Here we are again. It’s time for Latvia’s Parliament, the Saeima, to elect a president for the country. How time flies! It scarcely seems possible that four years have already passed since the incumbent, Andris Bērziņš, was elected. The person who is elected this time, probably in early June, will be Latvia’s fifth president since the restoration of the country’s independence and eighth or ninth in all of Latvia’s history (the last pre-war president, Kārlis Ulmanis, was not elected to the office, he grabbed it himself).

As I write this text three or four weeks before the actual election, I must say that I have no idea who will actually end up being chosen.  Latvia’s political parties, as is always their wont, are playing political games with the issue. The Unity party controls the prime minister’s office, the National Alliance (NA) has the chair of Speaker of Parliament, so the presidency should go to the Latvian Alliance of the Green Party and Farmers Union (ZZS), which is the third party in the governing coalition, for instance.  Apparently the characteristics and talents of the president are of secondary importance here. Political balance is the key.

I will first say that this is nothing new. Latvia’s first post-occupation president, Guntis Ulmanis, largely became president because of his surname (his grandfather was Kārlis Ulmanis’ brother) – tradition, don’t you know? Also in the running, incidentally, was Gunārs Meierovics, whose grandfather was pre-war Latvia’s legendary foreign minister, Zigfrīds.  The former surname beat out the latter. Mr Ulmanis, for understandable reasons, was not called Ulmanis during the Soviet occupation. He changed his surname after the collapse of the USSR and served two three-year terms in office.

Latvia’s next president, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, was elected only after MPs conducted five rounds of voting, with no one winning the requisite 51 votes (of 100). She did not appear entirely out of the blue, a group of intellectuals had been touting her potential candidacy for some time before, but it was still something of a surprise. Mrs Vīķe-Freiberga spent most of her life in Canada and returned to Latvia only a year or so before the election. Her election was due in large part to the inability of squabbling parties in Parliament to elect anyone who was a member of one of them.

President Vīķe-Freiberga was first to serve a four-year term, the law having been amended to extend the term for one year. She was so popular that during the parliamentary election that preceded her re-election, most parties swore up and down that they would support her and only her.  In the event, she ran unopposed and received 88 votes, with only six MPs voting against her.

Mrs Vīķe-Freiberga’s second term came to an end at a time when Latvia’s venal political system was at pretty much the height of its venality. A key showdown between the president and the Cabinet of Ministers occurred when the latter voted to amend Latvia’s national security laws to allow anyone vouched for by a member of Parliament to gain access to state secrets. The president blocked the law, which was clearly designed in support of some of the so-called “oligarchs” who were of great influence in politics at that time, and in a resulting national referendum, the overwhelming majority of residents voted against the amendments. The referendum did not achieve the necessary proportion of the electorate to count, but it did not matter, because Parliament had quietly reversed itself on the matter anyway.

The aforementioned venality was seen very clearly when the Cabinet of Ministers, led by Prime Minister Aigars Kalvītis (he would be the one who proclaimed “seven years of abundance” not very long before the Latvian economy crashed completely), dilly-dallied over a number of possible presidential candidates before suddenly coming up with Valdis Zatlers. It has gone down in political legend that agreement on this candidate was reached by a very small group of politicos at the Rīga zoo. Valdis Zatlers was a surgeon with no political experience whatsoever, but that made no difference to those who wanted to elect him. Neither was it of any importance to them that like most doctors in post-Soviet Latvia, Dr Zatlers commonly took under-the-counter payments from his patients and, crucially, did not declare this income.  In the event, he ended up paying a small fine after having been elected, but this blatant ignoring of an issue which, I would submit, would pretty much disqualify a candidate for the top office in the land in most civilised countries, was par for the course here.

President Zatlers served only one term in office. Readers may remember that during his term, politicians in Parliament and the Cabinet were starting to get up to their old tricks once again. One outrageous example was a vote in the Saeima to soften the law on money laundering, and with retroactive effect, thus almost certainly kowtowing to the scandalous mayor of Ventspils, Aivars Lembergs, who was (and is) being tried in court for a variety of sins including, no points for guessing – money laundering.  Eventually Dr Zatlers ran out of patience and invoked a constitutional procedure to dissolve Parliament and call a fresh election. The Constitution requires a referendum on the matter, and in this particular case there is no quorum of the electorate. The president signed the order on dissolution on May 28, 2011, and on July 23, 650,518 people voted in support of the order, while only 37,289 voted against it. A more ringing rejection of a class of politicians is difficult to imagine.

The problem for Dr Zatlers was that between May 28 and July 23, there was a presidential election in Parliament. Though he had been expected to win handily, the fact that his electorate was made up of the same people whom he was kicking out of office meant that there was room for someone else. What basically happened was that Andris Bērziņš went to his ZZS faction and said “What the heck, I’ll give it a shot.” On June 2, he was elected.

President Bērziņš announced several weeks ago that he would not be seeking a second term in office. His presidency has not been without controversy. The man is no great orator, and he is prone to making occasionally puzzling statements such as his remark at one point that no one had adequately explained to him why Latvia should have to take on the expense of serving as the presiding country of the European Union, as it is doing right now. Apparently the president needed different foreign policy advisors, because the presidency is a rotating thing that comes and goes automatically for all EU member states.

Once that announcement was made, the jockeying began. First out of the blocks was the Latvian Alliance of Regions (NRA), which is a small party in opposition in the Saeima, and came up with Mārtiņš Bondars, who among other things once served as chief of staff to President Vīķe-Freiberga. Another small opposition party, the clumsily named From the Heart for Latvia (NSL) came up with Gunārs Kūtris, a former chief justice of the Latvian Constitutional Court. Small opposition party, small opposition party, no chance, no chance.

The National Alliance has said that its preferred candidate is Egīls Levits, currently a justice on the European Court of Justice. The governing Unity party has had a number of potential candidates. Party chairwoman and former Speaker Solvita Āboltiņa has had ambitions for the job, though her reputation was sullied a bit during last year’s parliamentary election, when she fell short of election and got a seat in Parliament only after one of the candidates who beat her on the list suddenly, and without much explanation, just gave the seat up. One wing of Unity would like to see European Parliament member Sandra Kalniete in the job, and she has said that she would be willing to serve. The other wing of Unity will have none of that and at one time said that it would choose another member of the EP, Artis Pabriks.

That, however, was only until the ZZS came up with its candidate.  Here, again, we have a party of various constituent parts, and, as I have written in the past, it seems abnormal on a prima facie basis that environmental activists and pesticide-using farmers are in a single party. Of some importance in this case has been the aforementioned Aivars Lembergs, whose For Latvia and Ventspils party is also a part of the ZZS.  He has been known in recent times for fairly ridiculous statements about NATO such as the idea that NATO troops are actually an occupant force comparable to the Soviet military during the occupation. This initially suggested that the ZZS could not propose Defence Minister Raimonds Vējonis, who slapped the Ventspils mayor down loudly and firmly when he made those statements.

In the event though, the party did nominate Mr Vējonis, and Unity announced that it would support him, too. Unity and the ZZS have a total of 44 votes in Parliament, seven short of the 51 that are needed. The NA has said that it will continue to insist on Mr Levits.  The largest opposition party, Harmony, which is best known for being good buddies with the ruling United Russia party in our neighbouring country, as well as for being all wishy-washy about Russia’s grand military adventure in Ukraine, has said that it will nominate MP Sergejs Dolgopolovs. The NRA is sticking to Mr Bondars. Mr Kūtris from NSL has said that this is all a matter of tactics, and perhaps his candidacy will not be put forward officially.

All of this almost certainly means that the Saeima will not elect a president in the first round of voting. One key element in this is that the vote will be secret. This is another example of the vast gap that exists between Latvia’s political class and the rest of the population. In poll after poll, vast majorities of the country’s residents have called for an open election.  Yes, this would require a constitutional amendment, but constitutional amendments are not impossible. This is just another case in which politicos are putting their own “interests” ahead of everybody else’s. For our purposes, however, it simply means that there can be all kinds of surprises in the vote.

I must say that all of these political games are wearying, but also rather dangerous. The geopolitical situation in this part of the world right now is one in which it would be more than outrageous to elect to the presidency a neophyte who must spend the first six months looking for the bathroom key, so to speak. President Zatlers was just such a neophyte, and a few months after his election, in an interview, he came up with the statement “I am … yes, who am I?”. This example of existential angst became so well-known that this year the former president used the statement as the title of his memoir.

Completely lost in all of this political manoeuvring, therefore, is the question of what kind of person the next president will be. Will he or she be firm in relations with Parliament? Does he or she have a command of international politics? What does he or she think about relations with Russia? What are his or her views on the conflict in Ukraine? What about the European Union?  What about NATO?  Does he or she speak English, which today is pretty much a prerequisite for participation in international affairs?  When US President Barack Obama or his successor meets with the new Latvian president, with whom will he or she be meeting? And above all, what is the president’s experience?  Guntis Ulmanis ran a utility company before becoming president.  Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga was a celebrated psychologist. As noted, Valdis Zatlers was a doctor. Andris Bērziņš was a banker (and, as such, managed to ensure that he has the highest retirement pension in the land – another thing that one would imagine would not fly in many other countries).

To my mind, there are several potential candidates who tick all of the aforementioned boxes, first and foremost Mrs Kalniete. She is a former Latvian foreign minister, a former ambassadress to France, a former ambassadress to the United Nations, a former ambassadress to UNESCO, a former MP, and last year she was handily re-elected to a second term in the European Parliament. It would be hard to find someone more experienced and qualified. Not that that makes any difference in the halls of Parliament. Mrs Kalniete does not even have the support of all MPs from her own party.

To summarise: next month someone is going to be elected President of the Republic of Latvia. I cannot say who that will be. No one can. Is this a way to elect the country’s top official?  One might note that in some senses it is less onerous than what is going on in the United States, with literally dozens of Republican candidates all in a race to the bottom in terms of who can best serve the bigoted “base.” True, to my mind that almost certainly means that the next President of the United States will be Hillary Clinton, and that will not be a bad thing. But in Latvia’s case, as I noted, at a time when Russia is increasingly aggressive and increasingly imperialistic, politicians would do a very bad thing by electing just anyone at all.

The post Oh Where, Oh Where Can My President Be? appeared first on Latvians Online.

Jūlija sākumā Garezers svinēja savu 50. jubileju. Uz svinībām bija sabraukuši no visas plašās Amerikas latvieši, kuriem Garezers ir mīļš un kā "otrās mājas". Lēš, ka ap 2,000 latviešu sabrauca uz Garezera svinībām no 2. līdz 5. jūlijam. Pēc svinībām Latvians Online intervēja vairākus G50 svinību dalībniekus.

Kāpēc jūs piedalījāties G50 svinībās?

Nevarēju nebūt! (Daina Bolšteina, Vašingtona)

Kopā ar pārējiem Frikadeļu zupistiem (pēdējo reizi kopā spēlējām apmēram 35 gadus atpakaļ) bijām lūgti uzstāties sestdienas Palooza notikumā Atbalsīs! (Laila Medne, Filadelfija)

Ieplānojām dalību G50 svinībās savā ASV brauciena laikā (dzīvojam Latvijā pēdējos 8 gadus), jo tā mums bija prioritāte.  Gribējām atdot pateicību un cieņu tiem, kam bija vīzija izveidot Gaŗezeru, kā arī tiem, kas gadu gaitā, tāpat kā mēs abi ar vīru, esam to cēluši, veidojuši, attīstītījuši.  Bija liela vēlme vienuviet satikt savus bijušos klases biedrus un draugus un baudīt svinību programmu, priecāties... (Vanda Dauksta, Latvija, ex-Čikāga)

Biju Garezera svinībās, tādēļ ka piedalos Garezera Sagatavošanas skolā, kā audzinātāja šogad. Vēlējos arī pieredzēt Amerikāņu latviešu kultūru, un iepazīties ar Amerikas jauniešiem. (Laila Grosa, Melburna, Austrālija)

Gaŗezers ir mana dvēsele. Es sāku apmeklēt Gaŗezeru kad man bija apmēram 8 gadi. Es biju Indrānos. Pēc nometnes (pirms tā laika kad bija GSS) es pārgāju uz absolvēju GVV 1982. gadā kopā ar 53 citiem burvīgiem, sirds draugiem. Kurš būtu domājis, ka tagad mans vecākais dēls ir jau absolvējis, un jaunākais ir GVV III. klasē, ka Gaŗezers vēl būtu? Pirms četrām vasarām es gadījos vienā kabīnē kur vācām iekšā mūsu puišus lai apmeklētu GSS, un mēs trīs saskatījāmies, mēs trīs, kas pavadījām MŪSU jaunības gadus Gaŗezerā, tagad dodam to tālāk mūsu bērniem. Tā bija baigi forša sajūta. (Maira Galiņa, Bostona)

Ko Garezers jums nozīmē?

Daina: Es esmu Gaŗezera bērns. Manas mūža pirmās vienpadsmit vasaras pavadīju Gaŗezerā, dzīvojoties pa Dzintariem un vēlāk pāris nedēļas katru vasaru apmeklējot bērnu nometni. Tad piecas vasaras apmeklēju GVV un to absolvēju. Pēc tam arī strādāju Gaŗezerā. Gaŗezers man saistīts ar tik daudz atmiņu, tik daudz draudzību, un vasaru bez tā vispār nevaru iedomāties. Kaut man šajās dienās jāceļo 500 jūdzes, lai tur nokļūtu, es to daru reizi vasarā, lai varu vismaz 2-3 dienas tur pavadīt - vidi baudīt un draugus satikt. Kāds cilvēks esmu, un kā saredzu latvisko šajā pasaulē un manā dzīvē, ir pa lielai daļai saistīts ar to, ko esmu Gaŗezerā iemācījusies un piedzīvojusi.

Laila M: Turpinājums - izglītībai, latvietībai, izaugsmei, tuvām draugu saitēm.

Vanda: Sarēķināju, ka esmu kopumā pavadījusi vairāk nekā vienu savu dzīves gadu Gaŗezerā.  Tā nozīme manā dzīvē, ne tikai laika ziņā,  ir neizsakāmi liela.  Pirms Latvija atguva savu neatkarību, Gaŗezers bija mana Latvija. Gaŗezers man nozīmē vietu kur:

- ieguvu zināšanas par Latviju un latvisko;
- izveidoju draudzības mūža garumā (to skaitā - mēs ar vīru iepazināmies Gaŗezerā, tur laulājāmies un svinējām kāzas, tur kristīti mūsu bērni);
- esmu gan saņēmusi/baudījusi latvisku audzināšanau un kultūru, gan pielikusi savu roku/balsi to veidojot;
- ir mana sabiedrība, kur varu atpūsties un priecāties - latviski.

Laila G: Garezers man nozīmē - vieta kur sanāk latvieši no visiem Amerikas štatiem un izbauda latviešu kultūru.

Maira: Man Gaŗezers nozīmē vietu, kurā es piedzīvoju savu pirmo īsto mīlestību, vietu kur man bija pirmā buča, vieta kur es sadraudzējos ar sirds draugiem un draudzenēm, kuri ir mani vismīļākie draugi vēl šodien. Gaŗezers man nozīmē vietu, kur latviešu jaunieši satiekas un nodibina mūža draudzības - vislabākās un vismīļākās.

Ko sagaidījāt no šīm svinībām?

Daina: Sagaidīju, ka būs daudz cilvēku, un tā arī bija—Gaŗezerā sabrauca milzums daudz cilvēku. Satiku krietni daudz draugus un paziņas, kurus nebiju sen redzējusi - tas vienmēr jauki. Sagaidīju, ka sarīkojumi būs saistoši un labas kvalitātes, un arī tas piepildījās.

Laila M:  Tikties ar ilgi neredzētiem draugiem, paziņām, izbaudīt mūziku, uzvedumus, Māras Pelēces filmu.

Vanda: Sagaidījām nostaļģisku atskatīšanos uz pirmiem 50 gadiem.  Sagaidījām saviļņojošu programmu.  Sagaidījām prieka asaras un smieklus, skaistas sarunas. Sagaidīto arī sagaidījām/piedzīvojām!

Laila G: Sagaidīju daudzus pasākumus, un daudzus latviešus sapulcējušos vienā vietā. Tā arī bija.

Maira: Tieši to, kas bija - draugi, labs laiks, tikšanās, smiekli, ciemošanās, vienreizēji koncerti, notikumi un pāri pār visu, viss bija ELEGANTI noorganizēts! Cepure nost rīkotājiem!

Kas visspilgtāk paliks atmiņā no svinībām?

Daina: Dokumentālfilma "Satiksimies Gaŗezerā!", vispirms tādēļ, ka tas kaut kas paliekošs, ko varēs vēl ar citiem dalīties. Otrkārt tādēļ, ka to ar simtiem gaŗezernieku ezermalā noskatīties bija vienreizējs piedzīvojums. Iepriekš likās, ka cilvēki varbūt uzmanīgi neskatīsies, jo tie gribēs ciemoties un sarunāties. Reiz, kad filma iesākās, iestājās klusums, un skatītāji patiesi dzīvoja līdzi - applaudēja, smējās, vienā punktā pat dziedāja līdzi! Man īpaši aizkustināja, ka spontāni izcēlās aplauss, kad filmā pieminēja prāvestu Vili Vārsbergu, bez kura Gaŗezers nebūtu. Beidzot tādēļ, ka filma ļoti labi atspoguļo Gaŗezeru, tā garu un tā pievilkšanas spēku. Arī paliks atmiņā tas, ka galvenajai svētku programmai Dziesmu leja bija skatītāju pārpildīta - tik daudz cilvēku tur tiešām sen nebija bijis. Koncerts pats bija skaists un piemērots, un to skatītāji arī izbaudīja. Īpaši jauki bija novērot ar kādu sajūsmu un prieku gan GVV jaunieši, gan citu pilsētu tautas deju kopu dejotāji uzstājās. Kad koncerta beigās mēs visi piecēlāmies kājās, sadevāmies rokās un dziedājām "Pūt, vējiņi", tad jau visādas emocijas tika spilgti izjustas.

Laila M: Kopsajūta pēc lielā jubilejas akta. Bija ļoti daudz cilvēku, pilna Dziesmu leja, kad kopīgi noslēdzām vakaru dziesmā šūpojoties un aizvadot saulītes starus.

Vanda: 

1. Māras Pelēces filmas noskatīšanās - gan pati filma (kurā, šķiet, katrs varēja ieraudzīt kautko, kas atspoguļoja viņa/s Gaŗezera piedzīvojumu), gan filmas seanss - voleja laukumā 2 stundas visiem acis pielīmētas pie ekrāna, mutes kaktiņi nepārtrauktā smaidā...
2. Uzvedums Dziesmu lejā - no kora un deju priekšnesumiem līdz ballītei...
3. Koncerts visas dienas garumā Atbalsīs
4. Dievkalpojums, kurā māc. Anita Vārsberga sprediķa laikā no altāra nofotografēja sevi un visu draudzi selfijā, lai uzsvērtu to, ka katrs esam daļa no kautkā lielāka....
5. Atzīšos, ka man tādā negatīvā atmiņā paliks uguņošana. Nepārprotiet - tā bija augsta līmeņa, iespaidīga un ar Gaŗezerā vēl nepieredzētu "WOW" faktoru.  Pie tam atzīmējot 4. jūliju, ASV neatkarības svētkus - vietā, kur latvieši 50 gadus brīvi saglabājuši latvisko identitāti un kultūru. Par to, cepure nost, gods godam un paldies ASV.  Bet dūņezera malā sēžot, acīm žilbstot, mani pārņēma skumjas par šāda veida naudas iztērēšanu. Saprotu, ka uguņošanu noziedoja un paldies arī ziedotājiem par to. Bet nebija ne latviskās pieticības, nedz vienkāršības skaistuma. :-(  Un naudiņu būtu varējuši izmantot lietderīgāk....

Laila G: Visspilgtāk man atmiņā paliks sestdienas vakara koncerts, kuram sekoja Pērkons koncerts un pēc tam DJ-Aiva. Man ļoti patika, kā pirmais koncerts bija salikts, iesaistot gan tautasdejas, gan koru dziesmas, sakombinējot dažādas lietas par Garezeru.

Maira: Koncerts Dziesmu lejā sestdienas vakarā bija nepārspējami aizkustinoši burvīgs.

Kādu jūs saredzat Garezera nākotni?

Daina: Kaut daudz lietu Gaŗezerā nav pa gadiem mainījušās, tomēr maiņas ir redzamas un tā tas turpināsies. Varbūt dotajā momentā grūti iedomāties, ka Gaŗezers vēl pastāvēs 50 gadus, bet 20-30 gadus tas, lēnām mainoties un šodienas apstākļiem kaut cik pielāgojoties, katrā ziņā vēl varēs turpināt darboties kā latviešu kulturāls centrs, satikšanās vieta, un bērnu un jauniešu izglītības iestāde.

Laila M: Es vēlos redzēt Gaŗezeru kā spēcīgu latvisku vidi, kur jauniešiem piedāvā izcilu programmu un dod iespēju pašiem izveidot savu latvisko "es".

Vanda: Bijām klāt paneļdiskusijā par šo jautājumu G50 svinību laikā. Arī neformāli ar klases biedriem šo pārrunājām.  Bez šaubām tas ir sāpīgākais/sarežģītākais jautājums, kas Gaŗezera veidotājiem stāv priekšā. Jo — grūti iedomājams tāds Gaŗezers "for God and Latvia", ja nu tas ir bijis (un tam jābūt?) "Dievam un Latvijai". Kā nodrošināt pēc iespējas daudziem augsta līmeņa programmas latviešu valodā, cenšoties vienlaikus iesaistīt latviešus, kuriem valodas zināšanas ir vājas? Saredzu, ka arvien lielāku lomu ņems audzinātāji un skolotāji no Latvijas.

Laila G: Garezers man šķiet turpināsies ļoti ilgu laiku, te ir nākotne jauniešos, kuriem ir liels gribasspēks uzturēt šo latviešu kultūru.

Maira: Kamēr cilvēki ņem aktīvu dalību, un dzen Gaŗezeru uz priekšu, piekopj visu, kas darāms (fiziski uzturēt Gaŗezeru ir neticāmi grūts darbs), Gaŗezers pastāvēs. Vai ar laiku tas pāries vairāk uz divvalodu līmeni? Grūti teikt vai spriest, ļoti iespējams, BET te vēl arvien pastāv ļoti dedzīga latvietība. Vai ar laiku būs maiņas? Noteikti, bet cerams ka tas gars un tā jušana, kas iesēžas jauniešu dvēselēs nekad nezudīs. Var tikai cerēt.

The post Garezera 50. jubilejas svinības – ko domā apmeklētāji? appeared first on Latvians Online.

One of my favorite coffee mugs has wisdom from A Prairie Home Companion taking up one side – it ends with the admonition “Drink your coffee. It’s not the best you’ll ever get, but it’s good enough.” At the risk of damning with faint praise, the sentiments on that mug came to mind during the 16^th West Coast Latvian Song Festival in San Jose, California. The event ran from September 3-7, 2015, and while it is the smallest of the North American diaspora song festivals, that’s merely a question of scope.

San Jose was an excellent location. The weather was mild and sunny, and the proximity of the venues to one another was ideal. All of the hotels were within a few blocks, and only the church in which the Sacred Music Concert was held was more than one street crossing from the festival headquarters. The fact that a Comic Con was being held next door added some interesting juxtapositions – girls in superhero and manga outfits striding next to girls in Latvian folk outfits, and I had never before ridden up in a crowded song festival elevator with zombies mixed into the fray. Better yet, a bacon festival in the adjoining park on Saturday and Sunday added truly unique meal options based on an ingredient near and dear to Latvian hearts.

The festival featured enough ticketed events to keep a person busy, but not so many that a person couldn’t, with enough stamina and fortitude, experience them all AND find time to eat. Perfect! On one end of coffee spectrum – approaching “If not the best I’ve ever seen, then in the ballpark” were the Sacred Music Concert and the popular music/multimedia event “Here We Are”. Both featured a mix of professional and highly experienced amateur musicians and benefitted from obvious attention to detail.

While the sold-out Sacred Music Concert was of high quality throughout, the middle portion, performed by the choir Cantus Fortis from Latvia and conducted by Ivars Cinkuss, was especially fresh and unique. “O, Salutaris Hostia,” featuring sopranos Ginta Rūse and Jūlija Norvele, was the subject of much after-event praise, as was the inclusion of “No sirds slavēsim Mariju.” “Here We Are” was completely different in tone, but just as big a crowd-pleaser. A cabaret-type show featuring a finely coordinated mix of music, text, and multi-media aspects, it sailed through this challenging premise with hardly a glitch. If there was similarity between some numbers, it hardly mattered – there was always something to watch, listen to, feel, and laugh about, and it was all executed splendidly.

The comedic play, Precies, māsiņ’ (Marry, Little Sister), seemed the event closest to the “Not the best I’ve ever seen” end of the scale. The actors, all professionals from Latvia, were unquestionably talented, the play did draw laughs, and the audience certainly appreciated Guntis Veits’ musical numbers; however, the plot and continuity reminded me of little more than a summer camp skit, stretched out to feature length. “OK…you’ll sing… then we’ll have some jokes, mug it up a bit… then you’ll sing again…” “Wait, why will he sing?” “Who cares? But…ok…how about if she gets all worked up, mugs some more, so I’ll ask him to sing to calm her down?” “Yeah, yeah, that’ll work!” Polishing the script and eliminating a few cheap jokes would have served this event well.

In between, the folk dancing event did not have the precision of the events in Latvia, but everyone seemed to have a good time. The music, which was a mix of live and recorded, was fun, yet another dash of multi-media added to the feel, the few “oh no, I forgot what comes next” moments resulted in no pile-ups, and the tiny tot moments were as charming as ever – kids trying to dance and simultaneously watch themselves on the large screens was a new cute moment subgenre. Similarly, while the combined choir concert also had a few lesser moments, most numbers, notably the Latvian Seasons Cantata, conducted by its composer, Maija Riekstiņa, were crowd-pleasers, watching Juris Ķeniņš conduct is entertaining no matter what the singers do, the chestnuts Gaismas pils and Tēvijai were done justice and with no concerns whether the soloist in the latter would wipe out, and Tev mūžam dzīvot, Latvija and Pūt vējiņi, sung with audience participation, were emotional as ever.

To round out the schedule, Sunday morning’s religious events were both well-attended and well-received by participants. Evening musical events were all rollicking good times: the folklore group Lāčkāja played on Thursday, the group “All Folked Up” on Saturday, and Adam Zahl provided dance music for the holiday ball on Sunday. The greetings at the opening ceremony were kept to tolerable levels, and though seating at the festival banquet went off the tracks, everyone eventually ate well and enjoyed themselves.

The marketplace offered the usual and the unusual in jewelry, clothing, noshes - did you know Lay’s makes creamy mushroom-flavored chips for European markets?! Those sold out quickly - music, and other Latvian goods. There was a small art exhibit, a corner room contained a zolite game for a while, novuss games at other times, and displays by Latvian organizations of various stripes filled the hallways.

And then there were the intangibles, and those, of course, make a song festival more than just a series of events. The first friends you meet in the hotel lobby (“I didn’t know you were coming!!”), hearing Latvian spoken by strangers passing by as you eat lunch in an outdoor café (and of course calling out a greeting), being there when a choir spontaneously breaks into song en route to a concert, seeing people you haven’t seen in (fill in ridiculous amount of years) since (which event was that?).

In short, the coffee and the song festival were both just fine, thank you very much!

The post Superheroes, manga and Latvian folk outfits – Dziesmu svētki in San Jose appeared first on Latvians Online.

Readers of this portal who have been following news in Latvia will know that for some time now, one of the more passionately (and quite often ridiculously) debated issues in this country has been the European refugee crisis and, specifically, the fact that all European Union (EU) member states are expected to take in their share of the people who have been flooding across the EU's borders in record numbers in recent times. More nationalistically inclined members of our society have occasionally gone to fairly hysterical extremes in opposing the whole idea -- the refugees might be terrorists! They might bring unknown and scary diseases to our country! Bring in one, and he will bring in his whole extended family, and soon we will be overrun by foreigners! Latvia and Latvians are in danger! The white race is in danger! (This last claim, which is beyond ludicrous on the face of it, really did appear on a few posters at a demonstration that was held a month or two ago to say "no" to refugees as such.)

The truth is, of course, that Latvia is not being asked to accept thousands upon thousands of refugees. The truth is that right now the expected number is 776, or 0.00038% of the country's two million or so residents. Clearly that is not a number that will in any sense destroy the nation or its people. Yes, if the chaos in the Middle East continues unchecked (and now that Russia has made it clear that it is going to take part in the process without any checks or balances whatsoever, it is likely that it will continue unchecked for some time to come), there may be greater numbers of refugees whom Latvia is asked to accept, but even then it will not be millions.

There are several aspects to consider here. First of all, it is clear that not everyone who is crossing the Mediterranean or using a land route to get to Europe is fleeing for his or her life. Plenty of people are simply looking for a better life for themselves, and they are people who are classified as "economic migrants" and, therefore, not worthy of the status of true refugees. Thus, for instance, European countries have busily been sending back home migrants from places like Kosovo, where yes, life is probably rough, but no one is threatened by the kind of annihilation that we are seeing in Syria and the Middle East in a broader sense. That said, I do believe that there is a moral obligation to take in anyone, and let me say again -- anyone who manages to escape a territory that is currently being controlled by the so-called "Islamic State." That is a group of terrorists that goes completely beyond the pale, slaughtering anyone who does not comply with its very narrowly drawn understanding of what “proper” religion is. Residents of those areas have reason to flee, and there is every reason to believe that they should be given sanctuary. Yes, there is the consideration that those who are getting into rickety boats for the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean have chosen not to move to refugee camps in Syria’s neighboring countries, instead looking toward Europe as purely a better place to live, but in this case, that should not make much difference.

As to Latvia’s situation, despite what some foolish populists have been claiming, the government has drawn up fairly specific plans about what to do when the refugees start arriving, probably in December or January. They will first be placed in a refugee center at a place called Mucenieki, which is being expanded and renovated for that purpose. There they will stay until their status is determined. If it is found that they are truly refugees, they will be granted the relevant status, and after the three months are up, they will be released from the center and told to make their own way in life. During the process, refugees will receive subsidies from the government to cover basic needs. They will be stingy subsidies, the government having yielded before pressure from those who point out that the initially planned monthly stipend was rather much higher than the old-age pensions that many people in Latvia receive, and the sum has been cut even before the first refugee has arrived, but money will be made available for that purpose nonetheless.

What kinds of people can we expect? Well, first of all, it is not the case that all of those who are fleeing the Middle East are of the “unwashed and poor” variety of which America’s Statue of Liberty speaks. A survey that was released this week shows that plenty of them have completed a high school or university education. Latvians should understand this. Back in the 1940s, many of those who fled to the West in the face of a second Soviet invasion were members of the intelligentsia. It is specifically for that reason that at the so-called “displaced persons” camps in Germany where most of them first ended up, Latvians could set up schools, theatrical companies, opera troupes, etc. Throughout the Western world, Latvians organized social and political organizations, Saturday, Sunday and summer schools, song festivals, churches, and so on. That would not have been possible if everyone who left Latvia had been uneducated. The same is true of Syrians and Iraqis who are currently running for their lives.

One fact in all of this is that because of fairly massive emigration of Latvia’s residents to England, Ireland and other Western European countries (and here let us be perfectly clear that in every single case, these are “economic migrants” in the direct sense of the words), lots of businesses in Latvia have problems finding workers. On my television show a month or so ago, a sculptor called Ivars Drulle said that he would happily hire three or four refugees to help out at his farm – cut down bushes, help repair the barn, and so on. He said that his neighbor is a car mechanic who has been utterly unable to find anyone who can come and help out. Perhaps among the Syrians there might be someone who knows a thing or two about automobiles. Or putting up a barn. Or, in the case of the Ķekava poultry factory, which has also said that it needs workers, handling chickens and eggs.

Of course, it is unlikely that Latvia is the dream destination for most of the current refugees. Ours is not a rich country, we do not have anything close to the social care system that exists in Scandinavia and elsewhere, our winters can be nasty.   Those who say that nearly all of the refugees actually want to move to Germany, Sweden, or some other comparatively rich country are right. The thing is, however, that the distribution system that the EU has cooked up about this says that those who are sent to Latvia are going to have to stay in Latvia at least for a year or two. If they are found elsewhere in the EU, they will be shipped back to Latvia. And that, in turn, means that the real issue here is how the people of Latvia will receive these poor unfortunates.

It was a decade or more ago that a group of Somalians turned up in Latvia. They spent their three months and Mucenieki, and then they were basically thrown out into the streets. It was their enormous good fortune to run into a woman who knew the saintly Reverend Juris Cālītis, who recently retired as pastor of St Savior’s English Congregation in Riga. He personally took the Somalis in at the home that he runs in Latvia’s countryside for abused children. He personally contacted hotel owners and others to say that he had these Somalis, and could the businesspeople find work for them? Today, one of the Somalis has died, but the others have learned Latvian and have become a part of this country’s society.  It was the personal touch that allowed them to do so.

There is also evidence that there really are people who are happy to make new lives for themselves in Latvia. A couple of weeks ago there was a report in a newspaper in which a young man from Iraq at Mucenieki said that he really wants to get to work, he’s prepared to do any job at all, and all that he needs is for the government to grant him the appropriate status. Another newspaper report was about Vietnamese and Chinese people who are in Latvia because they bought real estate here and thus qualified for a residency permit in return for their investment. The Asians talked about how they were working hard to learn Latvian, one Vietnamese woman saying that she wants to become a “Latvian woman” as soon as possible, even though the Latvian language is not the easiest one in the world to learn. In another interview, a Vietnamese man who has been living here for some time and has become so familiar with the Latvian world that he has drawn comic books about the legendary hero Lāčplēsis, said that he, too, likes living here, though every winter he decamps back to Vietnam for a couple of months because it’s just too darn cold here.

So the bottom line here is that there is no real reason to fear the refugees. Latvia has never been a mono-ethnic country, there have always been others here. If the country and nation managed to survive 50 years of Soviet occupation and the relevant mass influx of people from the “brotherly” Soviet republics, then surely it can survive 776 desperate people from the Middle East. All that is needed to understand that they are not some amorphous mass. They are all people just like us, with their own hopes and dreams and aspirations. It would be terrible to simply turn them away.

The post Syrian Today, Latvian Tomorrow? appeared first on Latvians Online.

“I was born right here, in the middle of this volleyball court, on a Thursday night back in ’85,” says my brother Alberts with a wink, pointing towards a church banquet hall bisected by a volleyball net hung between two hooks in the walls. His joke isn’t too far from the truth. Many of the players who have gathered this evening at the Latvian Lutheran Church of Washington D.C.’s community center in Rockville, Maryland, have been coming here to play volleyball every Thursday for the past ten to twenty years. A few can even trace their time back to the mid-’80s and beyond.

The group’s longevity and vibrancy are rare, especially at a time when many Latvian-American organizations are struggling to maintain numbers and bring in younger members. A typical Thursday night brings in anywhere from 6 to 18 players, and a key to its success is the group’s inclusive nature. Anyone can participate, regardless of age, ethnicity, gender or skill level. “It’s a community spirit,” explains Ēriks Brolis, who has been involved since roughly 1992, when, as a 12-year-old kid, he came along to play with his father. “It’s super unique; everyone is supporting everyone else to play at the top of their game, and so many levels can play together.”

He’s not exaggerating about the many levels. The group contains novices, experts, rec-league players, children, pensioners (the group once surprised one of these members with a 70th-birthday party between sets), and even an Olympian (1984 Olympic gold medalist and volleyball legend Aldis Bērziņš, who has been a Thursday-night regular for 15 years). Of the participants this particular evening, six played for their college varsity or club teams. Playing right alongside these experienced competitors is Māra Anderson, playing for the first time in her life. “I suck,” she says, “but it’s fun, and I’m learning a lot.” Initially apprehensive about joining, she now jokes that it’s been “better than expected, because people aren’t hitting me.”

Standing next to her, Robs Šverns, an eleven-year veteran of the group, is encouraging of her efforts: “If you haven’t played and are curious, you should try it.” Šverns himself hadn’t played before joining the group a decade earlier, and emphasizes that it is a great environment in which to learn.   He explains that it is one of the few places where everyone can play at the top of their game (whatever that may be), free of judgment.

Bērziņš—the Olympic gold medalist—agrees. “With a lot of volleyball you find cliques, and it is hard to get on the court. You have to play at a certain level,” he says. But here, that’s not the point. “Pašam patīk ka ir omulīgi. Nav svarīgi uzvarēt, bet [ir svarīgi] saspēle un draudzība.” (“I like that it’s friendly. It’s not important to win, but [what is important is] teamwork and friendship.”) His favorite aspect of the Thursday-night games is that all age groups play together. He started coming in the first place because he wanted to play with his sons, who started as young children cheering on their dad from the sidelines, but have since all grown up and won a slathering of NCAA championships and spots on professional teams.

The game played on Thursdays is unlike the game played anywhere else not just because of the eclectic mix of players, but also due to the strange set of rules. The players laugh that this may be the only place left in the world where side-out scoring is still in use (which means that only the serving team can earn a point; in more common “rally” scoring, whoever wins the play wins the point, no matter who served).  But the players enjoy the game being a little strange, as it provides a special character missing from other volleyball venues. “I like old-school rules more,” says Vik Bebris. “With rally, it’s one mistake, and you’re down. But the old rules feel more real.”

Stranger than the scoring system is the court itself. The room, used primarily for local Latvian community events such as stage plays, holiday ceremonies, and school graduations, is not quite the size of a standard volleyball court. The lip of a stage juts into the back line at one end; at the other, two air-conditioning vents protrude into the corners. In earlier years walls served as the side boundaries, though they added an extra two feet to either side of what would be an official court. This oddity grew stranger once antennas were introduced at the correct width.  Eventually frustrated players brought in painter’s tape to put down lines and solve some of these issues. But under current conditions, the most recent painter’s-tape lines have been pulled up. The resulting faint residue line is only visible in some areas, but still serves as the court boundary, leaving players to guess and debate whether certain hits are in or out. When a hit is in dispute, the refrain “Mineapolē tas būtu ārā!” (“In Minneapolis that would be out!”) can often be heard; it’s a decade-old throwback joke from when the group was preparing for an ALA Meistarsacīkstes (American Latvian Association Master Games) tournament in Minneapolis, where presumably the courts would be actual regulation size and shape.

A typical evening is flush with this sort of lighthearted joking mixed in amongst play.  Another favorite inside joke amongst players is the “Over 50” rule, which states that only players over the age of 50 are allowed to make certain questionable junk plays, such as windmill attacks. The "Friend Zone” is a three-inch wide strip of ground between the endline and the wall that frustrates attackers (so close, can’t score).  Classic rock plays over the loudspeakers during the games, which is then occasionally danced to by players in an attempt to distract their opponents.  And roughly once a year the group's leader, Viesturs Timrots, brings in an assortment of delicious sausages, wings, and other snacks for a post-play party suggestively titled "Kas Par Desām" (literally translated to "Oh, What Sausages," but actually a play on words that means "What a Mess.")

The players fit so perfectly into this unique playing space that one might think it was built for them. And that is partially true. The roots of the Thursday-night game reach back to at least the 1960s, when the Washington, D.C. sports club “Sigulda,” sponsored by veterans-welfare organization Daugavas Vanagi, had a powerful women’s volleyball team consisting of impressive players like Ilze Pāža, Edīte Tālmane, Ausma Karlsona, and Edīte Āboliņa. At the time, the Latvian-American sports circuit was more developed and better populated, and the women held regular training sessions in local schools under the guidance of coaches Andris Karlsons, Jānis Tērauds, and Juris Ekšteins. The women went on many road trips, competing against Latvian-American teams across the East Coast and the Midwest, including powerhouse rivals New York and Minneapolis. According to Māra Bērziņš, who started playing on the team with her mother and sister Silvija in 1971, the weekly practices were no joke. So when the D.C. Latvian Lutheran congregation began formulating plans to build its own church and community center, it made sense to include the active Latvian volleyball community. Legend has it that the original plan for the banquet hall had a moderately high ceiling, but at Jānis Pāža’s urging, it was moved up by four feet to reach the minimum regulation height for volleyball. The room was subtly rigged to allow for a wall-to-wall net, and upon completion in the mid-1970s, the ladies moved in.

Around the same time, a coterie of male players under the leadership of Jānis Tērauds was playing weekly pick-up games at Langley High School in Virginia. My father (and current Thursday-night regular Knuts Ozols), played with them in the late 1970s. He describes these “Vecie Siguldieši” (“Sigulda Old-Timers”) as a friendly group that enjoyed going out afterwards to local pizza joint Rocco’s. Eventually, the school chose to shut down the games, and rec centers never quite panned out as an alternative. Over time the women’s team also dissipated, as players got older or moved away and no new women joined. (The lack of female players would last from the mid-1980s until only very recently. This year, for the first time in almost 30 years, Sigulda was able to contribute a partial female team to the annual ALA Meistarsacīkstes—and that was only possible by combining forces with another partial team from Canada.)

But the gap in Latvian D.C. volleyball did not last long. In the mid-to-late 1980s, Harijs Plūcis recruited other Latvian volleyball enthusiasts such as Jānis Bebris, Jānis Mūrnieks, Raimonds Pavlovskis, and current group leader Viesturs Timrots to join his local team, which played in a Montgomery County (Maryland) adult recreational league. The squad, named the Weekend Warriors, began using the banquet hall at the Latvian church for extra practice. In the early 1990s, the Latvian ambassador to the United States, Ojārs Kalniņš, in attempt to integrate arriving diplomats from the newly-freed Latvian Republic with the established Latvian-American community, invited his staff to join in, eventually forming their own embassy team that played in the same county league as the Weekend Warriors.  Soon the Thursday-night practices were flooded with both local players and diplomats. Though it forwent drills for pick-up games, the group continued to call the sessions treniņi (“training”).

Their format and nature have remained virtually unchanged ever since. The group still operates as part of D.C.’s Daugavas Vanagi and calls itself Sigulda, and officially Thursday nights are still called treniņi. Though the number of players fluctuates over time, with the slowest nights bringing in four players, and the busiest nights bringing in four teams worth of players, the game is always there for anyone who wants to play. “Zinu, ka te vienmēr ir spēle (‘I know there is always a game available here’),” says Ivars Ārums. Nicknamed “Key Component” on the court, Ārums is also a key component to the group’s off-court success. When he comes to play, he brings along his kids and even grandkids, reinforcing the group’s inclusive multi-generational vibe.

In fact most of the current active players got involved as children, tagging along to treniņi with their parents. Ēriks Brolis became the first of this new generation, joined soon thereafter by his brother Andrejs, and describes being the only child on the court: “Būtu trīs spēles, tad divas stundas sēž [runājoties ar draugiem], un es biju skolā nākamā dienā (‘We would have three games, then two hours of sitting [talking with friends], and I would be in school the next day’).” Around this time in the early 1990’s, a short-lived fathers-and-daughters game ran on Wednesday nights, which I attended with my father. Though it quickly ended due to lack of interest, my father and I moved over to Thursday nights. Eventually we “dragged along” my brother, as he remembers it. It was “towards the end of the fathers-and-daughters days and I kinda liked it,” he says. “And since then I’ve been here for the last two thousand straight Thursdays.” He pauses, then adds: “That number is approximate.”

Soon the Thursday-night court was flooded with teenagers who had come to play with their friends and parents. Affectionately nicknamed “Geezers and Teens Volleyball,” this late-1990s era saw the court frequently divided into games of old guys versus kids, with a small handful of age outliers in the middle. When it came time for D.C. to host the ALA Meistarsacīkstes in 2002, there were enough players to fill a competitive “A” team, a young-blood team of kids still learning the game, and a team of older players from the good old Weekend Warrior days.

Many of these players are still playing today. They are joined by people of all ages and skills levels as more Latvians migrate to the D.C. area and/or to the sport of volleyball. The newest crop of players also shows promise for the return of an active female volleyball presence in the region, with several female players coming by to either pick up the game or polish their existing skills. They cite the balance between competitiveness and lightheartedness, along with the presence of good teachers, as to why they enjoy the experience. “You get to work out kinks, there’s great company, and you get touches on the ball. [In other places] it is tough to pick up this game,” says Katie O’Rourke, now in her third year on the Latvian volleyball scene.

Over the past decade, Sigulda has sent players to almost every single Latvian-American volleyball tournament in North America, from East Coast competitions Kursas Kauss, Austruma Piekrasta Spēles, and Zelta Bumba to the West Coast’s Kostīmu Kauss, the Midwest’s 4-2, and the ever-migrating ALA Meistarsacīkstes (the one known exception was Meistarsacīkstes in Toronto, when the team had to drop out due to a late player injury). The team has even befriended the Estonian-American volleyball community, sending players to the Sportipaav and Baltic Bash tournaments and welcoming local Estonians who come to play on Thursdays.

Earlier this year, Sigulda hosted the 2015 ALA Meistarsacīkstes. Reflecting the Thursday-night games’ spirit of inclusion, the planning committee included members of different generations, ranging in age from early 20s to late 70s.  After the tournament, the players went back to their regular Thursday-night games, playing volleyball, eating home-cooked wings, teaching the basics to newcomers, and enjoying each other’s company. As this year’s ALA Meistersacīkstes MVP (and 15-year Thursday-nighter) Grants Osvalds puts it, “Vienmēr ir vietas—nāciet spēlēt! (‘There is always room—come play!’)”

The post Nama Volejs: The World of DC Latvian Volleyball appeared first on Latvians Online.

A video game character, a bearded Boy Scout, a referee, and Mr. Clean walk onto a beach together. No, it's not the beginning of a cheesy joke. It's the winning team from this year's Kostīmu Kauss ("Costume Cup"), held this past weekend outside Los Angeles.

Kostīmu Kauss is a Halloween-themed volleyball tournament founded in 2008 by Latvian siblings Kaija and Aleks Dankers of Hermosa Beach, California. Their idea was simple: invite some Latvian friends and family over to the house for a Halloween party, then go down to the beach the next day to play some volleyball. To maintain the Halloween theme, all players were required to wear costumes. The main focus of the tournament was to bring together friends new and old for a fun event, regardless of volleyball skill or connections. To encourage participation and mingling, participants signed up as individual players and assessed their own playing level as one of the following:

A: "Es ļoti labi protu spēlēt voleju" ("I play volleyball very well")
B: "Es samērā labi protu spēlēt voleju" ("I am somewhat good at playing volleyball")
C: "Es esmu spēlējis agrāk" ("I have played before")
D: "Kā sauc šo apaļo lietu, un kāpēc šajā jūrmalā atrodas stabi ar tīkliem?" ("What do you call this round thing, and why does this beach have posts with nets?")

Players were then assigned to teams, with players of various experience levels on each team to ensure a fair distribution of skills. In the evening, after showers, everyone returned to the house for a relaxed dinner.

Now in its eighth year, the tournament has proven tremendously successful and its format remains in essence the same. While the first year consisted mostly of local Latvians, the event has grown tremendously in popularity and reputation, and players fly in from all over America. It helps that cities such as Chicago and Washington, D.C. are just getting their first hints of cold weather- participants from those areas get a last chance to experience warm weather in the California sun before being plunged into winter.

Perhaps the most noticeable change happened three years ago, when the Dankers siblings moved out of the house that once hosted the festivities. Both the Halloween costume party (which occurs every year regardless of whether the tournament weekend falls on Halloween) and the post-volleyball awards dinner moved to local bars and restaurants near the beach. In the first years there were few enough visitors from out of town that everyone could spend the night at the Dankers' house, sharing beds, couches, carpeted floor space, and sometimes more ingenious sleeping solutions. Today, participants are scattered among hotels and vacation rentals. This year, twenty participants rented a beach house together, continuing the spirit of camaraderie brought about by close quarters.

Lessons have been learned over time. Players quickly realize that it is surprisingly difficult to find a costume in which one can effectively and comfortably play beach volleyball. Most accessories are cumbersome or even dangerous. Wigs and hats fall off. Mermaid skirts restrict movement. Polyester does not breathe, particularly under the hot California sun. And people flying into town need to figure out how to get their Thor hammer or Ninja Turtle nunchucks through airport security, or how to fit their homemade peacock tail into their carry-on bag and overhead bin. This year's costume selection was further complicated by Halloween falling on a Saturday; this meant that the costume party took place on Saturday evening after play, instead of on Friday, the night before play. Some warriors toughed it out and wore their sweaty, sand-covered costumes to the party that evening, but others had to give up.

Needless to say, people begin dropping costume pieces quickly when it comes time to start playing, and the sideline ends up littered with items such as toy swords and masks. This phenomenon led to the rule that players must keep on at least one piece of their costume at all times. Prizes are awarded every year for the best costumes, and to encourage maximum costume utilization, the judging criteria includes not just creativity and enthusiasm, but also how much of the costume remains on during the actual playing. It's no surprise, then, that this year's big winner was Kārlis Memenis, who went as "Left Shark," the backup dancer made famous during Katy Perry's Super Bowl halftime show. The full-body costume was epic to begin with, but what truly stood out was the fact that Memenis managed to keep the suit on the entire day, setting the ball with his fingerless foam fins while peering out from the slit between his shark teeth (and, frankly, making those of us with unrestricted movement and a full field of vision look bad by comparison).

The best-costume winner receives a traveling trophy, and there are second- and third-place prizes (this year awarded to a gladiator and a Quail Man, respectively), as well as numerous honorable mentions. Non-playing spectators are encouraged to dress up, too (and most do); this year, honorable mentions went to onlookers dressed as "The Continental" from Saturday Night Live's popular Christopher Walken sketches and infamous celebrity chef Paula Deen, recognized alongside player Guy Fieri.

Lest we forget, there is an actual volleyball competition in addition to the costumed revelry. For the past seven years, teams have been made up of four players each, but this year, a large amount of participants led to teams of five or six, with seven teams split into two pools. A single round of playoffs was followed by a final championship game. This year's winning team consisted of Kārlis Biksa (Mr. Clean), Dāvis "Davey" Bolšteins (a referee), Kārlis "Charlie" Dankers (a Latvian Boy Scout), and Katrīna Kramena (Link from "Legends of Zelda"). They were presented with the prestigious Kostīmu Kauss itself: a plastic jug mounted onto a standard trophy base and engraved with each year's winning team.

After eight years of consistent and growing numbers, Kostīmu Kauss shows no signs of stopping. Tournament founder Kaija Dankers is confident that the show will go on, and hopes to keep the tradition alive until she is old and gray. Given the enthusiasm of the participants, this result is a solid possibility. Now excuse me while I go ice my joints, apply aloe to my sunburn, and try to come up with a way to one-up Left Shark and win the best-costume trophy next year.

The post Kostīmu Kauss: The World’s Best Halloween-Themed Latvian Volleyball Tournament appeared first on Latvians Online.

Mārtiņi, Svētā Mārtina diena, Lukturu svētki, tā var dēvēt Mārtiņdienu Baškīrijā, pie tam, ja latviešiem šie svētki saistās ar zemes došanos ziemas atpūtā, ķekatām un gaili, tad vāciešiem tie ir vairāk reliģiska satura svētki, bet spožie lukturi, ar kuriem tie staigā pa Prišiba ciema ieliņām 11. novembrī, simbolizē gaismu, kuru ubags reiz ieraudzīja tumša naktī un saprata, ka ir glābts. Gaisma nāca no Mārtina, bet izglābtais ubags bija Jēzus, kas, līdzīgi kā latviešu Dieviņš, zemes virsū meklēja naktsmājas, bet nekur tās neatrada. Mazais gaismas stars izglāba ubagu, Mārtins tam atdeva savu pēdējo gabalu maizes, tāpēc arī bērni, kas Svētā Mārtina diena pa ciemu staigā ar lukturiem, pretimnācējiem dala saldumus.

Stāsts par vāciešu pārtikušo dzīvi Baškīrijā ir līdzīgs latviešu stāstam, tikai atšķirība tā, ka Baškīrijā dzīvojošie vācieši savulaik ieradās no Ukrainas, kur tie, ar Katrīnas II rīkojumu, bija devušies apgūt jaunas zemes. Prišiba ciema vēsture, kurā izveidojās vāciešu kolonija, saistāma ar 1903. gadu, kad tajā apmetās pirmie no Ukrainas ieradušies vācieši.

Arī vāciešiem līdzīgi kā latviešiem gaidītās zemes vietā tika piešķirti meži, no kuriem ar laiku radās tīrumi un dārzi. Vācieši pievērsa uzmanību jaunu kultūru apguvei, proti, paralēli miežiem, auzām, rudziem, tie audzēja kukurūzu un pupas. Arī vāciešu ciemos bija sastopami augsti kvalificēta meistari – skroderi, ādu ģērētāji, kurpnieki, grozu pinēji u.c.

Trīsdesmito gadu represijas negāja secen arī vāciešu kolonijai tos, kurus nearestēja un nenošāva Ufas cietumā, kā vācu un japāņu spiegus, iesauca karā. Ciematā palikušajām atraitnēm ilgi nācās izjust vietējo krievu nicinājumu un dzirdēt tik ļoti ierasto uz vācu tautas pārstāvjiem vērsto vārdu „fašists”. Starp citu arī mūsdienās Prišiba ciemā atrodas cilvēki kam fašists un vācietis nozīmē vienu un to pašu, un tie nekautrējas skaļi paust savu nostāju pret Baškīrijā dzimušiem vāciešiem, kas par savu dzimteni tomēr uzskata Krieviju nevis Vāciju.

Baškīrijas latvieši jauniegūto dzimteni pameta 50-tajos un 70-tajos gados, pēdējie aizbraucēji saistāmi ar 80-tajiem gadiem. Daļa vāciešu savā etniskajā dzimtenē atgriežas vien 90-tajos. Ja starp latviešiem bija tādi, kas Latvijā neiedzīvojās un tādēļ atgriezās Baškīrijā, tad starp vāciešiem tādu nebija. Tie, kas devās uz Vāciju, tur arī palika.

Prišiba ciematā ir skola, kurā vācu valoda tiek apgūta no skolas pirmsākumiem. Sākumā vācu valoda tika apgūta gan kā ārzemju, gan kā dzimtā valoda. Līdzi kā Arhlatviešu vidusskolā, latviešu valodu kā dzimto valodu apgūst tie skolēni, kam ir latviska izcelsme. Tā arī Prišiba ciema vidusskolā, tikai dzimtās valodas stunda, atšķirībā no Arhlatviešu vidusskolas, bija vienu reizi nedēļā. Ar laiku vācu valodas kā dzimtās valodas nodarbību atcēla. Būtiski, ka angļu valodu skolā sāka mācīties tikai pirms gada, visu skolas pastāvēšanas laiku vienīgā ārzemju valoda, ko apguva skolēni, bija vācu valoda. Skolā ir 9. klašu skolēni ansamblis, sākumskolas skolēnu ansamblis. Reizi nedēļā tie dodas uz Vācu Kultūrvēsturisko centru, kur, paralēli valodas apguvei, tie gūst zināšanas par vācu kultūru. Ar vāji slēptu lepnumu gribas piebilst, ka latviešu valodas un kultūras apguve Arhlatviešu vidusskolā ir krietni spēcīgāka, arī saikne ar Latviju - ciešāka. Lai gan Prišiba skolai ir sadraudzība ar Drēzdenes Tehnisko universitāti, tiem tomēr nav bijusi iespēja nokļūt Vācijā. Arhlatviešu skolēniem šāda iespēja ir bijusi un ne reizi vien. Toties vāciešu ciemu bieži apmeklē uz Baškīriju atbraukušie vācieši, kam lielu izbrīnu rada tas, ka kaut kur Baškīrijas dziļumos ir vācu ciems, kurā vēl aizvien var dzirdēt senas vācu tautas dziesmas, kur saglabājusies vācu valoda un kultūra.

Būtiski, ka latviešus un vācieši vietējie krievi un baškīri asociē ar čaklumu, un kārtību, pārticību, kas iegūta smagi strādājot. Tomēr paralēli smagajam darba gan latvieši, gan vācieši nav zaudējuši estētisko pasaules redzējumu. Dzīvot skaisti un dzīvot skaistumā, radīt skaisto sev visapkārt. Pirms gadiem simts un mazliet vairāk tas atspoguļojās Baškīrijas latviešu un vāciešu sētās, mūsdienās – vēlmē saglabāt sevi un savu kultūru tur, kur esi tikai neliela daļa no visuma, kur vieglāk ir kļūt par masu nevis individualitāti.

The post Mārtiņdiena latviešiem Baškīrijā – ciemošanās pie vāciešiem appeared first on Latvians Online.

Kas tur rībina gar istabiņu? Ķekatiņas dancina savus kumeliņus.

Arhlatviešu vidusskola saulgriežu vakarā bija pilna ar ķekatniekiem, tautu meitām un tautu dēliem, koklētājām, stabulētājām, bluķa vilcējiem un bluķa stūmējām. Baškīri, krievi, tatāri, čuvaši un visiem pa vidu latvieši trokšņoja, dziedāja, baidīja mošķus un ķēmus Arhlatviešu ciemā. Tikai šoreiz trokšņotāju starpā bija ne tikai Baškīrijā mītošie latvieši, saulgrieži svinēt bija ieradušies arī Sibīrijā (Omska, Omskas apgabala Augšbebru ciems) dzīvojošie latvieši.

Vēstures avotos teikts, ka vislielākais ieceļotāju skaits Krievijā no Latvijas bija laikā no 1894. līdz 1914. gadam. Šajā laika posmā Sibīrijā izveidojās ap 200 latviešu koloniju. Visā Krievijā tajā laikā bija vairāk nekā 200 000 latviešu. Bezzemnieki, kalpi, amatnieki, rentnieki pameta savu dzimteni, devās uz Sibīriju, kur bija iespējams iegūt zemi. Pēc 1928. gada ziņām Krievijā bija 372 lielākas latviešu kolonijas, tajās bijušas 11 650 saimniecības un nodibinātas 106 latviešu skolas.

Augšbebru ciems ir dibināts 1897. gadā, kad tajā ir reģistrēti pirmie ieceļotāji no Latvijas. Lielākoties Augšbebros dzīvojušie ieceļotāji no Nīcas un Bārtas. Aizbraucēji no Latvijas ar visu iedzīvi zirgu pajūgā uz Sibīriju braukuši apmēram trīs mēnešus. Dažas ģimenes no Omskas uz Augšbebriem braukušas laivās pa Irtišu.

1937./ 38. gadā Lielā genocīda laikā arī Augšbebros tiek arestēti cilvēki. Visiem ciemata iedzīvotājiem bija jāpamet savas viensētas un jāpārceļas uz dzīvi ciemā. Mājas nojauca un pārzāģēja uz pusēm, jo jaunā valdība tik lepnas mājas ar 12 durvīm neatļāva celt, tāpēc pusi mājas pārdeva, otru pusi pārveda uz ciemu.

1912. gadā Augšbebros nodibina skolu. Skolā bērni mācījās latviešu valodā. Mācības latviešu valodā notika līdz 1937. gadam, vēlāk skolā mācības notiek krievu valodā. 2001. gadā skolai atjauno nacionālās skolas statusu un latviešu valoda ir viens no mācību priekšmetiem. Diemžēl jau divus gadu skolotājs no Latvijas uz Augšbebriem nebrauc, latviešu valodas un kultūras saglabāšana ir pašu augšbebriešu rokās. Latviešu valodas aģentūra sūta skolotāju uz Baškīriju un Omsku.

Gan Augšbebriem, gan Omskas Latviešu biedrībai „Zvaigznīte” ir sadraudzība ar Cēsu pilsētu.

Šogad bluķa vakars pulcināja kopā daudzus jo daudzus ciema iedzīvotājus. Lielos un mazus, vecus un jaunus. Katrs centās kaut gabaliņu pavilkt bluķi, lai noveltu no sevis gada laikā sakrāto smagumu, kas spiedis plecus, katrs centās pieskarties nāvei, lai nodrošinātu sevi ar labu veselību un garu dzīvi. Skolas direktore Nadeža Freimane deva ugunij ziedu – maizi, sāli, ūdeni, naudu un dzīparu. Tas viss tāpēc, lai Arhlatviešu ciema iedzīvotāji spētu sevi nodrošināt ar nepieciešamo dzīvei, tajā pat laikā neaizmirstu par domu un dvēseles skaidrību un tīrību. Gan lieliem, gan maziem aizraujošas likās Omskas un Augšbebru latviešu vadītās spēles „Kaza un vilks”, „Vilks un aitas”, „Danco, lāci”, „Nāves rotaļa” un, protams, neiztika bez ierastajiem dančiem, ar kuriem latviete Raja no Omskas prata aizraut ikvienu.

Šorīt ārā puteņo. Ceļš aizpūsts, redzēt nevar it neko, bet vakar, šķiet, pašas debesis mūs lutināja, jo spīdēja saule, bija silts un patīkams laiks. Liekas, arī daba priecājās kopā ar mums, ļaujot izbaudīt noslēpumaini mistisko saulgriežu nakti ar savējiem – latviešiem.

The post Arhlatviešu vidusskolā saulgriežu vakaru svin latviešu ķekatnieki appeared first on Latvians Online.

2016. janvāra sākumā es pirmo reizi ar savu 12 gadus veco dēlu piedalījos Bērnu Vasaras nometnē Tērvetē (netālu no Kilmore pilsētiņas, Viktorijas pavalstī, Austrālijā). Nezinu, vai vēl sevi varu saukt par nesenu ieceļotāju, jau 16 gadus es Austrāliju saucu par savām mājām. Esmu kaut kur pa vidu. Ielidojot Brisbanē—savā pašreizējā mītnes pilsētā, man ir tāda silta un jauka sajūta it kā mājās pārnākot.

Tikko ierodoties Brisbanē 2000.gadā mani latvietība nepievilka, man tā nepietrūka un es latvisko nemeklēju. Es Latviešu namu Brisbanē atradu 4 gadus vēlāk.

Pēdējos gados domājot par Latviju ir tā smeldzīgi ap sirdi. Tā ir mana tēvu zeme, uzkāpjot Vidzemes pakalnos Jāņu vakarā, es jūtu ka manas saknes ir Latvijā. Kā to apvienot, esot tik tālu prom?! Kur dabūt to latvietības devu, ko nebūdams latvietim grūti saprast. Tas mums ir asinīs, un tas manī dod dzīvības spēku.

Šogad manā dzīvē parādījās atrisinājums - jābrauc uz Tērveti, jābrauc uz Dzintariem Adelaidē (Dzintaros notiek Austrālijas Vasaras vidusskola)!! Mūsu meita apmeklēja Annas Ziedares Vasaras Vidusskolu, un mājās pārbrauca maza latviete. Esot beidzot savu identitāti atradusi...

Nedēļa Tervetē piepildīja laimes kausu līdz malām. Tā bija mana Latvija kondensētā un rediģētā veidā.

Ar cieņu, milzīgu pateicību un apbrīnu es skatījos uz tiem otrās paaudzes latviešiem, kas vadīja bērnu nodarbības. Kā viņi varējuši latviešu valodu saglabāt tikai apmeklējot sestdienas skolas, audzinātāji un nometnes skolotāji saglabajuši latvietību esot tik tālu prom no Latvijas. Japateicas vecāku neatlaidībai un stingrībai. Mums neseniem un tikko jauniem iebraucējiem iesprūk pa daudz jaunākiem barbarismiem no krievu valodas. Šeit dzimušiem ir vairāk no vācu valodas nākuši vārdi, bet šķiet, ka viņu valoda ir tīrāka. Varbūt nav tik moderna, ir vairāk senāki vārdi, ko Latvijā vairs tik daudz nelieto vai loka savādāk, bet atkal apbrīns, ka otrajā paaudzē kāds vel zin, kas ir datīvs un kas ir akuzatīvs.

Tā nebija tikai valoda un kultūra, ko mums iemācīja nometne. Vērtības - saliedētība, cieņa pret vecākiem, neatkarība, čaklums, problēmu risināšana un kārtība (cik labi, ka pieaugušo teltis nepārbaudīja!) paliks bērnos arī mājās atgriežoties. Nedēļa pie dabas gan zēniem, gan meitenēm—lieliem un maziem nāk par labu. Bērniem ir interesantas nodarbības un izklaides, viņi iemācās jaunas prasmes, nodibina jaunas draudzības un nejūtas vieni plašajā pasaulē. Šie jaunie puiši un meitenes zin, ka ir vieta, kur viņus saprot un ir viņiem līdzīgie.

Tērvete ir zelta vērta arī tiem, kas latviski tik labi neprot. Ar milzīgu prieku vēroju kādu mazu meitenīti, kura tikai pāris vārdiņus latviski māk pateikt, bet viņai vajagot izdrukāt Tērvetiešu dziesmas, ko mājās aizbraucot mēģināt. Varbūt tiem, kas tik labi nezin valodu, šis nemateriālais kultūras mantojums sniedz visnepārraujamākās saites ar savu tēvu tēvu kultūru.

Ir ne tikai pateicība par to laimes sajūtu, ko Tērvete man deva, bet arī par iedvesmu un spēku, ko šī nedēļa mums sniedza, lai mēs gan pieaugušie, gan bērni varētu latvietību mācīt un uzturēt gada garumā. Ne vienmēr ir viegli atlicināt pussvētdienu, lai brauktu uz Namu (tā mēs saucam Latviešu namu Brisbanē) un mācītos, kamēr citi ir pie jūras, televizora vai dzimšanas dienas ballītē.

Vecāki, ja jums vajag iedvesmu turpināt bērnus audzināt latviskā garā, vediet viņus uz Tērveti! Bērni, ja jums ir grūti piespiest sevi mācīties latviešu valodu, prasiet, lai vecāki jūs ved uz Tērveti!!

Līgo māmiņ, līgodama, līgo skaisti šovakar.
Neaizmirsi savai meitai Jāņu dziesmas macīt ar',
Lai kad viņai pašai meita kādreiz Jāņos līdzi būs,
Atceroties vecos vārdus, Līgo dziesma sauna kļūs

The post Tērvetes nometne: vieta Austrālijā, kur gūt iedvesmu latviskā garā audzināt bērnus appeared first on Latvians Online.

Since the beginning of January, Latvia’s most influential trend opinion leader, visual journalist and editor of Benji Knewman, Agnese Kleina, together with Dīvs Reiznieks have been hosting a weekly TV program called Uzvelc tautastērpu (Put on a Folk Costume). The extremely engaging magazine show switches seamlessly from the vaults of the National History Museum, former President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, outfits by Recycled.lv that use bicycle parts and electrical resistors, t-shirts by Vainags.com to men’s pants created by the iconically named Ulmaņbikses.

This seemingly willy-nilly melange elicited a flood of irate mail from traditionalists and ethnographic experts too great for Latvian Television to ignore, that last Friday, Henrieta Verhoustinska devoted a special program of Kultūršoks to debate the issue.

As staunch protectors of the canon of the national costume*, the critics felt that the TV program was sending a message – wear what you like, a folk costume is anything worn by the folk!

In 2013, whilst working for the Latvian Song and Dance Celebration, I received an equally irate reaction from the opposite camp when I attempted to contribute to a discussion on Facebook (Latvians in Australia) seemingly defending the draconian attitude of the “national costume police” regarding what could or couldn’t be worn at the song festival.

In both cases, it depends on what you call the issue. I see two possibilities.

1. If the issue is a TV program made by creative people with a broad vision that ranges from identity, branding, creative expression, and national pride to the preservation and development of heritage skills, then wearing a national costume is clearly an intelligent journalistic device that furthers discussion of all of the above.
2. On the other hand, if the issue is an ensemble that specifically Latvians wore (as opposed to the other nationalities resident in Latvia at the time) at the end of the 19th century, then it is a closed set of rules, proportions, angles, colours and components that finished evolving in the early 1920ies.

For the benefit of Latvians Online readers, whose ties to the Latvian language and traditions are perhaps less active, there is another term that it is important to note, which is goda tērps. It simply means “Sunday best”. It is the outfit you wore to church on Sundays, to christenings, weddings, funerals and events requiring an expression of dignity and honour (like perhaps meeting the President). As the industrial revolution took hold and communities became urbanised all over Europe, the wearing of folk costume disappeared everywhere as these community lifestyles changed. There are some exceptions like Arles in France, Bavaria and provincial Austria where trachten is still worn, but that is because their traditions are still (surprisingly) alive.

The fact that in Latvia, so many examples of authentic national costumes survived is astonishing, and the range and variety — different for every village — is even more astonishing. This is the reason that this ethnographic treasure trove must be preserved intact. It can’t be lost to individual bad taste. Examples of “degeneration” were clear in the 1920ies when flapper fashion pushed folk costume crowns onto the foreheads of their wearers. The Soviet era brought in ever more bizarre adaptations. Some were deliberate in the greater scheme of things to dilute national culture into an eventual “Soviet aesthetic”, and others were simply kitschy flights of dance group leaders’ fancy. The needs of dance groups are still a threat to the integrity of the authentic national costume, as is the ridiculous demand that they all be identical. Of course all skirts in Alsunga are purply-red, but each woman would have her own version, and they would all be different. It’s the complete ensemble that matters, the line that is created, the subtle pallette of colours and proportions. Every modern designer knows that. Ultimately, the canon of the national costume is a remarkable visual snapshot of the Latvian aesthetic world before globalization sets in, created with delicate harmony by community consensus accumulated over a number of centuries.

Having closed off the realm of the national costume to further interpretation there is nothing at all to stop any person or designer to create, assemble or wear whatever elements they fancy to their hearts content. This however, is not called a national costume, it’s called “my clothes”. In the case of folk dancers – “my stage costume”.

Of course there is a Latvian aesthetic, a mood, a sensibility in the 21st century (and a Baltic one!), but it’s quite intangible and eludes precise description. It too is an accumulation, but our methods of documentation now are insanely faster than the development. As we will all eventually tire of our love affair with the global looks of the High Street like Zara and Primark, and we will; our choices will be made (not just in fashion) on other criteria, individuality and sustainability being part of the mix.

As Latvians prepare for their centenary of independence in a few years - a very tangible statement of identity, Uzvelc tautastērpu is simply ahead of the game, provoking, poking and posing pertinent questions.

The programmes are available online: Uzvelc tautastērpu and Kultūršoks.

* In this article I use the term “folk costume” to refer to the general topic and “national costume” specifically as a translation for the Latvian “tautas tērps”.

The Author: Brigita Stroda is a crown maker and part of the Lakstigala.com team - an emerging online shop offering a growing collection of Baltic designers.

The post Fight! Fight! The Great Fashion Versus Folk Costume Debate! appeared first on Latvians Online.

In the part of the world where Latvia is located, there is reason to speak of two different worlds that exist in parallel. One of them is the European world in which, for all of its faults and foibles, the European Union has proved to be an excellent way of joining countries together in pursuit of economic development, the observance of human rights, the elimination of corruption, etc. Needless to say, Latvia has not done all that well in any of these areas, the economy being what it is, discrimination against various groups in society being evident, corruption still being rather rampant, etc. Still, Latvia has been a fairly dutiful member of the EU, and of NATO, and of the Council of Europe, and of the United Nations, and of the OSCE. Latvia is certainly part of the global community, at least as defined by what we can call for our purposes “the West.”

The other parallel world is the one that exists next door to our country in the behemoth that is the Russian Federation. Particularly since the ascent of Vladimir Putin, that often bare-breasted little dictator and autocrat, there has been no lie that Russia has been unwilling to tell in pursuit of its aims, no international law or rules that Russia has been ready to ignore, no process of aggression in which it has not been at the ready to engage in. Georgia was to blame for the war that led to Russia’s annexation of Georgian territory. There are no Russian soldiers in or anywhere near the so-called “people’s republics” in southeastern Ukraine. The government of Ukraine is made up of fascists and Nazis. Russia is only bombarding Daesh in the Middle East, and its bombs have never, ever killed a single civilian individual. Fascism is on the rise in the Baltic States, too. The world knows the mendacious nature of all of this. The Kremlin pretends that it is all true.

It is in this context that one can view the recent BBC film “World War III: Inside the War Room.” It was broadcast by the “Beeb” on February 3, ostensibly for a domestic audience, but very quickly it became a matter of international discussion. The film presented a group of retired British diplomats and military experts sitting around in a room to discuss an imagined crisis during which Russia starts to harass the Baltic States, and Latvia in particular. Those who understand Latvian can view it here. That is Latvian Television, which purchased the rights to the film and broadcast it on February 19. Those who do not understand Latvian can find the film in English here.

The film is a rather curious hybrid. The specialists in the room really are British military and diplomatic experts, among them Ian Bond, who was London’s ambassador to Latvia from 2005 until 2007. The center of what I suppose can best be described as a docudrama, however, is made up of scenes showing growing unrest in the eastern Latvian city of Daugavpils, and this is where we get into pure fiction. For one thing, the producers of the film have conflated a comparatively long-ago event – the rioting that erupted in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2007 after the Estonian government decided to move a Soviet-era military monument from a central location to a more peripheral one – with events in eastern Latvia in 2016. There is some “creative” license in that approach. Second, the mayor of Daugavpils is presented as one Dmitry Voslov – a Russian who is perfectly happy to accept the “little green men” and to use them to call for a referendum about the greater sovereignty of the broader Latgale region. In fact, the mayor of Daugavpils is called Jānis Lāčplēsis, and his reaction to the film was harsh: “We need political decisions and serious economic projects that ensure that investments in the region are advantageous. We are not, however, afraid of horror stories, no matter who makes them up. People who live here have seen wars, revolutions, deportations and genocide – not in the cinema, but in reality. That is precisely why people in Latgale very much appreciate peace and friendship.”

I can agree that the BBC film was rather offensive to people in Daugavpils and Latgale. To suggest that large numbers of them, including the mayor, would happily join in what is essentially a Russian invasion is not particularly positive, and that is putting it mildly. It is also a bit disturbing that one of the experts in the film demonstrated truly old-fashioned thinking by referring to the Russian city of St Petersburg by its Soviet-era name of Leningrad.

In a broader sense, however, “Inside the War Room” bears some consideration. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics tweeted after watching the film that “Inside the War Room, while scenario of separatists in Latgale is rubbish, overall many lessons to learn for all.” Indeed. The experts in the film are asked to consider a situation in which the aforementioned unrest erupts, Britain, the United States, Poland and the other two Baltic States send ground troops to quell it, and then Russia and America exchange “tactical” nuclear attacks -- Moscow on ships at sea, Washington on an unidentified military facility inside Russia itself. The film ends with the experts discussing whether, if Russia unleashes a wholesale nuclear attack against the West, the West, and Britain in particular, should respond in kind. Cue dramatic music, show a man in Daugavpils walking off into the distance, cut to the credits.

Now, I would imagine that most readers of this portal would find the idea of an all-out nuclear war to be unimaginable. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who, in childhood, cowered under my desk in the elementary school classroom to “protect” myself against a nuclear bomb falling on suburban Chicago (and wondered why the desk was adequate protection in the case of a nuclear attack if, during a tornado drill, we all had to go out in the hallway). Not the only one who recalls seeing the horrific film “The Day After,” in which a nuclear attack is waged against the United States. Not the only one who knows that for a few desperate days in October 1962 (when I was two years old), the world was on the brink of a nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union. Not the only one who knows that in the end, Khrushchev blinked, because he apparently understood that the concept of “assured mutual destruction” would mean the destruction of his own country and all of its people, too.

But today we live in a world in which Russia’s military doctrine openly states that “tactical” nuclear weapons are on the table once again. We live with a Russia that can clearly be described with the word “paranoid.” It sees enemies everywhere. Air defense systems in Eastern Europe are an offensive threat against the Russian Motherland. The West is hell-bent on pushing mighty Russia to its knees and humiliating it. It was specifically in this regard that Tsar Vladimir once, in a momentary flash of honesty, said that if Russia hadn’t intervened in Ukraine, the West would have found some other reason to implement sanctions against it. This is a Russia that occupies parts of Georgia and Moldova just as specifically as the Soviet Union once occupied Latvia. It is a Russia that simply annexed a part of Ukraine while all the while pretending that it had done nothing of the sort (the ludicrousness of this claim was seen when some of the “little green men” in Crimea first invaded the local opera house, thinking it was the local administration building – yeah, those were “dissatisfied” locals). It is a Russia that is doing its worst in support of the dictator in Syria, and the hell with any broader considerations. It is a Russia that is always happy to fly its planes in the immediate environs of NATO’s borders (usually with all signaling systems switched off, which is a gross violation of international rules). In short, it is an entirely unpredictable Russia.

The BBC cannot be blamed for having produced this film. It was part of a series called “Time Line,” and on other occasions the television company has presented an imaginary situation in which public transport in London shuts entirely down, with all of the attendant chaos, for instance. With the aforementioned caveat about “Inside the War Room” taking rather great liberties with the actual situation in Latvia, the fact is that the scenario which was discussed therein is not, sad to say, totally unimaginable. The BBC has said that the experts in the “war room” were not given any scripted lines to say, they really were asked to imagine the situation at hand and Britain’s reaction to same. And that is something that is worth thinking about.

Of course, the difference between Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on the one hand and Latvia on the other hand is that Latvia is in NATO. We have already seen what happens when there is a military conflict between Russia and the alliance. That was the day last November when Turkey shot down a Russian military plane which, with all identification shut off, entered Turkish and thus NATO airspace. In the event, Russia’s response was simply to declare Turkey an enemy and to implement sanctions against Turkish carpets and what not. There was no military response.

But that does not mean that the Kremlin is not thinking about the possibility of looking for other targets once it finishes what it is doing in Ukraine and Syria. Readers will remember the “military exercises” in which Russia engaged back in 2009 – those that included a nuclear attack against Poland as an “aggressor.” The basic fact is that Vladimir Putin has pretty much painted himself into a corner. His vast popularity in Russia is largely based on the idea that Putin is a great hero who is ensuring that poor, besieged Russia remains viable on the international scene and that this viability must necessarily involve military force in Georgia, in Ukraine and elsewhere. That means that the man must regularly do things that demonstrate this strength and vigor. Wrestling tigers will only get him so far. Vladimir Putin has also gone on to a great extent about the idea of the “Russian world” – the one in which only Russians can save the whole planet from destruction. Make no mistake – this is an idea that has not been without willing ears here in Latvia. Perhaps half a dozen people from this country have gone to fight with the “separatists” in Ukraine. Over the next weeks and months, look for a resurgence of protests against the government’s stated intention of increasing the percentage of educational content in state schools that is taught in Latvian, not Russian. Don’t forget that the largest party in Latvia’s Parliament, “Harmony,” has a contractual partnership with Vladimir Putin’s dictator party, “United Russia.”

Also instructive in this regard is Russia’s response to the BBC film. A spokesman for the government described it as a “cheap product,” and the Russian ambassador to Latvia dubbed it “a dangerous provocation.” The government spokesman compared the film to another BBC product, “Putin’s Secret Riches,” which went into rather breathtaking detail about Vladimir Putin’s hidden caches of treasure, declaring quite openly that this is one corrupt man. The truth is that the BBC is a serious news organization. I am sure that “Putin’s Secret Riches” was shown to the lawyers before anyone else saw it. In the case of “Inside the War Room,” too, surely the BBC would not have gone to the lengths to which it went if there were no reason whatsoever to imagine that Russia’s military harassment of the Baltic States could really happen. Readers will be excused for believing that Russia’s denial of Putin’s lucre and of Moscow’s true military intentions is a whole lot of tosh and must be treated as same.

And yet there is an aspect of “Inside the War Room” that is entirely positive, and that is that it forces the question of how exactly the West should view what is happening in this part of the world at this time. Readers will know that in recent months NATO has been boosting its forces here. Military exercises are being held. Baltic airspace is being guarded (and not by Baltic airplanes, because the Baltic States have no military airplanes to speak of). The BBC film represents another round in the removal of rose-colored glasses in the West, and although as a mostly fictional docudrama it cannot be said to be military strategy, it does show that that which it showed is not entirely out of the realm of possibility. If that is another small step in boosting NATO’s ground presence in the Baltic States, another small push toward realizing that permanent military bases here would be appropriate, then that is only a good thing. Because Vladimir Putin only understands the language of force. He can allow the Russian people to sink into penury just as long as he is seen as the strongman. It is as a strongman that he must be treated.

The post War Room appeared first on Latvians Online.

Ir grūti ticēt, ka ir pagājuši veseli 60 gadi kopš Arvīds Purvs ar ģimeni ieradās Kanadā. Liekas, ka Arvīds Purvs ir vienmēr bijis daļa no latviešu muzikālās dzīves Kanadā, īpaši Toronto, grūti ticēt cik ātri tie gadi ir aizskrējuši, grūti ticēt cik milzīgs ir bijis viņa devums latviešiem un Latvijai mūzikā, gruti ticēt ka svinam šim mūzikas milzim apaļus 90 gadus.

22. martā, Arvīds Purvs svinēs savu 90. dzimšanas dienu, Toronto latviešiem to atzīmējot ar jubilejas sarīkojumu 20. martā, Toronto Latviešu Centrā. Šos 90 gadus nevar aprakstīt ne sarīkojumā, ne īsā avīzes rakstā, bet mēģināšu atgādināt ikvienam latvietiem, cik liela ir Arvīda Purva ēna pāri visam, kas ir mūzikā noticis Kanadā. Ja kāds ir apmeklējis dziesmu svētkus, vai dziedājis korī, vai ir mūzikas cienītājs - noteikti būtu vairākkārt sastapis Arvīdu Purvu.

Komponistu - diriģentu - rīkotāju - autoru Arvīdu Purvu pazīstu gandrīz visu savu mūžu. Viņš ir bijis mīļš viesis manās iesvētībās un kāzās, bet pēdējos 15 gadus priecājos, ka esam tuvi sadarbojušies gatavojoties vispārējiem dziesmu svētkiem Kanadā. Varu teikt, ka esmu bijis audzēknis, tad kolēģis, un šobrīd mēģinu sekot viņa dziļās pēdās, turpināt viņa iesākto un ilgus gadus darīto. Kaut dziesmu svētki Kanadā jau skanēja pirms Arvīda Purva ierašanās Kanadā, viņš neapšaubāmi ir to kustību krusttēvs. Bez Arvīda Purva, nezinu vai dziesmu svētki Kanadā vispār būtu.

Pats nebiju liecinieks kā sākās Arvīda Purva gandrīz 60 gadu darbība mūzikā Kanadā. Laimīgi, varu griezties pie viszinīgākā avota - mana tēva, profesora Tālivalda Ķeniņa, kura ievadā Arvīda Purva autobiografijai Pa skanošu vasaru atradu:

"Pirmajos lielajos Londonas (Anglijā) latviešu dziesmu svētkos 1951. gadā, kad vēl diriģēja Teodors Reiters, . . . Alberts Jērums iepazīstināja ar garu jaunekli acenēs, sakot: "Šis, lūk, ir Arvīds Purvs, un viņš mums būs īsts lietaskoks svešuma mūzikā." Toreiz jau nezinājām, ka no zaļoksnējā puiša izaugs tik varens ozols mūsu trimdas koŗmūzikā.

Arvīds Purvs dzima Meņģelē, bērnībā spēlējis vijoli, ar Jaunatnes Sarkanā Krusta Milzarāja bērnu kori viesojies Dānijā un 15 gadu vecumā diriģēja orķestri baptistu draudzē Rīgā. Kaŗa gadi to noved Tornas apkārtnē, kur viņš vada arī dubultkvartetu. Pēc kara spēlē Bruno Skultes Latviešu operas orķestrī Oldenburgā, tad izceļo uz Angliju, kur ir palīgs Viktoram Baštikam, kas toreiz vadīja Zuikas vīru kori. Anglijā spēlē kamermūziku un 1950. gadā nodibina Lesteras Daugavas Vanagu jaukto kori, kuru vada līdz 1956. gadam, kad ar dzīvesbiedri Mariju un meitu Āriju izceļo uz Kanadu un ierodas Toronto.

. . . Biju dzirdējis par viņa sekmīgajām gaitām Anglijā un nebiju aizmirsis Alberta Jēruma sološo pareģojumu." (Jērums laikam piedeva, ka Arvīds Purvs bija aizvācies no Anglijas, jo daudz vēlāk viņš Londonas Avīzē, pēc 1973. gada dziesmu svētkiem Ķelnē, rakstīja ka Purvs bija "pareizais cilvēks pareizejā vietā", citējot arī komponistu Viktoru Baštiku līdzīgās domās.)

Tālivaldim Ķeniņam pieaugot pienākumiem pie Toronto universitātes un Kanadas komponistu savienības (Canadian League of Composers) kur viņš bija līdzdibinātājs un savā laikā priekšsēdis, viņš uzticēja "jauneklim" viņa dibinātā Sv. Andreja ev.-lut draudzes koŗa vadību, un, dažus gadus vēlāk, arī viņa (un Mariss Vētras un Jāņa Cīruļa) dibināto Toronto Latviešu Koncertapvienību.

"Uzskatīju Arvīda ierašanos šeit kurmēt kā bībelisko veģi tuksnesī un bez bažām aicināju viņu manu darbu turpināt. Nodevu viņu rokās lielu, labi disciplinētu un jaukām balsīm un neireobežotu enerģiju apveltītu kori, kuŗa pacietība jau vairākkārtīgi bija tikusi pārbaudīta ar prasīgu jaundarbu atskaņojumiem. Arvīds darbu turpināja līdzīgā garā, gādājot vēl vairāk par pirmatskaņojumiem. Attīstījās viņa talants un prasme, līdz ar to - koristu un klausītāju uzticība viņa darbam."

Arvīds Purvs palika abos amatos ne mazāk kā 50 gadus katrā, uzņemoties arī Toronto Latviešu baptistu draudzes koŗa vadību un, 1974. gadā, Toronto DV sieviešu koŗa Zīle vadību. (Zīles ir galvenās 20. marta sarīkojuma rīkotājas, to starpā Ausma Miķelsone, kura 1950. gadā dziedāja sieviešu dubultkvartetā, Arvīda Purva vadībā, Coventry, Anglijā.)

Pēc tēva skaita, Arvīds Purvs ir piedalījies ne mazāk kā 100 dažādos dziesmu svētkos un dziesmu dienās kā virsdiriģents visā pasaulē, to starpā XX Vispārējos dziesmu svētkos Latvijā, un koncerti ar savām Zīlēm un Sv. Andreja draudzes kori netālu no 100 katrai vienībai. Tālivaldis Ķeniņš: "Ja mēs šajos novados rēķinātu rekordus kā sportā, tad neapšaubams čempions būtu Arvīds Purvs - un tālu priekšā citiem."

Tēvs arī izceļ Purva lomu pasūtot un atskaņojot jaundarbus, tur arī pāri par 100. Emmy balvas laureāte Lolita Ritmane atceras ka, kā vēl pajauna meitene, Arvīds Purvs ir lūdzis viņai komponēt saviem ansambļiem. Saka Lolita "Man tas bija liels gods un prieks. Arvīda pozitīvā attieksme pret jauniem komponistiem tika un tiek ļoti augsti novērtēta. Sākās mūsu sadarbība, kura motivēja man uzkomponēt Vasariņa, Rozes zem sniega, un vēl citas dziesmas Zīlēm.”

Kā komponists pats, diriģents ir arī bijis ražīgs, Ķeniņam pieminot kantātes un a cappella dziesmas. "Īpaši izceļas kantāte Pret gaismu (Ingridas Vīksnas teksts), kuŗu izcili atskaņoja Toronto Mendelssohn koris (Elmer Iseler), Toronto Roy Thomson Hall.. Man personīgi ļoti īpatas šķiet dažas tautasdziesmu apdares sieviešu korim. Rakstībai piemīt ne tikai māka bet personība."

Kaut cienu viņu kā mūziķi, pats pazīstu Arvīdu Purvu vislabāk un esmu sadarbojies ar viņu visvairāk kā rīkotāju: Toronto Latviešu Koncertapvienībā - izcilākā šāda organizācija visā pasaulē, pat ieredzēta Toronto starp kanadiešiem kā izcilu koncertu pasniedzēji, ar pasaules līmeņa māksliniekiem, skanīgās koncertzālēs; Latviešu Dziesmu Svētku Biedrība Kanadā, kur Arvīds kādus gadus 40 kalpoja kā padomes priekšsēdis; neskaitāmās dziesmu svētku rīcības komitejās kurās viņš ir kalpojis, arī uzņemoties vadību; un tikpat lielā skaitā svētku mūzikas komitejās, kurās viņš ir turpinājis dienēt līdz XIV Dziesmu Svētkiem Kanadā, 2014. gadā, vienmēr piedāvājot vērtīgus padomus, pielāgojot savas idejas moderniem apstākļiem un technoloģijai.

Tauta ir atzinusi Arvīda Purva darbu un talantu, viņam saņemot apbalvojumus no visām iespējamām organizācijām, to starpā PBLA, Daugavas Vanagiem, un 1997. gadā, Latvijas Republikas Triju Zvaigžņu ordeņa sudraba goda zīmi.

Tālivalda Ķeniņa vārdi: "Šī sabiedrība ir izaudzinājusi Arvīdu Purvu par vērtīgu tā locekli mūzikā. Jubilārs savukārt ziedojis savu enerģiju un talantu, to rezultāti pārsnieguši Toronto robežas, iekļāvušies mūžam dzīvā latviešu gara dzīvē. Suminam viņu par to un vēlam darba prieku visos nākamos gados!"

Visi bijušie koristi, mūzikas mīlētāji un Arvīda Purva cienītāji ir mīļi lūgti apmeklēt 20. marta sarīkojumu. Vietas ir rezervējamas pie Aijas Kārkliņas (+1 416 512 7348 vai aijak@rogers.com).

Foto: Tālivaldis Ķeniņš nodod Sv. Andreja baznīcas kori Arvīdam Purvam 1958. gadā. Arvīds Purvs ir attēla kreisajā pusē.

Juris Ķeniņš ir aktīvs čellists, komponists/aranžētājs, diriģents. No 2015.gada viņš ir PBLA Kultūras fonda priekšsēdis.

The post Toronto latviešu komponistam un diriģentam Arvīdam Purvam – 90 appeared first on Latvians Online.

„Latvieši ir tauta, kas pelnījuši cieņu. Čakli, atbildīgi, saimnieciski, vienmēr audzēja puķes un lielu uzmanību pievērsa savu bērnu izglītošanai”, tā par mūsu tautiešiem, kas 19. gs. beigās un 20. gs. sākumā ieradās Baškīrijā, runā Bakaldīnas vidusskolas pensionētā vēstures skolotāja, skolas muzeja veidotāja Nadežda Ģībiete. „Viņi bija avantūristi! Mierīgi un noslēgti ļaudis”, turpina vēstures skolotāja.

Nadežda Ģībiete par vēstures skolotāju Bakaldīnas (viena no agrākajām latviešu kolonijām) vidusskolā sāka strādāt 20. gs. 70-tajos gados. „Kad atnācu uz Bakaldīnu, es dzīvoju pie sava vīra, Jāņa Ģībieša, vecvecākiem no mātes puses Lūcijas un Alfrēda Pidriķiem. Es iemīlējos šajos cilvēkos, es iemīlējos latviešos”, stāsta skolotāja. Deviņdesmito gadu sākumā Nadežda Ģībiete sāka vākt materiālus skolas muzeja izveidei. „Man nebija mērķis izveidot muzeju par latviešiem, bet tā kā ciema specifika ir latviešu tautas, tad likumsakarīgi, ka tas atspoguļo latviešu kultūru, saimniecisko dzīvo un vēsturi,” turpina vēsturniece.

Arī Arhlatviešu vidusskolā (tiek mācīta latviešu valoda, darbojas divi latviešu ansambļi) ir muzejs, kas atspoguļo latviešu sadzīvi, kultūru, bet atšķirībā no Bakaldīnas muzeja, tajā nav arhīva dokumentu, kuros atspoguļota latviešu ierašanās Bakaldīnā, saimniecisko jautājumu risināšana u.tml. Svarīgi, ka Nadežda Ģībiete pati strādāja Ufas arhīvā, lai iegūtu viņu interesējošos materiālus muzeja pilnveidei, kā arī materiālus skolēnu zinātniski pētnieciskajiem darbiem par latviešiem Bakaldīnas kolonijā.

Bakaldīna ir viena no latviešu kolonijām. Līdz latviešu ierašanās laikam Bakaldīnas teritorija bija tukša un neapdzīvota. Ar latviešu ierašanos tiek izveidota pirmā skola Bakaldīnas teritorijā (1901. gadā Kalna skola, mācības latviešu valodā notiek līdz 1938. gadam), arī kultūras dzīvi veido iebraucēji no Latvijas, proti, tiek nodibināts orķestris, koris, iedzīvotāji iestudē izrādes. Uz Bakaldīnu viesizrādēs brauc Maskavas teātris „Skatuve”, nodibinātajā bibliotēkā tiek saņemtas grāmatas, avīzes un žurnāli no Latvijas. Par Bakaldīnas latviešiem izdotas vairākas grāmatas. Viens no to autoriem ir bijušais bakaldīnietis žurnālists Arvīds Auns-Urālietis („Vēl atmiņā bērnības saule”, „Latviešu saraksti”, sērijā „Tradīciju burtnīca” izdoti „Baškīrijas siguldiešu stāsti”- intervijas ar Bakaldīnas latviešiem, kas 20.gs. piecdesmitajos gados atgriezās Latvijā). Ierasto dzīves veidu skarbi pārtrauc 1937./1938. gada Staļiniskās represijas. Kā saka vēsturniece Nadežda Ģībiete: „Nebija nevienas latviešu ģimenes, kuru nebūtu skārušas Staļiniskās represijas. Saimniecības tika 'izkulakotas', ģimenes vīrieši tika apcietināti un nosūtīti spaidu darbos vai nošauti Ufas cietumā. Par ko? Par to, ka bija latvieši, par to, ka tika uzskatīti par vāciešu spiegiem, par to, ka ar savu smago darbu bija tikuši pie turības.” Arvīda Auna-Urālieša grāmatā „Vēl atmiņā bērnības saule” spilgti aprakstīti 1937./1938. gada notikumi, grāmatā iespiesti visu arestēto vārdi, kā arī tiem piemērotais soda veids. Latvieši tika uzskatīti par spiegiem, tika atņemta smagā darbā iegūtā manta, ģimenes tika atstātas bez apgādnieka, tie, kuri netika arestēti, bija gana labi esam, lai dotos karā, tam spiega palama netraucēja. Tā ir sāpīga pretruna, proti, vietējie iedzīvotāji izjūt patiesu cieņu pret strādīgo, izglītoto tautu, tajā pat laikā tie paši vietējie iedzīvotāji latviešus sauc par vācu spiegiem, ekspluatatoriem, kas jāiznīcina.

Nadežda Ģībiete pat min sen dzirdētu teicienu, proti, vietējie teikuši, ka pie latviešiem nevajagot maizi pirkt, jo tā smirdot pēc mēsliem. Tas tāpēc, ka latvieši, kā jau ierasts, apstrādājamo zemi mēslojuši, vietējai tautai tas esot bijis nepieņemami, pat pretīgi. Tikai ar laiku vietējie pārņēmuši šo ieradumu (un ne tikai) mēslot apstrādājamo zemi. Arī es ne reizi vien esmu dzirdējusi, ka latvieši šejieniešiem iemācījuši strādāt.

Šogad man tika dota iespēja vienu reizi nedēļā mācīt Bakaldīnas skolēniem latviešu valodu. Nodarbības apmeklē 15 skolēni, tiesa gan, tā vairāk ir latviešu kultūras, tradīciju izzināšana, bet vienalga prieks, ka laikā, kad Baškortostānas republikas Arhangeļskas rajonā daudz izglītības iestāžu tiek slēgtas vai apvienotas, kad kultūras pasākumiem un nacionālām minoritātēm reti kad atrodas finansējums, latviešu valodas skolotājai tiek piešķirtas papildus 4 latviešu folkloras pulciņa stundas. Nu esam mēs īpaši! Pirms simts gadiem tas izpaudās kā latvieša izteiktais čaklums, atbildība, izglītotība un estētisms, pēc viena gadu simta latvieša mentalitātē nekas nav mainījies, jo mēs varam strādāt un strādājam, mēs gribam zināt, tāpēc meklējam atbildes, mēs nebaidāmies uzņemties atbildību par to, ko esam sākuši, un vēl joprojām pie latviešu (un ne tikai) mājām zied puķes, latvieši vienmēr rada skaisto sev apkārt, to prasa latvieša dvēsele un saprāts.

The post Latviešu muzejs Bakaldinā – vienā no agrākajām latviešu kolonijām Baškīrijā appeared first on Latvians Online.

For the past eight or nine years, making pīrāgs, those baked Latvian bacon buns, has been a Christmas tradition in our household. More precisely, it has been my tradition, my contribution to Christmas.

It doesn’t always go smoothly. I only make them once a year so every time I roll up my sleeves, I need to jog my somewhat limited culinary skills. Sometimes I don’t nail the dough and it takes a lot of coaxing and off-colour muttering to get it to rise properly. I’m told I get sloppy with the egg wash. Other times my pīrāgs will open up in the oven. I then call them peek-a-boo pīrāgs. I think I may be onto something because I’ve seen photos from Vincents in Riga run by expat chef extraordinaire Mārtiņš Rītiņš with his pīrāgs showing their bacon. And if I get a late start and it’s past midnight as I hit my 100^th pīrāgs, you might hear me muttering a bah humbug or two. But the job gets done and there are no complaints. The pīrāgs usually disappear over the next few days as members of the household graze. I’m told I should bake them more often.

Judging by photos posted by my Facebook friends, making pīrāgs is a ritual that is repeated around the globe by those with Latvian roots. This even in the Toronto area where the Latvian Centre bakes and sells them on a regular basis. I’m told they fly off the shelves even at $1.25 per pīrāgs.

Pīrāgs is Latvian comfort food. You can have them with coffee at breakfast, soup at lunch, as a side at supper and snack on them in between. If push came to shove, you could survive on them comfortably for days.

In my travels researching the history of Latvians in Canada’s Manitoba province, I have been told and seen pictures of pīrāgs still being made in Lac Du Bonnet homes where Latvian pioneers and fleeing 1905 revolutionaries settled more than a hundred years ago. I have been served pīrāgs by a wonderful lady, an octogenarian, who lives six hours from Winnipeg in rural Manitoba. She was born to a Latvian pioneer family that came to what was then wilderness from Latvia via Brazil.

Pīrāgs is the ultimate survivor. It has transcended time and geography. The tasty morsel has become an embodiment of Latvian heritage.

Putting aside the large recent outflow of Latvians heading west for better economic opportunities, the Latvian Diaspora was formed and run for many years by those fleeing the Soviet occupation of Latvia. Even though community leadership has been taken over by their baby boomer offspring, or at least those still engaged because the majority have drifted to the periphery and beyond, old attitudes still prevail. Many would dismiss the pīrāgs as being void of cultural substance. Akin to Oktoberfest, oom-pah and lederhosen German.

But the fact is that pīrāgs are still being made and chomped down by second, third and fourth generation Canadians, Americans, Australians and Brits with few other connections to their Latvian heritage apart from memories and family stories passed down from their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

The Post World War II Latvian Diaspora is still focused on the exception. As an example, the focus is on the one in ten children and youths of Latvian descent who attend Latvian Sunday schools or Garezers summer high school in Michigan. The one in ten Garezers graduates who make their way back to Latvia. No doubt about it, Garezers is a wonderful place where Latvian language, history and culture are taught. It must be sustained and participation encouraged. But what about the one in ten who don’t make it to Garezers? Or the ninety-nine out of a hundred who don’t make it back to Latvia? What about those for whom that ultimate Latvian survivor, the pīrāgs, is one of their few Latvian connections?

There are around two million Latvian speakers in the world and less than one and a half million Latvians in Latvia. That’s not a lot. It’s smaller than many cities in Europe and North America. A nation with numbers that small cannot be picky. It must reach out to those of Latvian descent in the pale and beyond be they 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% or even 12.5% Latvian by blood. It must venture into pīrāgs territory.

The Latvian Diaspora must do so by being multi-tier, inclusive and modular.

Latvian language skills, be they a limited vocabulary or complete fluency, must be encouraged. At the same time the reality of a second language be it English, Spanish, German, Swedish or Russian needs to be recognized. There need to be ways to engage those with poor or even no Latvian language skills.

The Diaspora needs to be welcoming to all who have or are seeking a Latvian connection, be they newbies from Latvia, descendants of Latvian immigrants or those who have drifted away from the community and are circling back. It also needs to welcome any non-Latvian partners who wish to engage.

The Latvian experience abroad can only be modular. It cannot be 24x7. It must be served a la carte. The Diaspora consists of multiple constituencies, each with different interests and possible points of connection.

Traditionally the Diaspora has served its members a heavy dose of Latvian culture and politics. That does not work for many. New points of engagement are required – a segue for possible deeper levels of engagement for those who so wish.

Sports has been grossly underrated by the Diaspora establishment. But when BMXer Māris Štrombergs wins gold at the Olympics or takes the USA Open Nationals, when Šmediņš and Pļaviņš upset the USA in Olympic beach volleyball, when goaltender Kristers Gudļevskis almost singlehandedly upsets hockey super-power Canada at Sochi, when thousands of Latvians vote every day to put up and coming hockey player Zemgus Girgensons into the NHL All-Star game, when Latvians medal in the bobsleigh and the Dukurs brothers dominate in the skeleton, even those with tenuous connections take note. These modern day heroes should be featured front and centre in Latvian media abroad rather than the serpentine comings and goings of Latvian politics.

While it is regrettable that so many young people are abandoning Latvia, they will continue to leave until conditions back home improve. Frowns from Latvians who have lived abroad for decades and have no intention of returning will not change that. Latvian organizations need to reach out to the immigrants and provide information that they need, about schools, housing, social assistance, health insurance and by the way, here’s what’s happening in the community. This isn’t happening.

As people get older, they take interest in their lineage, who they are and where they came from. More than a few are digging into their family trees, signing up to genealogy web sites, hunting down lost relatives. But when they hit Latvia, they often come to a dead-end. Although many records are now online, try deciphering cursive Russian and Gothic German script once you start digging past the 1920s and the early days of independent Latvia. Even modern Latvian is a challenge for some. It is a hit and miss proposition finding help.

Latvia is being discovered. Pick up glossy coffee table books with destinations compiled by National Geographic or Lonely Planet. Latvia is there – Old Riga dating back centuries, a treasure trove of Art Deco buildings in Riga, miles of white sandy beaches along the Gulf of Riga, hundreds of manors, some in ruin and others restored to their former splendor, or the relatively unspoiled countryside. There are opportunities to promote travel to Latvia for Latvians and non-Latvians alike.

Latvia is on the bucket list for some. A once in a lifetime trip. There are those who wish to retrace the journey that their parents or grandparents took as they left Latvia and ending up in Displaced Person camps in Germany. Others want to visit the homeland of their forbearers, perhaps finding the remote rural homestead or the manor where their ancestors toiled. Not easy if you can connect only some of the dots. Where do you go for help?

More English and bilingual web sites are needed. There are a profusion of sites in Latvian but interesting sites serving up or aggregating content for those not fluent in Latvian are few and far between.

There are many opportunities. One needs to think out of the box. The focus must be on the consumer, what they want and not what we think they need.

The question for the Latvian community abroad is not just about right-sizing in face of dwindling demographics in order to continue serving the core. It is a question of survival and reaching out to the periphery and beyond to any with Latvians roots or interest in things Latvian. To reach out to the realm inhabited by the mighty pīrāgs.

These are questions that transcend time and space. There is little to distinguish a baby-boomer off-spring who has drifted away from the community and who struggles with all but the simplest conversations in Latvian, from someone whose grandparents came over more than a hundred years ago for whom only a few stories and Latvian traditions have survived, from children of recent immigrants, many of whom in the next ten or twenty years will succumb to assimilation much like their predecessors. Time and space may differ but their stories are or will be the same.

But throughout it all, the mighty pīrāgs is there. It will be baked and savoured reminding all of their Latvian connections. Let’s make sure that it’s not the only thing standing.

The post All Hail the Mighty Pīrāgs! appeared first on Latvians Online.

Whew! The Latvian capital city of Rīga just finished being the European Cultural Capital, and the very next day all of Latvia became the presiding country of the Council of the European Union for the next six months! This is not an elected position, it comes around on a rotating basis once every … let me see, 28 member states, so once every 14 years. There has been mumbling in Brussels from time to time about the idea that this is rather silly, shifting the centre of operations, as it were, from Rome to Rīga and then on to Luxembourg City, as will be the case this time, but for the time being, the system is what it is.

In practical terms, this means that for the next half-year, Latvia will be able to set at least some of the agenda for the EU. Our government has said that priorities will include employment issues, further steps to overcome the consequences of the recent financial crisis, digitalization issues, the EU’s role in human rights defence across the globe, and particularly the European Union’s Eastern Partnership Programme, which seeks to develop relations with Eastern European countries that are not in the EU, but might want to become members in future. During the course of the presidency, our government ministers will become chairs of the relevant sectors at the EU level. A number of high-level meetings will be held, including a meeting of European and Asian education ministers, a summit meeting on standardisation in the EU, and particularly the Eastern Partnership Summit, which will bring together leaders from EU member states, as well as from the partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). Fingers crossed that our ministers will be up to the task, seeing as how some of them are brand spanking-new ministers who only took office after last autumn’s parliamentary election. Fingers more precisely crossed that the same will be true of our civil servants, who will be doing the behind-the-scenes work to make sure that all proceeds smoothly.

(A parenthetical note, if one may: The centre of operations for the Latvian presidency will be at our comparatively brand spanking-new Latvian National Library, which means that for the duration, visitors to the library will have to enter through the back door, and they will find that much of the library is closed to them; be that as it may, if you happen to be in Latvia during the next six months, visit the library anyway – it is an architectural glory.)

The Eastern Partnership issue bears particular consideration for Latvia’s presidency, because, of course, to our East (and South) are not only the aforementioned EU member wannabes, but also a big country which would be just as happy to see the said wannabes far away from the EU (to say nothing of NATO). I refer, of course, to Russia, which is a country that appears to have endless stores of mischief and outright aggression in relation to what the Kremlin continues to consider its “sphere of influence” in geopolitical terms. Readers will know what this means. Of the aforementioned six countries, three, or one-half, have territory that is occupied by Russia either supposedly permanently (Abkhazia and South Ossetia in Georgia, Transnistria in Moldova, Crimea in Ukraine) or at least temporarily (the Donbas in Ukraine). Moscow is betting, and not without reason, that the EU will not admit for membership any country that has outstanding border issues with another. Here it bears remembering that the absence of a border treaty between Latvia and Russia at one time was seen as a potential stumbling block for our own membership, though in the event the treaty was only ratified three years after Latvia joined the EU and NATO.

What might Putin do? I would say God only knows, but I suppose that even God with all of his omniscience doesn’t have a clear sense about this. It is clear that the sanctions that were imposed against Russia by the West in the wake of Putin’s grand adventures in Ukraine have started to bite and bite hard. Readers will know that over the past month or two, the value of the Russian rouble has basically collapsed. International companies that operate in Russia have found themselves having to change the price of their goods and services, as denominated in roubles, once a day or even more often. Inflation has been rising rapidly. Capital outflow from Russia, active for some time now, has turned into a raging torrent. The embargo on Western food products that Moscow imposed in response to the sanctions has in many cases resulted in food shortages. Russian leaders may smirk about visa restrictions that have been established on them, but it is clear that in many cases they are inconveniences for grand poohbahs who are no longer able to visit their villas in the South of France or whatever.

Now, in a normal country, all of this would turn public opinion against the ruling regime. In Russia, however, the Kremlin’s nearly total monopolisation of the mass media, and particularly the broadcast media, has ensured an endless flow of mendacious propaganda to suggest that Russia has done nothing wrong, the problem is that the wicked West has always conspired against it with the aim of bringing it to its knees. Putin said so in a speech a while back – even if Russia hadn’t begun to meddle in Ukraine, he said (thus, incidentally, more or less admitting something that he had steadfastly denied – that Russian troops are actually in Ukraine), the West would have found some other excuse to do what it is doing. The current government in Ukraine is made up of fascists. All of the bloodshed in Ukraine has been the doing of the said fascists (Russian TV has gone so far as to show grotesque pictures from conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and Chechnya and claim that they are from South-eastern Ukraine). And so on.

With respect to the Eastern Partnership countries, it is not just Russia’s occupation of land. There is also the so-called Eurasian Union that has been Putin’s baby for the past decade and more. Initially established by Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus on the ruins of the old Confederacy of Independent States, the union is intended to be a counterweight to the EU. Readers will remember that it was specifically former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich’s decision to turn toward the Eurasian Union and away from the European Union that led to the protests that quite quickly caused him to close down shop and flee like the sinking-ship rat that he was. Certainly the new Ukrainian government has no interest whatsoever in re-joining the clutches of the Russian bear. By contrast, Armenia has signed up to the Eurasian Union, and its membership took effect on January 1 this year. It will be interesting to see what the Armenians will have to say when they turn up at the Eastern Partnership summit in Rīga.

There is also, of course, the issue of energy. Moscow has never been shy about using its natural gas supplies as a geopolitical tool of blackmail. True, this tool was more effective back when the price of oil was high. Now that it is very low, the room for manoeuvre for Gazprom is rather limited, because Russia’s national budget, such as it is, is predicated on the assumption that oil prices will be high. Still, it is worth noting here that last autumn, amidst much pomp and circumstance, Lithuania opened a new liquefied gas terminal that, crucially, will be appropriate for receiving so-called shale gas from the United States. Latvia’s government, by contrast, has spent years discussing whether it might possibly start to analyse the eventuality of perhaps considering a discussion about whether to debate the issue of maybe building a terminal of its own and then to ponder where to put it … that kind of thing. Enough said.

Finally, there is the Russian military. Readers will know that in recent times Russian warplanes have been regularly skirting and sometimes entering the airspace of NATO member states such as Latvia. The alliance has been forced to regularly scramble its own warplanes to go and chase the intruders away. This is a potentially dangerous game of one-upmanship. It is accompanied by a lower-level so-called hybrid war, which includes the aforementioned mendacious propaganda (Russian television channels are freely available here in Latvia, too, and it is worth noting that at least a few residents of our country have taken it to mean that they, too, should go to South-eastern Ukraine to fight against the “fascists”), as well as cyber-attacks of various kinds. It was no accident that the EU decided to place its main cyber-security centre in Estonia, which suffered a vast cyber-attack, almost certainly if not from the Kremlin, then certainly with its blessing, after the so-called “bronze soldier” riots.

The $64,000 question here is whether Vladimir Putin is crazy enough to launch a real conflict against NATO. There is a body of thought in Russia itself that suggests that messing around in places such as Ukraine and Moldova will not scratch the dictator’s itch, because such countries are not in the EU or NATO, and thus Russia’s intervention there does not affect Western interests directly. The Baltic States, which are in the EU and NATO, are a different matter, and they may prove to be too tempting a piece of fruit for the Kremlin to resist.

I doubt that this is true. After years of dilly-dallying about Baltic security plans, NATO in more recent times has been saying more and more clearly that if necessary, it will take all necessary steps to defend the three republics, as provided for in the famous Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. There are boots on the ground here already, so to speak – American and other soldiers who are here for the duration. Plus, of course, for some years now NATO has been providing the warplanes that are necessary for monitoring Baltic airspace, something for which we can be grateful not least because Latvia, of course, has no warplanes of its own. Far from it. This, among other things, has, with increasing urgency, brought up the issue of Baltic defence spending. Estonia spends the requisite 2% of GDP. Latvia does not and, even with all that is going on in Ukraine, will not until 2020 at the earliest. Once again – enough said. Readers may roll their eyes if they wish.

All that said, I do not believe that Latvia needs to fear for its security. It is likely that during the EU presidency Latvia will face various kinds of harassment from Russia, as Lithuania did do when it held the presidency during the second half of 2013. But Russia at this time is a wounded bear. The occasional swipe of a paw may be all that it is capable of right now. And I say again – NATO is standing guard. Amen.

In domestic politics, a big event this year will be a presidential election. Readers will know that Latvia’s president is elected by Parliament, not the public, and even though the new Parliament has a number of parties that wish to institute a popularly elected presidency, there is little chance that this will happen in time for the election that is to take place in June (and, for various reasons, it would not be a good idea even after that; that would be the topic for a separate column). The incumbent president, Andris Bērziņš, has not yet said whether he will seek a second term in office. He has been a mediocre president, I must say. No great orator. An excessive focus on business issues at the expense of human rights. Occasional weirdness (as in public ruminations a while back as to whether there really is any reason for Latvia to spend the money that is necessary to take over the EU presidency, as if this were not an automatic process). I believe that it would be just as well if he decided to retire, though that would mean the usual political ruckus in Parliament to come up with an alternative.

Finally, socially conservative readers may wish to skip this paragraph, but also in June, Rīga will host the European LGBT Pride event, Europride. Thousands of people are expected to visit the Latvian capital for the event, and although homophobic types have already been trying to organise a protest of opposition, the event will occur, and it will be a proud and magnificent event. All for the good.

All in all, I believe that Latvians can feel secure about their motherland during 2015. The economy is doing OK, just OK. The 2015 national budget is perhaps predicated upon excessively optimistic expectations of growth, but there will be growth. As noted, security in the primary sense of the word is abetted by the world’s most powerful military alliance. What remains to be hoped is that our politicians will simply demonstrate common sense in response to the various challenges that they will face. Of course, as always in politics, that is easier said than done, but fingers crossed anyway.

What can you do if you live in Chicago or London or Perth or Walla Walla? If you are religious, pray for Latvia. If you have the wherewithal, you can help financially. The Vītols Foundation, for instance (www.vitolufonds.lv), administers hundreds of scholarships to help needy students pursue a higher education. You can set up one of your own if you wish.

But above all, come visit! Not right now. It’s sloppy and messy outside with snow and especially slush. But think about it during the summer. I know that the American Latvian Association will once again be running its “Hi, Latvia” programme for American Latvian teenagers. I know this because one of my nephews will be one of those to take part. Why not come along with your kid? If you’ve never been here, I recommend it. Architecture fans will be agog at the variety of architectural styles, particularly Art Nouveau, that can be seen in Rīga. Countryside types can visit hundreds of guesthouses and inns all across the country (see www.laukucelotajs.lv for a list). It is a sad fact that during the summer, most of Latvia’s cultural institutions are shut down, but if you come in the spring or the autumn, there will be hardly an evening when you will not be able to attend a world-class theatrical or musical performance of one type or another. Come. You won’t regret it.

And keep on reading “Latvians Online.” Keep on reading Latvian news portals. Be up on what’s going on here, particularly if you are a citizen of the Republic of Latvia and plan to or have been taking part in elections. All of us have only these 64,569 square kilometres (almost precisely the same size as West Virginia in the United States) of cherished motherland. For all intents and purposes, the fact that ours is the independent Republic of Latvia is something of a miracle. It could all have gone differently both in the early 1920s and in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. We can all work to make it a better place. Of course, that is easier done if one actually lives here (in September it will be 25 years since I fetched up on these shores – where does the time go?), but, as noted, there are things that you can do, too. You can polish up your Latvian language skills, for instance. Yes, it’s not the easiest language in the world what with all of the cases and declinations and diacritical markings and what not, but knowing Latvian will allow you and your friends to talk about Americans or Canadians or Australians without them knowing what you’re saying. That’s something. And definitely make sure that your kids learn the language. Three hours on Saturday at the local Latvian school and six weeks at a summer camp won’t do the trick if you don’t lay the foundation at home. Perhaps one day your children will want to live and work in Latvia. That won’t work without the language. Don’t deny them the opportunity.

Happy New Year, everyone! It is wonderful that our country is free.

The post 2015: What can we expect? appeared first on Latvians Online.

Kas tas ir par fenomēnu ar mums, latviešiem, ka mums savas tautības un "latviskuma" apliecinājums visefektīvāk izpaužas masu pasākumos? Teiciens, ka "kopībā ir spēks" tiešām ir pierādīts fakts, īpaši saistībā ar skaitliski mazākām tautību grupām. Austrālietim vai amerikānim ir skaidrs, kas viņš ir un par to viņš lepojas jebkurā vietā un laikā. Masu pasākumi, kā piem. futbola spēles, beisbola spēles, vai neatkarības dienas pasākumi ir aizkustinoši un saliedējoši, bet bez tiem pats austrālis vai amerikānis var justies tīri ērti savā ādā, sakot "I'm proud to be an Aussie" vai ko tamlīdzīgu, ne vienmēr alkstot pēc šo masu pasākumu pūļa aizkustinājuma.

Latviešiem ir svarīgi savu piederību latviešu tautai svinēt un ar aizkustinājumu "piedzīvot" masu pasākumos. Mums šis enerģijas lādiņš ir svarīgs, vai tas notiktu pašā Latvijā, Dziesmu svētku pasākumā Mežaparka estrādē, vai kur citur - Milvokos, Hamiltonā, Adelaidē, Sidneja, vai Briselē. Kamēr Latvija bija okupēta, trimdā šis saliedētības moments bija īpaši svarīgs - savu latvisko piederību, savu etnisko mantojumu kopīgi piedzīvot un izdzīvot ikgadus, īpaši atlicinātā laikā un vietā. Tagad mums, latviešiem, šis kopīgais pārdzīvojums ir tikpat svarīgs, arī ja Latvija ir neatkarīga - mums regulāri vajag pašiem sev atgādināt, ka esam lepni par savu tautību, un visu, kas ar to saistīts.

Tāpēc 55. Kultūras dienas Sidnejā ir tikpat svarīgas latviešiem, cik tās bija pirms 50 gadiem Austrālijā, ASV un Kanādā un Rietumeiropā kā arī 2013. gadā Rīgā, Latvijā. Jo tās mums pašiem atklāj no jauna, ka mēs esam dzīva, iedvesmota tauta. Ka mēs spējam paši smelties no mūsu pašu garamantām un tās pārveidot, ļaut tām mūs iedvesmot un radīt - vai tas būtu jauns tautas dziesmu aranžējums, vai skaņdarbs, kas iedvesmots no mūsu piedzīvojumiem Latvijas apciemojumā vai moderna tautas deju horeogrāfija, vai mūsu tautas iemīļotais pīrāgs īsfilmas veidolā. Mēs spējam sev pierādīt, ka mākam iet laikiem līdzi, mākam pielāgoties mūsdienām, turpinot tradīcijas, bet tās ietērpjot mūsdienīgos tērpos. Mums ir vēlme šo visu turpināt, jo mēs vēl arvien gribam un varam no šī kopīgā pārdzīvojuma just piederību kaut kam lielākam un tai pašā laikā vērtīgam. Vērtīgam un augstu vērtējamam. Augstu vērtējamam, jo tas ir mūsu pašu latviskās dvēseles spogulis.

Pievienoju dažu mūsu Kultūras dienu dalībnieku un skatītāju viedokļus par nupat, 55. Kultūras dienās Sidnejā, piedzīvoto, atbildot uz sekojošiem jautājumiem:

1. Kas vislabāk patika, kas visilgāk paliks atmiņā?

Īsfilmu konkurss. Patikās jo tas bija kautkas neparasts un parādija daudz jaunradušās idejas. (Pēteris Strazds)

Man patika visi sarīkojumi, kurus es apmekēju KD. Varēja just, ka darbinieki bija ļoti rūpīgi piestrādājuši pie katra sarīkojuma. Liels lepnums ir par atklāšanas koncertā dzirdētiem vietējiem komponistiem un māksliniekiem. (Elīna Rikarde)

Manā atmiņā paliks vairākas lietas, katra sava iemesla dēļ. Tomēr, ja ir jāizvēlas tikai viena lieta, tad tas būtu kopkoru koncerts, jo es pati tur piedalījos.

Kopkoris - kuplo dziedātāju skaita (no vairākām Austrālijas pavalstīm, kā arī no Īrijas un Latvijas). Bija īsti latviešu svētki, loti vienojoša sajūta. DIRIĢENTI!!!!
Tautas dejas - šis ir sarīkojums, kur nav nepieciešamas latviešu valodas zināšanas, tāpēc var sastapt/redzēt pavisam citu publikas daļu, kam tomēr, acīmredzot ir tuva latviešu kultūra.
Īsfilmu konkurss "Pīrāgs" - ļoti interesanta un saistoša ideja. Vārds un nozīme pīrāgam sniedzas pāri daudzām robežām, valodām un kulinārām mākslām.
Sadziedāšanās vakars - Jaunatne, kas tik vareni dziedāja līdzi! (Kristīne Saulīte)

What we both liked about KD's most of all was the Sadziedāšanās evening.  The evening was really good fun. We sang, swayed with linked arms and smiled and laughed a lot.  The host was fantastic.  He had the focus of the crowd and motivated everyone to sing along to all songs. Particularly we liked the song about "my hat has 3 corners" - brilliantly hosted so we could all follow easily and we laughed a lot. We also liked when Ints was in the middle of the room instructing us to make many unusual sounds. The crowd also danced during some songs making it even more fun. The food was very nice and tasty and plentiful. All around a wonderful evening.

We also love performing in the tautas dejas concert. The rehearsals leading up to the concert were very well organized and stress free, thanks to the organizers.  The concert went well and we were pleased with how we danced as a group (Piektais Ritenis).

The Wizard of Oz play was awesome.  The costumes and the sets were all amazing, very colorful and effective. Overall the play was run professionally and everyone knew what they were doing. The set and scene changes were smooth. What was most pleasing was that many children were involved and they were very well rehearsed.  Well done to the Sydney Latvian Theatre group.

The kids basketball was also a highlight. Melbourne v. Sydney.  It was very exciting and a close game. The kids had a great time and the parents enjoyed it too. (Sally and Eric Cīrulis)

2. Kā šīs Kultūras dienas atšķīrās no citām?

Ar jaunradēm – Īsfilmu konkursu un ar savādāku teātri. (Pēteris Strazds)

Ar jaunu (gados) darbinieku piedalīšanos. Liels dabs kopkora skanējuma uzlabošanai. Piesaistot divus korus un profesionālus vietējos un Latvijas māksliniekus. Jaunievedums - Filmu vakars. (Elīna Rikarde)

Katrām Kultūras dienām ir kaut kas ļoti līdzīgs, bet ir arī savas atšķirības. Manuprāt lielākā maiņa (pozitīva ziņa) sākās jau Melburnā un tad pēc tam Adelaidē. Aktīvi iesaistot musu jaunatni, izvēloties citāda veida teātra izrādes, pieaicinot vairāk mūziķus un diriģentus no Latvijas. Sidnejas Kultūras dienas bija pirmās, kur mums bija daudz jaunu diriģentu, kas varēja izmēģināt savas jauniegūtās prasmes. (Kristīne Saulīte)

One difference to other KD's we have been to was that we had a day off in between the rehearsals for dancing and singing.  This was really good as it gave us time to rest in between. It also meant that for those that participate in both, they were able to attend all rehearsals. We thought this arrangement worked really well.

Secondly, as previously mentioned, there were many children involved in the theatre. This brought more families along to watch the theatre and if continued in future KD's, it will involve a wider range of ages particularly the next generation. (Sally and Eric Cīrulis)

3. Kāpēc mums Kultūras Dienas tik ilgi saglabājušās te - tālajā Austrālijā?

Tāpēc, ka mēs tās uzskatām par vajadzīgām mūsu latviskās identitātes uzturēšanai. KD dod iespēju satikties lielā latviskā pulkā. Austrālijā mēs esam ģeogrāfiski tik izkaisīti, ka šāda veida tikšanās samazina tos attālumus. Nevar panākt to pašu lietojot Skype vai citas datora veida tikšanās.  (Pēteris Strazds)

Jo ar to mēs jūtamies savādāki-īpašaki starp austrāļiem un mēs darām mums pieņemamas un tuvas lietas. Pēc KD jutos pabarojusi savu dvēseli un sajutusi spēku veikt ikdienišķās gaitas. (Elīna Rikarde)

Manuprāt iemesli varētu but sekojošie: Austrālija no Latvijas atrodas bezgala tālu, kas mums liedz biežākus personīgos apmeklējumus (kā to dara Eiropas, ASV, Kanādas utt. tautieši). Tas mums uzliek lielāku atbildību uzturēt latvietību pašu spēkiem.
Uzplaukums un interese par latvietību stipri paaugstinājās 90. gadu sākumā, kad Latvija atkal atguva brīvību. Ap 2000. gadu tā mazliet saplaka (mūsu saikne un saistības bija mainījušās).

Tomēr ar prieku jāsaka, ka pēdējie daži gadi ir atkal atsākuši "jaunu atdzimšanas vilni", manuprāt tas ir galvenokārt saistīts ar maiņām vietējā latviešu sabiedrībā. Daudzās organizācijās ir notikusi paaudžu maiņa - jaunāki spēki, plašāka domāšana un vēlme iesaistīt visus interesentus. Atklāšanas ķoncerts, tautas dejas, kopkoru koncerts, teātris utt. bija jaunāku spēku rokās. Tanī pat laikā ir svarīgi uzsvērt, ka tika pārstāvētas visas paaudzes, šoreiz gan labākā līdzsvarā. (Kristīne Saulīte)

KD's has lasted so many years in Australia due to Latvians who are passionate about their culture and who want to keep their culture going in Australia and pass the teachings onto the next generation. Also, KD's has evolved over time to keep up with the changes in modern society. (Sally and Eric Cīrulis)

The post Austrālijas Kultūras dienas pulcē tautiešus un dod latvisko iedvesmu appeared first on Latvians Online.

“Change is good,”* wrote Latvian poet Janis Rainis. More precisely: “Change is necessary for survival.”

So who would have thought that the Latvian National Federation in Canada Latvian School Teachers’ Seminar held in Toronto this February – primarily for schools of third-generation Latvian immigrant children – could still get emotionally stuck in the language versus culture debate? Fortunately seminar participants were able to come together to embrace new teaching methods and tools.

First the facts

So much has changed since Latvian diaspora schools opened their doors 70 years ago. Third-generation immigrant children have a wider scope of activities – hockey, dance and skiing are reasons to skip class. Latvia is accessible. We have the Internet. And most diaspora Latvian kids don’t speak, read or understand Latvian. Nor do their parents.

Elita Petersone, Education Chair of the LNAK (Latvian National Federation in Canada), kicked off the one-day seminar with findings from a spring 2014 survey of Canadian Latvian schools.

Daina Gross, PBLA Education Council member from Australia, touched on findings from another survey, which she presented at the PBLA (World Federation of Free Latvians) Diaspora Conference in Riga in October 2014. The survey of Latvian school graduates found that the majority of 300 respondents valued Latvian school experiences primarily for geography, history and friendship-building, while language took second place. Respondents also said family and community were more important than schools for building awareness.

Daina Gross deepened the understanding of the current global Latvian school situation with the following findings:

• There are currently 100 Latvian “weekend” schools outside of Latvia (Europe (70), USA (19), Canada (6), Australia (6)). Many of the schools operate every other week; some are not held in Latvian.
• 26 of the schools in Europe were founded after 2012. Conversely, all the diaspora schools in Australia and North America were founded in the 1950’s (there were 70 Latvian schools in the USA in the 1960’s).
• About 2,000 kids attend weekend schools worldwide (Europe (1,200), North America (650), Australia (150)). In Europe only about 10% of recent emigre children attend Latvian schools.
• The number of kids per school ranges from six in Würzburg, Germany to 50 in Reykjavik and Stockholm.

Then what. So what

For some, the stats are a downer. “We’re worried about what’s happening to the Latvian language,” said one teacher at the Toronto seminar. For others they’re just reality and language loss is not considered a deterrent. “Anyone can be an ambassador to Latvia,” said one teacher.

I initially heard about these facts and figures back in the fall when our Toronto Latvian School Valodina had sunk to an all-time low. We had no principal, no desire to really be there anymore, and what do you do with a tiny school that’s shrunk to 11 students?

Daina Gross’ stats provided a group of parents with a much-needed kick-start. Compared to six kids, Valodina’s group of 11 didn’t seem so tiny anymore. Europe was blossoming with new weekend Latvian schools. If Valodina’s current model wasn’t working, why not change it? Some parents even considered renaming the school “Valodina 2.0,” except that Valodina was founded on the principle of change, which the group had obviously lost sight of.

Four months later, Valodina’s head count is up from 11 to 14, feedback is enthusastic, and the team of parents is considering ways to reach other kids in the community who might appreciate the Valodina model.

Together and apart

In fact the group of 30 educators gathered at the Toronto seminar represented a broad spectrum of thinking. Participants included:

• Proponents of standardized Latvian language tests (absolutely necessary when language levels are so extreme, said Andra Zommere, Head of the Schools Sector of the American Latvian Association).
• A school that meets on an ad hoc basis only if everyone wants to.
• A school built on the vision that culture can only grow from language.
• A school developing around Latvian-as-a-Second-Language needs.

The diverse seminar group was united by three key presentations, which provided participants with tools to do the work, regardless of leanings. Participants learned that:

1. What’s going on around the world is relevant to everyone. Daina Gross’ presentation reiterated that change is global and that we can learn from one another. There’s an increasing number of resources available from Latvia on the Internet. Many schools are dealing with the same issues – we need to share resources and stories.
2. Teaching LSL (Latvian as a Second Language) makes sense when Latvian is a second language. Aija Mazsile is a Toronto teacher with 20 years experience teaching ESL (English as a Second Language). Mazsile’s ESL bag of tricks is great for teaching Latvian, which is something Latvian teachers who aren’t in the LSL-reality-headspace might consider getting acquainted with. Inquiry-based learning is the key to engagement.
3. There’s more to teaching than books. Tech-guru Arnis Gross from Australia rounded out the day with a presentation of apps, iPad miracles and various Internet sites, such as Maci un macies that bring learning into the 21^st century.

One example of change: Toronto Valodina’s kick-start

For ideas on what changes can be made, here’s what Valodina did to make the school more appealing:

1. Classes are now held every other Friday and start half-an-hour later. That’s a big change from the way Valodina has operated for 37 years, but it gives everyone an extra 30 minutes to make it through Friday-night traffic, and removes the stress of having to make the weekly trip.
2. An engaging group workshop is held at the beginning of each evening. With just over a dozen kids, activities can still begin even if a few students are missing.
3. Workshops always have new themes, are run by guests (preferably Valodina grads), and aim to inspire. Kids have painted Latvian symbols on mugs, learned to play Novuss, and built model Latvian homesteads. In a few weeks Valodina will be running Iron Chef: Pirags.
4. Kids are split into classes by age, not language ability. Valodina doesn’t have enough kids to separate by age anymore, and history and geography can easily be taught in English. In addition, kids need the opportunity to develop friendships independent of their language abilities; speakers and non-speakers have been segregated for too long.
5. Valodina really makes use of social media. Valodina’s Vardi un burti blog functions as the school journal. The school also has a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and key info is posted on the Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre’s site.

*“Pastāvēs, kas pārvērtīsies.”

The post Get with the program: Latvian schools today appeared first on Latvians Online.

Latvijas Izglītības un zinātnes ministre Mārīte Seile tikās ar ASV latviešu skolu vadītājiem un skolotājiem šā gada 8. martā Ņujorkā Latvijas pastāvīgajā pārstāvniecībā ANO. Ministre bija ieradusies Ņujorkā, lai piedalītos ANO Sieviešu statusa komisijas sanāksmē, pārstāvot ne tikai Latviju, bet Eiropas Savienības prezidentūras pienākumos, arī visu Eiropas Savienību. Tomēr, ministre atvēlēja laiku, lai tuvāk iepazītos ar ASV latviešu skolu darbību un līdzšinējo sadarbību ar Latviju. Uz tikšanos bija ieradusies ALA Izglītības nozares vadītāja Andra Zommere, ALA priekšniece Anita Bataraga, Garezera Vasaras Vidusskolas direktrise Sandra Kronīte-Sīpola, PBLA Izglītības padomes locekle Dace Mažeika, kā arī abu Ņujorkas latviešu ev. lut. draudzes skolu, Bronksas (Jonkeru) un Ņudžersijas, pārstāves. Ministri Seili pavadīja Evija Papule, ilggadīga IZM ierēdne, kas arī labi pārzina dažādo Latvijas izglītības iestāžu darba virzienu un iespējas.

Ievadot sarunas, Latvijas vēstnieks pie ANO, Jānis Mažeiks, uzsvēra to, ka pētījumi apstiprina, ka latviešu skolas ārpus Latvijas ir vieta kur visbiežāk vērojama cieša sadarbība starp „veco trimdu” un nesen no Latvijas izceļojušiem. Tādēļ, Ministres Seiles piekrišana tikties ar skolu pārstāvēm ir pozitīvs apliecinājums tam, ka diasporas skolām ir nozīmīga loma tautas identitātes veidošanā, lai pēc iespējas daudz bērnu un ģimeņu justos latviešu tautai un Latvijas valstij piederīgi. Zīmīgi, ka fakts par skolām kā ciešas sadarbības vietu tika apstiprināts ar to, ka apmēram puse ieradušās skolu pārstāves dzimušas ASV un otra puse Latvijā.

Mārīte Seile ieskicēja daļu no apstākļiem ar ko viņas vadītai ministrijai jānodarbojas, it sevišķi par to, ka Latvijā tomēr bērnu skaits arvien samazinājas. Līdz ar to lauku skolas sarūk un jādomā par to kā nodrošināt, lai visiem Latvijas bērniem būtu pieejama ne tikai kaut kāda izglītība, bet izcila izglītība. Dažādi rādītāji liecina, ka Latvijā samērā labi nodrošina vidusmēra izglītību, bet, ar atsevišķu izcilības saliņu izņēmumiem, kopumā izglītības līmeņa celšana ir mērķis kam būtu jāveltī pūles.

Tālāk, ALA Izglītības nozares vadītāja Andra Zommere īsumā pastāstīja par latviešu skolām ASV, par to skaitu, lielumu un aptuveno darba virzienu un apstākļiem. Ziemas skolas ir dažāda lieluma, bet vidēji ar apmēram 40 skolēniem. Darbojas arī divas vasaras vidusskolas. Vasaras nometņu loma valodas nostiprināšanā ir nozīmīga, jo daudziem bērniem tas ir posms, kad viņu vide ir latviskāka nekā pārējo gadu. Zommere izteica atzinību un pateicās, ka pēdējo 3 gadu laikā manāmi pieaudzis atbalsts un atsaucība no Latvijas puses, it sevišķi no Latviešu valodas aģentūras. ASV skolas arvien cenšas iepazīties ar mācību materiāliem un grāmatām, kas domātas mazākumtautībām vai arī diasporas skolām. Tāpat tīmeklī arvien vairāk pieejamā mācību viela, sākot no programmu aprakstiem līdz spēlēm un valodas vingrinājumiem, ir kaut kas jauns un moderns. Ar visu to, mūsu skolu sastāvs un apstākļi ir unikāli un skolotājiem vajadzīgi mācību materiāli. Esam gatavas turpināt sarunas un sadarbību, lai rastu to, kas mūsu latviešu bērnu izglītošanai ir vislabākais.

Šīs tikšanās galvenā organizatore, Dace Mažeika, bija uzdevusi skolu pārstāvēm mājas darbus, t.i. uzdeva padomāt par sekojošiem jautājumiem, lai sarunas būtu mērķtiecīgas:

1. Kādus mācību materiālus skolotāji izmanto (grāmatas, vietnes, programmas, lietotnes u.c.)?
2. Kādas pārbaudes un testus valodas zināšanu pārbaudei izmanto skolās? ALAs valodas pārbaudījumu pielietojamība un pieredze skolā.
3. Kādos projektos sadarbībā ar Latviju skola ir iesaistījusies un kādu finanšu palīdzību saņēmusi? Kā vērtē sadarbības projektus? Pozitīvā pieredze un ieteikumi.
4. Kādu mācību formu trūkst valodas un kultūras apguves stiprināšanai diasporā? (piemēram, tālmācība, skolotāju tālākizglītība, Latvijas skolotāju viesošanās un pieredzes apmaiņa utt.)

Ieradušās skolu pārstāves katra sevi iepazīstināja un atbildēja tos uzdototos jautājumus, kas vistiešāk saistīti ar katras darbu un pieredzi. Skolotājas cenšas izmantot Latvijā sagatavotus mācību līdzekļus, toties izjūt, ka to ir tik daudz, ka grūti visu apskatīt un izvērtēt tā piemērotību. Vairākas skolotājas pozitīvi novērtē un izmanto Latviešu valodas aģentūras māciunmācies vietni. No skolotājām izskanēja novērojums, ka atšķirīgie līmeņi vienā klasē ir apstāklis ar ko arvien vairāk sastopas un šogad pirmo reizi pielietotie valodas līmeņu pārbaudījumi, varētu sākt kalpot, lai efektīvāk mācītu bērnus. Ļoti noderētu lasāmviela katram līmenim, ņemot vērā bērnu vecumus un vispārējo intelektuālo līmeni. Pieaug skolēnu skaits, kuru vecāki meklē tikai vispārēju kulturālu izglītību, bet ne valodu. Skolas, iespēju robežās, piedalās dažādos Latvijā izsludinātos projektos, piemēram, Latvijas nacionālās bibliotēkas bērnu grāmatu žūrijā vai domrakstu konkursos. Abas pārstāvētās skolas arī saņēmušas financiālu atbalstu no Latvijas. Visas skolotājas visādā ziņā pozitīvi novērtē sadarbības projektus, jo tie viecina reālas saites ar Latviju gan skolēnos, gan skolotājos.

Sarunās par nākotnes iespējām visvairāk pievērsās trim iespējām. Pirmā- iespējai nodibināt tiešākus kontaktus starp skolām vai pat klasēm, izmantojot šodienas relatīvi vieglāko sazināšanos, piemēram Skype, rodot iespēju skolēniem tieši sarunāties. Visas skolotājas atzīst, ka ASV skolēniem noder vairāk izdevību sarunāties latviski par tematiem, kas viņus interesē. Ministre Seile apstiprināja, ka šadu projektu varētu realizēt, ja tam izstrādā skaidrus darbības noteikumus. Andra Zommere, savukārt, stāstīja, ka gatavojoties uz šo tikšanos, bija uzdevusi skolu pārzinēm vairākus jautājumus. Pirmo reizi gandrīz visas skolas atsaucās, ka tām interesētu tālmācības programma. Sarunu gaitā konstatēja, ka precīzāk jāformulē, kā šāda programma darbotos. Vai tā būtu līdzīga plaši pazīstamajai Khan academy? Cik laika skolēnam paredzēts tai veltīt? Kā tā atšķirtos no jau esošajām tālmācības iespējām? Trešais sadarbības projekts starp ASV, vai pat visām, diasporas skolām un Latvijas skolām būtu saistīts ar Latvijas simtgadi 2018. gadā.

Viesošanās beigās Andra Zommere dāvināja Mārītei Seilei eksemplāru no grāmatas, kuru veidoja visas ASV latviešu skolas, katra izgatavojot divas lappuses par sevi. Grāmatu gatavoja Latvijas nacionālās bibliotēkas „Gaismas pils” atklāšanai un ievietošanai Tautas grāmatu plauktā. Ministre Seile, savukārt, bija atvedusi dažādas grāmatas, ierakstus diskos un informatīvo materiālu no LVA un IZM. Par spīti šodienas ērtajiem un veiklajiem sazināšanās veidiem, nekas nav tik spēcīgs kā personīga tikšanās, lai spertu pirmos soļus tālākā kopīgā ceļā. Lai tā arī būtu ar šo Latvijas Izglītības un zinātnes ministrijas un ALA Izglītības nozares uzsākto ceļu!

The post Viens mērķis – latviešu bērnu izglītošana appeared first on Latvians Online.

The post PBLA priekšsēža Jāņa Kukaiņa atklāta vēstule par Latvijas valsts aizsardzības budžetu appeared first on Latvians Online.

Par Krievzemes plašumiem zināms daudziem. Par to, ka daļa latviešu savulaik gan brīvprātīgi, gan piespiedu kārtā to pieņēmuši par savu otro dzimteni, arī dzirdēts. Bet cik daudziem zināms par Krasnojarskas latviešiem, kuri turp nokļuvuši gan pašu spēkiem, gan citiem piepalīdzot?!

Ir stāstīts par uzņēmīgajiem Baškīrijas latviešiem, kas 19. gs. beigās devās „jaunas dzīves” meklējumos, ir dzirdēts par saliedēto Omskas latviešu biedrību „Zvaigznīte”, kuri turas kopā tik cieši kā zāģa zobi un nedomā atlaisties, varbūt ir nojausma, ka latviešu biedrības pastāv arī Maskavā, Sanktpēterburgā, Smoļenskā, Pleskavā un pat Magadānā. Var pat ironiski piebilst, ka ne tikai krievi mīdījušies pa Latvijas zemi, savas pēdas Krievijā esam atļāvušies atstāt arī mēs, kā rādās vēl joprojām tās negrasās izzust. Bet šoreiz stāsts ir par Krasnojarskas latviešiem, par to biedrību „Dzintars” un latviešu valodas un kultūras pastāvēšanu Krasnojarskā un tās apgabalā.

Pirmie latviešu ieceļotāji Krasnojarskā ir tādi pat zemes meklētāji kā Baškīrijas latvieši. 1908.g. no Baltijas Sibīrijā ieradās 32 tūkstoši latviešu. Atbraucēji bija galvenokārt no Vidzemes un Latgales Tie apmetās Ačinskas, Biriluskas, Boļsemurtinskas, Boļšeuluiskas, Karatuzova, Novoseļovskava, Manskas, Partizāņu, Tjuhtjetskas, Ust- Abakānas, Jemeļānas, Ujarskas, Šušenskas rajonos.

1910.g. šajā apgabalā bija izveidojušās ekonomiski stabilas saimniecības. Masveidīgs Pirmā pasaules kara bēgļu ieplūdums no Latvijas bija 1917. gadā Pēdējie brīvprātīgie ieceļotāji ieradās pēc 1917. gada. Pārsvarā tie bija agrākie sarkanie strēlnieki.

Lielākā daļa latviešu Krasnojarskā un tās apgabalā nonāca Staļina represiju dēļ no 1941. gada līdz 1949. gadam, kā arī 1951. gada represētie. Represēto upuru skaits nav noskaidrots.

Krasnojarskā pirmā kultūrizglītojošā latviešu apvienība „Krīve” tika dibināta 1918. gada novembrī. Organizācijas ietvaros darbojas latviešu teātris, koris un bibliotēka. Krīve bija viena no aktīvākajām tā laika nacionālām apvienībām Krasnojarskā. 20. gadsimta 20-tajos gados tika atvērtas latviešu nacionālās skolas Kamenno-Gornovkā, Ujarskas rajonā, Ostrovkā Manskas rajonā. No 1928. gada līdz 1930. gadam Borisovkas ciemā Ujarskas rajonā tika uzcelta jaunā divstāvīga latviešu skola, kas kļuva par visas apkaimes kultūras dzīves centru.

20. gadsimta 30-tajos gados Ačinskas Pedagoģiskajā institūtā bija izglītoti latgaliešu valodas skolotāji. Šobrīd Ačinskas Pedagoģiskajā koledžā var apmeklēt latgaliešu kultūras muzeju.

No 1937. gada līdz 1938. gadam t.s. „tautas ienaidnieku apkarošanas” rezultātā tika slēgtas latviešu un latgaliešu skolas, luterāņu draudzes un baznīcas Lai netiktu sodīti par pretpadomisku darbību, latviešu inteliģences pārstāvji devās bēgļu gaitās. Daļa no tās bija sodīta nošaujot vai represējot.

Mūsdienās visetniskākais latviešu ciems Krasnojarskas apgabalā ir Lejas Bulāna, kuras iedzīvotāju skaits strauji sarūk. Ciemata skola ir slēgta. Lai arī šodien Lejas Bulānā dzīvo mazāk kā simts iedzīvotāju, tajā ir saglabājusies latviešu valoda un kultūra, kā arī skolas ēka, kurai 2000. gadā apritēja 140 gadu. Līdz 1905. gadam tā bija baznīcas apgādībā un tika uzturēta par luterāņu draudzes locekļu līdzekļiem. 1939. gadā skolu slēdza, un 1990. gadā, kad sākās nacionālā atmoda un no Latvijas sāka braukt latviešu valodas skolotāji, tā atkal vēra savas durvis mācīties gribētājiem.

Latviešu valoda un kultūra vēl arvien saglabājusies Ujarskas rajonā, Suhanojas ciemā, latgaliešu valoda dzirdama Ačinskas, Beļšeuluskas, Biriluskas rajonā.

Krasnojarksas latviešiem ir iespēja pulcēties latviešu biedrībā „Dzintars”, kura 2015. gada oktobrī svinēs savas pastāvēšana 25. gadadienu. Biedrības mērķis ir saglabāt un attīstīt latviešu valodu un kultūru Krasnojarskā un tās apgabalā.

Pašreizējā biedrības direktore Anastasija Muhina lielu uzmanību pievērš sadarbībai ar Latviju, kā arī dažādu projektu realizācijai Krasnojarskā. Viens no tiem tika realizēts 2010.gada augustā kā nometne ar nosaukumu „Tilts un mājām”. Nometne tika organizēta kā plostu brauciens pa Manas upi. Nometnē piedalījās Krievijas latviešu diasporu pārstāvji, kā arī dalībnieki no Latvijas, latviešu seno amatu pratēji un muzikanti.

2011. gadā astoņos Krasnojarskas bērnu namos tika organizētas rokdarbnieku un amatnieku meistardarbnīcas, kurās dažādu Krasnojarskā esošu diasporu pārstāvji mācīja bērniem tikai savai tautai raksturīgus rokdarbus. Latviešu biedrības pārstāvji mācīja adīt latviešu rakstainos cimdus un aust jostas. Krasnojarskas pilsoņu forumā šis projekts tika novērtēts kā viens no labākajiem 2011. gada projektiem. 2012. gadā šis projekts, sadarbojoties ar bērnu namiem, tika turpināts, bija izdoti diski ar dažādu rokdarbu un amatu mācības instrukcijām.

Biedrības „Dzintars” pārstāvji savu iespēju robežās cenšas braukt uz Latviju, apmeklēt nometni „3x3”, tie vienmēr piedalās dažādos pilsētas organizētos pasākumos. Biedrības dalībnieki vienmēr svin Ziemassvētkus, Lieldienas, Jāņus un Miķeļus. Biedrības pārstāvji vienmēr rīko atceres dienas pasākumus 14. jūnijā un 25. martā pie represēto pieminekļa Krasnojarskā.

Jau divus gadus martā biedrības direktore organizē „Latviešu kultūras dienas”, kuru mērķis ir popularizēt latviešu valodu un kultūru Krasnojarskā un tās apgabalā. Šogad „Latviešu kultūras dienās” tika pārstāvēta arī Baškīrijas latviešu diaspora. Tās pārstāves, Baškīrijas Valsts pedagoģiskās universitātes Vēstures un tiesību fakultātes 4. kursa studente Viktorija Freimane un M. Gorkija (Arhlatviešu) vidusskolas 9. klases skolniece Darja Trocenko, sagatavoja referātus par „Latviešu kāzu tradīcijām” un „Latviešu nacionālo ēdienu (Jāņu siera un alus) gatavošanas tradīcijām”, kā arī „Latviešu valodas apguvi Baškīrijā”.

Konferences dalībnieku sastāvs šķiet ļoti daudzveidīgs. Uzstājās gan politiskās elites pārstāvji, gan universitāšu profesori, gan reliģisko kopienu pārstāvji, gan kultūras sfēras speciālisti, gan studenti. Tematika vienojoša – latviešu valoda, kultūra, tradīcijas, reliģiskie aspekti, to vēsturiskā attīstība, mūsdienu situācija galvenokārt Sibīrijā.

Apzinoties to, ka ne vienmēr ir iespēja aizbraukt uz Latviju, ne vienmēr ir iespēja ikdienā izmantot valodu, kuru apgūst retais, motivācija mācīties latviešu valodu ir gaužām niecīga. Kāpēc man to darīt, ja pielietojums ir tik niecīgs? Tik tiešām, kāpēc? Man šķiet, tā ir apziņa, ka esmu latvietis. Neatkarīgi no tā, vai dzīvoju Baškīrijā, Krasnojarskā vai kaut kur tālāk, neatkarīgi no tā, cik latvisks ir mans vārds un uzvārds, neatkarīgi no tā, vai man ir vai nav latviska izcelsme, es esmu latvietis. Šāda sadarbība starp latviešu diasporām Krievijā ir saikne ar latvisko, kura pastāvēs tik ilgi, cik mēs, latvieši, to vēlēsimies.

The post “Latviešu kultūras dienās” Krasnojarskā piedalās Baškīrijas diaspora appeared first on Latvians Online.