Curonians, or Kurs, a Baltic tribe in present-day western Latvia and Lithuania
The ancient Curonian castle hill (Skābāržu kalns) is located only 100 m from the castle.
Already in 1569 a "confusion of languages" was noticed: German, Lithuanian, Latvian-Curonian (Nehrungs-Kurisch) and Prussian.
The town was a gathering place for peasants from nearby Samogitia and Curonian and Prussian fishermen from Rusnė, Karklė, Nida, and Lesnoye.