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2009 | 1 Jury award | 85 |
| 05 | Lino Straulino | "Doman" | Friulian | 3 | 78 | |
| 06 | It Langstme en de Dea | "Wikel" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2009 | 5 | 63 |
| 07 | Fiach | "Sea Táim" | Irish | Jury award Nòs Ùr 2009 | 4 | 75 |
| 08 | De fofftig Penns | "Platt" | Low German | 8 | 48 | |
| 09 | Sunrise not Secular | "Lasair An t-Oidhche" | Scottish Gaelic | Public award Nòs Ùr 2009 | 7 | 52 |
| 10 | Sattuma | "Marjaini-Darjaini" | Karelian | 6 | 62 | |
| 11 | Sovvaļnīks | "Pats sevī dzeivs" | Latgalian | 11 | 24 |
- ^ Also known as "Ii iđida".
Liet International 2010
In 2010 Liet International was held in the Breton city of Lorient/An Oriant in France. The contest was won by the band Orka of the Faroe Islands with their song "Rúmdardrongurin". The public award went to the Friulian band R.esistence in Dub and their song "Fieste".
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ORKA | "Rúmdardrongurin" | Faroese | 1 Jury award | 88 | |
| 02 | Mafia Galega | "Billarda Sempre" | Galician | 10 | 29 | |
| 03 | Stéphane Casalta | "Albasgia" | Corsican | Jury award SUNS 2010 | 7 | 59 |
| 04 | Jousnen Järved | "Verrez Tullei" | Vepsian | 8 | 45 | |
| 05 | Rachel Walker | "Fada Bhuam" | Scottish Gaelic | 5 | 65 | |
| 06 | Xera | "Tierra" | Asturian | Winner Premiu al Meyor Cantar 2010 | 2 | 78 |
| 07 | Pia-Maria Holmgren | "Geaidnu" | Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2010 | 9 | 44 |
| 08 | Equal Souls | "Do swalkest" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2010 | 3 | 75 |
| 09 | Dom Duff | "Kan an awen" | Breton | 11 | 23 | |
| 10 | R.Esistance in Dub | "Fieste" | Friulian | Public award SUNS 2010 | 4 Public award | 70 |
| 11 | The Temporary | "Cupan Toast" | Irish | 6 | 62 |
Liet International 2011
The eighth Liet International was held on November 19, 2011 at the Teatro Giovanni da Udine in Udine/Udin, the historical capital of the Italian region of Friûl.
The Frisian singer Janna Eijer (22) from Jobbegea won the jury prize with her song "Ien klap", while the band Coffeeshock Company from Austria won the public vote with "Gusla mi se je znicila", sung in Burgenland Croatian.
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Noid | "Kättepajo" | Vepsian | 9 | 40 | |
| 02 | Rezia Ladina | "Id ès capità" | Romansh | Winner Romansh song contest | 7 | 55 |
| 03 | Coffeeshock Company | "Gusla mi se je znicila" | Burgenland Croatian | Jury award SUNS 2011 | 3 Public award | 80 |
| 04 | Priska | "Hajra" | Friulian | 12 | 28 | |
| 05 | Macanta | "Gaol" | Scottish Gaelic | 4 | 77 | |
| 06 | Rolffa | "Gulatgo mu?" | Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2011 | 11 | 32 |
| 07 | Siroka | "Hi, vascofona!" | Basque | 5 | 70 | |
| 08 | Cuntra Löm | "La moncignosa" | Ladin | Public award SUNS 2011 | 10 | 35 |
| 09 | Skama la Rede | "Condenau" | Asturian | Winner Premiu al Meyor Cantar 2011 | 8 | 52 |
| 10 | Janna Eijer | "Ien klap" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2011 | 1 Jury award | 83 |
| 11 | Silent Woo Goore | "Kyrdźasa leźom ali" (Кырӟаса лэзём али)* | Udmurt | 2 | 81 | |
| 12 | Aoife Scott | "Donal Ná Fág" | Irish | 6 | 63 |
- *^ Misidentified as "Emeze" on the Liet International website etc. "Emeźe" is a different song by the same group.
Liet International 2012
The ninth edition of Liet International was held in Gijón/Xixón, Asturias, Spain, at the Teatru de la Llaboral, on December 1, 2012. Welsh-born Breton singer Lleuwen won the jury prize for her song "Ar Gouloù Bev", while the public prize went to Asturiana Mining Company with "Si nun conoces Vaḷḷouta".
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Dopu Cena | "Trasmetta" | Corsican | Winner Liet Corsica 2012 | 2 | 86 |
| 02 | Enkore | "Muxurik muxu" | Basque | 8 | 41 | |
| 03 | Claudia Crabuzza & Claudio Gabriel Sanna | "Ara" | Catalan (of Alghero) | Jury award and public award SUNS 2012 | 5 | 64 |
| 04 | Brian Ó hEadhra | "Fathainn" | Scottish Gaelic | 5 | 64 | |
| 05 | Ivan Belosludtsev & 4 Cheber Pios | "Tau Tynyd" (Тау тыныд) | Udmurt | 9 | 35 | |
| 06 | Asturiana Mining Company | "Si nun conoces Vaḷḷouta" | Asturian | Winner Premiu al Meyor Cantar 2012 | 4 Public award | 66 |
| 07 | Yldau | "Fjoer" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2012 | 7 | 52 |
| 08 | JoNoKognos | "Mai mai" | Friulian | Public award SUNS 2012 (2nd place) | 11 | 32 |
| 09 | Lleuwen | "Ar Gouloù Bev" | Breton | 1 Jury award | 87 | |
| 10 | Inger Karoline Gaup | "Oainnát go?" | Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2012 | 9 | 35 |
| 11 | The Voodoolectric | "Slickermuul" | Low German | 3 | 76 |
Liet International 2014
The 2014 contest was held in Oldenburg, Germany. 19-year-old musician Martina Iori, from Val di Fassa in the north of Italy, won the jury award for her song "Via con mia mùsega", sung in Ladin.
In this year the audience award was replaced by a musicians' award voted on by the contestants themselves. This was won by Aila-Duo from Finland and their song in Aanaar Sámi "Naharij kandâ".
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Banda de Gaitas El Trasno | "Volviche" | Galician-Asturian | Winner Premiu Meyor Cantar 2014 | 7 | 36 |
| 02 | Willie Campbell | "Fir Chlis" | Scottish Gaelic | 9 | 30 | |
| 03 | Bandalheira | "Baracho ancho Pereira" | Minderico | 10 | 21 | |
| 04 | Adnoz | "Un dra nevez" | Breton | 4 | 53 | |
| 05 | Forefingers Up! – A new Balentia's joint | "Sa luxi 'e su soli" | Sardinian/Italian | 3 | 56 | |
| 06 | Bruno Rummler | "Beppe" | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2014 | 5 | 51 |
| 07 | Aila-Duo | "Naharij kandâ" | Aanaar Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2014 | 2 Musicians' award | 64 |
| 08 | The Paintbox | "Söss söss söss / Dat Slecht" | Low Saxon | 6 | 40 | |
| 09 | Martina Iori | "Via con mia mùsega" | Ladin | Winner SUNS 2014 | 1 Jury award | 73 |
| 10 | Marina Sadova | "Shochmo keche" (Шочмо кече) | Mari | 7 | 36 |
Liet International 2017
The 11th Liet International song contest was scheduled to be held in late 2016 in Kautokeino/Guovdageaidnu, Norway, the home of the Sámi Grand Prix.[2] However, due to a lack of funds[3] the contest was rescheduled to fall on April 13 2017, as part of the Sámi Easterfestival.[4]
For a second time in the history of the contest, a local singer, Norwegian Sami-speaker Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen, won the contest with her song "Luoddaearru” (“Crossroad”) in addition to being awarded the Musicians' award.
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mary Ann Kennedy & Friends | “Grioglachan” (“Constellation”) | Scottish Gaelic | 6 | 21 | |
| 02 | La Schlapp Sauvage | “Blanne Käpitan” (“Blind captain”) | Luxembourgish | 8 | 13 | |
| 03 | Zaman | “Hïwïtma” (Һыуытма) (“Don’t be cold”) | Bashkir | 4 | 31 | |
| 04 | Ruben Semmoh & Romeo Sumter | “Saka Na Pin” (“Heal the pain”) | Sranan Tongo | 5 | 25 | |
| 05 | UKAN | “Den ebet all” (“No one else”) | Breton | 6 | 21 | |
| 06 | Pavel Aleksandrov & Dmitry Yakimov | “Van'myz ortche” (Ваньмыз ортче) (“Everything will pass”) | Udmurt | 3 | 38 | |
| 07 | Aafke Zuidersma | “Minsk fan wearde” (“Man of value”) | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2016 | 2 | 39 |
| 08 | Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen | "Luoddaearru” (“Crossroad”) | Northern Sami | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2016 | 1 Jury award and Musicians' award | 44 |
Liet International 2018
The 12th Liet International song contest was held on May 23 2018 at Neushoorn Leeuwarden as part of LF2018 (Leeuwarden's stint as European Capital of Culture).
| No. | Artist | Song | Language | Qualification | Placing | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afro-Carib Ensemble | Sranan Tongo | 9 | 75 | ||
| 2 | Familia Caamagno | Galician | 12 | 61 | ||
| 3 | Jenne Decleir | “Dans met mij” | Aantwaarps | 10 | 73 | |
| 4 | Evgenia Udalova | “Voj” (Вой) | Komi | 14 | 26 | |
| 5 | Stonecrobs | “Yn Frijheid Kinsto Libje” | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2018 | 5 | 111 |
| 6 | Zaman | “Alga” (Алга) | Bashkir | 7 | 110 | |
| 7 | Gerda Stevenson & Kyrre Slind | “Aye The Gean” | Scots | 3 | 119 | |
| 8 | Whyte | “Tairm” | Scottish Gaelic | 11 | 71 | |
| 9 | Nastasia Zürcher | “Espertos” | Galician | 2 Musicians’ award | 133 | |
| 10 | Pira | Aromanian | 13 | 49 | ||
| 11 | The Rowan Tree | “Tresor” | Cornish | 1 Jury award | 141 | |
| 12 | Luko Reinders | West Frisian | Winner Liet 2017 | 4 | 116 | |
| 13 | Inger Karoline Gaup & band | “Oahppan lean” | Sámi | Winner Sámi Grand Prix 2018 | 5 | 111 |
| 14 | Billy Fumey | “Bondze Heidi” | Franco-Provençal | 8 | 78 |
References
- "Lapin Kansa" (in Finnish). Retrieved 2009-11-07.
- Granger, Anthony (2016-04-28). "LIET INTERNATIONAL'16: KAUTOKEINO TO HOST THE CONTEST". Eurovoix World. Archived from the original on 2019-02-17. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
- Granger, Anthony (2016-10-07). "LIET INTERNATIONAL'16: CONTEST MAY BE CANCELLED DUE TO FINANCIAL ISSUES". Eurovoix World. Archived from the original on 2019-02-18. Retrieved 2017-03-28.
- "LIET INTERNATIONAL PART OF SAMI EASTERFESTIVAL 2017 IN KAUTOKEINO, SÁPMI". liet-international.com. 2017-01-08. Archived from the original on 2017-04-21. Retrieved 2017-03-28.