Alsunga

Alsunga is a village and the administrative center of the Alsunga Municipality in the Kurzeme region of Latvia. It is situated approximately 20 kilometers west of the city of Kuldīga. The area is historically significant as the heartland of the Suiti people, an ethnographic group known for their distinctive cultural heritage, including their traditional clothing, music, and Catholic faith, which sets them apart from the predominantly Lutheran population of the rest of Kurzeme.

The Suiti cultural space was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009, recognizing its unique traditions. Alsunga itself features a notable Catholic church, the St. Michael's Church, which has been a center of Suiti life for centuries. The village has a small population and its economy is largely based on agriculture and local crafts. Alsunga's history is closely tied to the Suiti identity and their efforts to preserve their cultural distinctiveness. The local administration continues to support initiatives aimed at safeguarding and promoting Suiti traditions. The landscape around Alsunga is characterized by rolling hills and forests, typical of the western Latvian countryside.