Latvian Tattoos Survey of Latvians living abroad

Daina Grosa | 

The aim of this survey is to find out about those who live outside Latvia and have Latvian tattoos. Who is getting them? Is it only Millennials and Gen Zs who are getting them or are previous generations now coming on board too? Are more men than women getting Latvian tattoos or viceversa? Why are Latvians living abroad getting a Latvian tattoo? And what do their friends and family think of this? Are tattoos replacing Latvian jewellery as a symbol of ethnic belonging?

During the Latvian Song Festival many Latvians who live abroad and have Latvian tattoos were visible on the streets of Riga. Some were very prominent on their wearers’ bodies, others were only visible on hot short-sleeve shirt days. This led to my interest in finding out more about Latvians (of all generations) living abroad and their interest in Latvian tattoos and what these tattoos mean to them. 
 
If you live anywhere outside Latvia, are of Latvian descent (1st, 2nd, 3rd or even 4th generation), or have an affiliation to Latvians and have a tattoo which you consider to be a Latvian tattoo (or plan to get one), please fill out this survey! Please complete the survey by October 10th, 2023.

https://forms.gle/Q7SQDYYrFUtVinjRA

Daina Gross is editor of Latvians Online. An Australian-Latvian she is also a migration researcher at the University of Latvia, PhD from the University of Sussex, formerly a member of the board of the World Federation of Free Latvians, author and translator/ editor/ proofreader from Latvian into English of an eclectic mix of publications of different genres.

“Ai, bagāta man zemīte” – jauna horeogrāfija XVI Latviešu Dziesmu un deju svētkiem Kanādā

Tija Freimuta | 

XVI LATVIEŠU DZIESMU UN DEJU SVĒTKU KANĀDĀ Dagmāras Bārbales jaunās horeogrāfijas “Ai, bagāta man zemīte” oriģinālmūzika tagad pieejama straumēšanas platformās

Ziemeļamerikā ir vairākas mazas deju grupas, bet repertuārs grupām ar mazu dejotāju skaitu nav plašs. Gribēdami piedāvāt jaunu, jauku deju šīm grupām, XVI Latviešu dziesmu un deju svētku Kanādā rīkotāji vērsās pie horeogrāfes Dagmāras Bārbales, ar lūgumu radīt deju četriem pāriem, kas būtu piemērota gan vidējai paaudzei, gan jauniešiem. “Mani ļoti iepriecināja šis aicinājums radīt deju Latviešu dziesmu un deju svētkiem Kanādā, jo uzskatu, ka dziesmu un deju svētku tradīcijas uzturēšanai ārpus Latvijas robežām ir nenovērtējama loma mūsu nacionālās identitātes stiprināšanā. Ļoti gribējās radīt šiem svētkiem, ko pavisam īpašu, tāpēc nolēmām radīt ne tikai deju, bet arī mūziku”, stāsta D.Bārbale. 

“Mēs ļoti priecājamies par skaisto deju un mūziku! Dejas “Ai, bagāta man zemīte” iekļaušana svētku progrmma, turpina Kanādas iesākto Svētku tradīciju  – jaunu deju radīšanu tieši deju Lieluzvedumiem – 2009.g. Zigurds Miezītis, 2019.g. Jānis Purviņš”, saka Tija Freimuta – Tautas deju nozares vadītāja un Svētku vice-priekšsēde.

Dejai mūziku komponējis Mārtiņš Miļevskis, teksta autore Inga Cipe. Dziesmas ierakstā piedalījušies bungu un dūdu mūzikas grupa Auļi, ģitārists Jānis Kalniņš un koklētāja Latvīte Cirse. Dziesmu iedziedājis Renārs Kaupers. Ieraksts tapis Studijā “LAUSKA”, skaņu režisors Kaspars Bārbals. Dziesma klausāma arī Dolby Atmos Spatial audio formātā.

Dziesma pieejama visās straumēšanas platformās, ieskaitot Spotify un Apple Music. 

XVI LATVIEŠU DZIESMU UN DEJU SVĒTKI KANĀDĀ notiks 2024. gadā no 4. – 7. jūlijam Toronto pilsētā, turpinot ilggadējo latviešu dziesmu un deju tradīcīju Kanādā. Svētku ietvaros notiks tautas deju Lieluzvedums, Jaundeju koncerts un TDA “Teiksma” (Latvija) deju koncerts, kā arī kopkoru koncerts, garīgās un orķestra mūzikas koncerts, teātris, bērnu aktivitātes, tirdziņš, mākslas un daiļamatnieku izstādes, balles un citi sarīkojumi. Paredzēts, ka Svētkos piedalīsies kolektīvi un viesi no Kanādas, ASV, Latvijas un Eiropas.

Tija Freimuts ir XVI Latviešu Dziesmu un deju svētku Kanādā Tautas deju nozares vadītāja un Svētku vice-priekšsēde.

Survey launched to study remote working among Latvians living abroad and return migrants

Inta Mieriņa | 

Restrictions caused by the pandemic have sped up digitalisation processes worldwide and have led to companies and institutions wholly or partly shifting to remote working. Migration researchers at the University of Latvia launched a study with the aim to identify incentives that the government can utilise for Latvia to become a choice for remote working for members of the diaspora and return migrants, as well as to evaluate the main obstacles and necessary adjustments that need to be made to taxation, social support, labour market regulation and in other areas.

As the labour market is transformed, opportunities to make amendments to relevant legislation will help to include in the Latvian labour market those people who are working abroad, or the nature of whose work permits remote working, or, alternatively, promote return migration to Latvia, retaining employment abroad.

Within the scope of the study, commenced in June this year, we have already conducted in-depth interviews and have now launched a survey.

We invite the following people to complete the survey:

  • those of you who live abroad and return migrants who already work remotely or from home (regardless, in which country)
    OR
  • those of you whose work would allow them to work remotely either wholly or in part, without being restricted to a specific place.

Are you are in any of these categories? We would be grateful if you would be willing to spend approximately 15 minutes of your time to take part in this study.

The survey may be completed in either Latvian, English or Russian.

We hope this will allow us all to gain valuable information and will assist companies and institutions in Latvia in adapting to the transformation of the labour market in a timely manner, making it easier to work remotely – across borders.

The research project is implemented by the University of Latvia with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.

The survey may be completed until 24 September.

The findings of the study will be published on the website diaspora.lu.lv and migracija.lv.

Dr. sc. soc. Inta Mieriņa ir LU tenūrprofesore , LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūta vadošā pētniece un Diasporas un migrācijas pētījumu centra direktore.