Ķempju Kārl

Karl Pajusalu (also known as Ķempju Kārlis, born in 1963) is a linguist, educator, poet, and researcher of Estonian language and literature. In 2000, he became a Professor of History and Dialects of the Estonian Language at the University of Tartu. Pajusalu actively engages in research on Livonians and Fenno-Ugrian peoples formerly inhabiting Latvian territories, regularly participates in Livonian traditional cultural events and promotes the Livonian language and heritage around the world. Pajusalu headed the research project aimed at developing shared Livonian grammar. In 2009, with Eberhard Winkler, he compiled the Salaca Livonian dictionary. He is the author and co-author of three books of poetry. His poetry conveys philosophically contemplative themes and emphasises the phonetics of ancient and new words. Pajusalu is believed to be the only contemporary poet writing in the now-extinct Salaca Livonian language.

Poetry

Salacas trīs krasti ["Three banks of the river Salaca"]. Rīga, Liivi Sõprade Selts/Lībiešu draugu biedrība, 2013.

Ville Hytönen. The language does not die if poetry is written in it - the anthology of Livonian poetry shows the power of smallness // Helsinki Sanomat, September 2022 [FI]