Forum

Congressional Research Report on Latvia

2008-05-13T11:43:46-08:00

There’s a new CRS report on Latvia.

Andrejs

http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RS22872

Quotes of the Week

2008-04-25T12:54:09-08:00

The remarkable utterances of our remarkable politicians are remarkable. Diena runs a “Dienas citāts” corner these days, but the insights of the elite are more fun when you hear them when they are uttered, gaping at the tālrādis.

My nominations for quotes of the week:

Mareks Segliņš: “Mēs jau esam tādi paši cilvēki kā citi. Nākam no cilvēkiem.”

Ina Gudele: “Man ļoti gribētos, lai mani uzskatītu par jauno laiku Matu Hari, bet es neesmu.”

Vysu lobu,
/P

Did the Soviet Story documentary premier yet?

2008-04-14T19:35:10-08:00

Just curious if it did premier on the 9th of this month - and if so - how was it received?

The Jānis Festival and All About Jānis

2008-01-22T19:35:09-08:00

In making a response to another site at Latvians Online Forum with regard to Jāņi, the Latvian “John’s Day Festival”, I received something of an education. This is as it should be. It is always interesting for me to come in contact with people of various opinions and levels of knowledge, and, no doubt, it is no less interesting for them to come in contact with mine. Together we create a space, a room, if you will, that over a period of time takes on a shape of its own.

The next Jānis Festival or Jāņu Vakars is only five months away. Some of us are already making preparations for the celebration. Perhaps readers would like to take part in this ‘preparation’ by seeking a greater breadth of understanding about the beliefs of their ancestors and not so few of their contemporaries.

Interestingly, Latvians know almost nothing about their God Jānis, least of all that Jānis is a God. This is nothing new to me, because my own lack of knowledge regarding Janis and the fact that no one who I asked knew to give me an answer that I found satisfactory got me into doing some research on the subject in the first place. Even so, when a folk festival, rural in its origin, loses its “natural” environment, and when most of the once rural celebrants become city dwellers, well, the change can be dramatic as well as a disaster. The disaster with regard to Jāņi Festival (‘John’s Day’ or ‘Jāņu diena’) is both dramatic and disastrous, especially when the transition involves yet further loss of understanding about the origins of the festival, about the God Jānis, and finds itself being renames to Līgo Festival or Solstice Celebration.

A number of factors are responsible for the state of ignorance about Jānis. The first and most obvious thing is that most people who speak both English and Latvian, myself including, have got into the habit of calling “John’s Day” as “St. John’s Day”, the latter associating “St.” with John the Baptist from the New Testament, a book held Holy by many Christians. Well, the habit plays into the hands of neo-Christianity, that group of the faithful who put John the Baptist in the position of being the “forerunner” of Jesus. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. John, Johan, Ian, Ivan, Iannus, Jean, Jesus, Huan, Han, and many other cognates of the name Jānis once used to represent an important God in his own right. That God’s name is Jānis.

So, let us take start our discussion with my assertions above. I hope readers will respond with their own contributions by way of questions, observations, and contributions.

Latvietis Esmu, Latvietis Biju, Varbut Busu

2008-02-24T09:22:24-08:00

Can’t remember anymore where who wrote what on this topic so starting a new thread about Latvian identity.
I guess for me it all crystalized in the exchange between Aleks and Ambersun (aka Amber) where Aleks (aka Rooski scum) came out of the closet by writing that he didn’t really have much affinity or in common with Latvian “culture”. Ambersun saw this as definitive proof Aleksejs’ anti-Latvian and pro-Rooskie agenda. I don’t see it that way. Part of the problem that in all my years of reading and commenting on this topic I’ve yet to see anyone define a clear cut Latvian identity or what it means to be a Latvian. I’ve been pondering JKS original question for a while now and to make a long internal dialogue short, I’ve always felt like a Latvian regardless of where I’ve lived. And this eventhought I believe, and always believe, that quite a few Latvians will never ever under any circumstance will accept me as a Latvian. Due to my father’s Jewishness I will always be suspect if not down right a member of the Other.
The question is not whether or not someone is a Latvian, but what does it mean to be a Latvian. The problem I see with Ambersun’s definition of a Latvian and a Latvian nation is that it seems exceptionally narrow for me (and I know that she’ll probably write that I am painting a picture which she didn’t mean to paint). My definition of a Latvian nation is fairly simple. It will have a clear cut Latvian linguistic identity in which the Latvian language will always have a special and protected status. That’s it. I think that’s not only a healthy model, but also one which can realisticly be attained and sustained. And that is the policy which thus far Latvia has pursued. And the simple fact is that its working.
I think Ambersun is still stuck in the trimda mindset and the gaisma pils model. Most Latvians (and remember that the majority of Latvians actually live in Latvia and not in the Trimda) no longer care about the issues which seem to haunt her. That doesn’t mean that those aren’t valid issues, but the debate took years ago and just to repeat again, the Latvians won. Most of Latvia’s Latvians no longer care about whether or not Aleks knows the words to Kur tu teci gailit man or whether or not he owns a tautas terps. That’s not important to them.
But back to the whole what it means to be a Latvian. I remember being in Garezers in 1977 and feeling completely and utterly like a fish out of water. I spoke Latvian better than most. I knew a bit about the history. I knew some of the songs and dances and rotalas. You’d think we’d have a lot in common (since Garezers was all about being a Latvian), but I felt like a fish out of water. This is not meant as a criticism, I think the same would have been true for Aussie Latvian or a Brit. To the Latvians in Garezers being a Latvian often also meant a fondness for Pabst Blue Ribbon, quoting lines from Monthy Python and the Rocky Horror picture show, playing volleyball, rooting for the Cubs, etc., etc. Eventually I overcome (not in Garezers) those obstacles, but what it meant to them to be a Latvian wasn’t what it meant to me to be a Latvian. We had very little shared history at that point and its the shared history which defines who we are and what we belong to. Thus this mean that they or I are better Latvians? No. Simply means that its very dangerous to expect everyone to be mirrors of who they themselves are. The national indentity has to be far more flexible and inclusive. I think that’s why that exchange between Aleks and Ambersun struck home. Sorry, but I too don’t much care for tautas dziesmas and Latvian “culture”. That doesn’t mean I think its bad. Its just not what Latvian means to me. Latvian to me might mean a love of solyanka, pelmeni, sashlinks, Pauls, Popov, Briliantnaya ruka, Citiri Tankisti i Sabaka ...
To me, as long as Aleksejs respects the right of Latvians to be Latvian and doesn’t expect any special treatment (and he does and he does not) he will always be a member of the Latvian nation even if he never claims to be or desires to be a Latvian.

Andrejs

Vaira Vike-Freiberga - extraordinary Latvian voice featured in “Extraordinary Voices” lecture series in SF May 14

2008-05-11T09:08:49-08:00

Extraordinary Voices, Extraordinary Change
The International Museum of Women (I.M.O.W.) is proud to offer a series of lectures by women from around the world who have made profound and unprecedented political, social and economic changes in the lives of women worldwide. These lectures highlight the roles they have played to show that women can and have made a difference nationally and internationally. Their compelling lectures offer deep insights into the different struggles they experienced inside governments, universities and International women’s groups.

Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga
May 14, 2008
In 2008, the popular I.M.O.W. Speaker Series program will complement our global online exhibition, Women, Power and Politics. We are excited to first feature Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga, President of the Republic of Latvia from 1999 to July 2007, on May 14.
Described as exhibiting a combination of strength, determination, vision and care in her leadership style, Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga has demonstrated that women can be both “tough” and “compassionate.” As President of the Republic of Latvia from 1999 to 2007, she worked to reduce corruption in Latvia, helped grow its market economy, secured Latvia’s membership in NATO and the European Union, improved relations amongst minority groups and increased Latvia’s standing as a dedicated democracy in the world.
Named Special Envoy on the Reform of the United Nations in 2005, Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga was an official candidate of the Baltic States (Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania) for the position of Secretary-General in 2006. She has received many medals and awards, including the 2005 Hannah Arendt Prize for political thought, as well as 27 Orders of Merit and ten honorary doctorates.
Please save the evening of May 14th for this very special program. Reserve your seat now!
Purchase tickets here by May 11, 2008
VENUE
Omni San Francisco Hotel
500 California Street at Montgomery Street
San Francisco
REGISTRATION/RECEPTION 5:00 p.m.
PROGRAM 6:00 p.m.
General tickets $25
Museum Members $20
Students $15

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Visit: http://www.imow.org
Email: events at imow dot org or call: (415) 487-6447

Aida Niedra, G. Janovskis, Z. Maurina, Ansl. Eglitis, J.Klidzejs, J.Veselis, PLUS

2008-04-17T19:18:38-08:00

New Saulaine booklist of the above authors is out--- plus a few surprises--list is in Latvian, books are in Latvian , except for the surprises!

All books have been donated to Saulaine for sale! All donations support Saulaine.

Please email me for the list.

stivrins at hotmail dot com

http://www.campsaulaine.com

About Rezekne

2008-05-07T16:41:44-08:00

Rezekne is a most interesting town in eastern Latvia. For readers who might be interested - there is a book recently published in English by an Australian of Latvian descent entitled ‘Long Road to Rezekne: a Journey to Eastern Latvia’. Not as much is written about this part of Latvia as about other areas of the country. The book is about 100 pages with photos and may be of interest to some readers.
The relevant link is:
http://www.trafford.com/07-0922

Latvian Birth Certificate

2008-05-05T21:36:54-08:00

G’day,

Wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction…

Am wanting to trace my grandfathers lineage. I have his name
and date of birth and nothing else. How would i obtain his
Latvian birth certificate?

His name was: JANIS KORZOVS, born 31st AUGUST 1929

Many thanks,
Skye in Australia

Happy May Day, fellow proletarians…………….

2008-05-01T06:44:37-08:00

We all got piled up in in big trucks and
paraded around the streets of Ogre.
Red scarves around our necks, red flags
in the air........Shiroka moya zemlya velika........or something like that.
The good old days.........