Slavic people, also known in northern Germany as Wends, once settled in the area between the Elbe river and Drawehn. As late as the 18th century, they still used their own language: Polabian, in which Drawehn = wood/forest, po = at, Labe = Elbe. Many village names, such as Waddeweitz and Kukate, are reminiscent of the Slavic origins. Today it is the Wendland residents who take care of their lovely villages and cities, like the half-timbered city of Lüchow. Many artists, craftspeople, and musicians have also discovered the Elbe river valley/Wendland area for themselves and are enriching this diverse natural and cultural landscape with their own, multi-faceted culture.