Austrālijas 3×3 saiets 2014. g. janvārī – ar īpašu viesi Artūru Uškānu

Iveta un Valdis Laiņi | 

Aicinām visus uz nākamo 3×3 Melburnā – Tulangi. Saieta vietas adrese: 235 Spraggs Road, Toolangi, Vic, 3777. Vieta ir klusa, pasakaina, ar latvisku (baltu bērzu, ozolu un liepu koku) pieskaņu. Apmešanās būs ērta, jo mājiņu ir pietiekoši un tās ir piemērotas gan ģimenēm, gan individiem.

Mazs ieskats par mūsu ciemiņiem no Latvijas.  Viens no tiem ir mūziķis, komponists, dzejnieks, folklorists, pasniedzējs Artūrs Uškāns. Artūrs vada latgaļu etnoroka grupu “Laimas muzykanti” un ir grupas „Patrioti.lg” dalībnieks. Spēlē visu – akordeonu, ermoņikas, kokli, dūdas, stabuli, mandolīnu, elektroniskos taustiņinstrumentus, ģitaru, bungas u.c.

Artūrs arī raksta apdares dziesmām un tikko aizvadītajos Dziesmu un Deju svētkos, pat apdares dejām. Divas dejas Artūra mūzikas apdarē: Meitu māte, J.Ērgļa choreografija un Spieķītis, M.Simsones choreografija, tika dejotas gan Daugavas stadionā, gan Lielajā estrādē, kur viņš pats arī bija klāt. Tātad mākslinieks ar lielu pieredzi. Tomēr viena ļoti svarīga dotība, kas piemīt Artūram, ir saistīt un aizraut cilvēkus. Un tieši tāpēc esam aicinājuši viņu piedalīties mūsu ģimeniskajā un draudzīgajā 3×3 saietā, ar devīzi “Kas kait man nedzīvot!”

Artūrs ir iekarojis daudzu Austrālijas latviešu sirdis ar savu vispusīgo un vienreizējo pieeju mūzikai. Viņš ir pazīstams AZVV apmeklētājiem un visiem, kas ir piedalījušies AZVV izlaidumā, bet daudziem viņš ir pazīstams no tā laika, kad Artūrs pirmo reizi bija Austrālijā  un vadīja jautrus danču vakarus.

Man, esot Latvijā, bija iespēja ar Artūru tikties un pārrunāt paredzēto 3×3 programmu. Viņš ar lielu entuziasmu un prieku, kopā ar sievu Intu, kura arī būs 3×3 saietā, ir uzņēmies vadīt iepazīšanās vakaru, kas ir ļoti svarīgs, lai visi kopā jūtamies iešūpoti, baudīt latviskas izdarības. Artūrs vadīs arī mūzikas ievirzi un ir lūdzis visus, kam mājās ir kāds instruments un to spēlē, vai kādreiz ir spēlējis, ņemt līdzi. Tātad variet būt droši, ka latviska dziedāšana būs iespējama visiem, gan lieliem, gan maziem.

Uz tikšanos ar Artūru Melburnā!

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Labajā pusē Artūrs Uškāns sveic skolnieci Kārlu Jaudzemu 2013. gada AZVV izlaidumā. Foto: Pēteris Strazds.

Baltic presidents visit U.S. president, but Syria overshadows coverage

Andris Straumanis | 

Latvian President Andris Bērziņš and his counterparts from Estonia and Lithuania met Aug. 30 with U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House, but the news hardly registered in the United States.

The meeting with Berziņš, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė was meant to highlight the changes the Baltic countries have undergone during the past two decades and to underscore the Baltics’ close relationship to the U.S.

In the Baltics, of course, the meeting was big news. It was prominently displayed on Internet portals and the evening news.

However, the continued speculation about if and when America might strike at Syria dominated coverage in the U.S. A CBS News report about the pending attack, for example, briefly showed Obama flanked by the Baltic presidents, but did not reveal why they were in the White House.

The Washington Post, in a story focusing on White House reaction to Russia nixing a U.N. resolution about Syria, closed with a reference to the Baltic presidents:

Obama also met Friday afternoon in the Cabinet Room with the presidents of three Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — that are on Russia’s doorstep and often act as an irritant to Moscow.

Obama told reporters that the Baltics “are among our most reliable allies in NATO, and our commitment to their security is rock solid.”

Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves then offered Obama a friendly boost on Syria: “The use of chemical weapons is deplorable. The attack demands a response. Those responsible must be held accountable.”

The White House website also published a blog entry about the Baltic presidents’ visit, but devoted most of the space to Obama’s remarks about Syria:

The visit underscored the close ties between the United States and the Baltic states, which are grounded in our shared values, ideals, and interests. The leaders highlighted ongoing cooperation on issues including defense and security, trade and investment, energy and the environment, and global development.

The transcript of the news conference with Obama and the Baltic leaders—including remarks from Bērziņš—is available on the White House website.

One outcome of the meeting with the Baltic heads of state is a joint statement, the text of which can be found on the Latvian president’s website in Latvian and English. The statement notes that “the United States has a profound and enduring interest in the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.”

The Baltic diasporas are mentioned in the last paragraph of the joint statement:

The Baltic states remain grateful to the United States and the American people for their non-recognition policy during the Cold War. Our warm relations are anchored by close interpersonal ties and the rich contributions that the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian diasporas have made to the multi-ethnic culture of the United States.

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.

Police in Michigan investigate murder of Latvian émigré

Andris Straumanis | 

Police in Kalamazoo, Mich., are investigating the suspected murder of an 88-year-old Latvian émigré who was found dead in his home on Aug. 23.

Alfrēds Minka lived on Brookmont Street on Kalamazoo’s northeast side. Police were sent to the home at 10:27 p.m. and found Minka dead on the floor.

Police are continuing their investigation and are seeking the public’s help, Kalamazoo Public Safety Lt. David O’Strander said in a press release. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to contact police by telephone at +1 (269) 337-8994 or anonymously through the Kalamazoo County Silent Observer program at +1 (269) 343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.

Minka’s wife, Gaida, died in August 2012, according to an obituary in the Kalamazoo Gazette. The couple married in 1951 and raised four children while being active members of the Kalamazoo Latvian community.

Alfrēds Minka served seven years as head of the Kalamazoo Latvian Association (Kalamazū latviešu biedrība), according to the American Latvian Association’s Immigration Documentation Database (Amerikas latviešu apvienības imigrācijas dokumentācijas datubāze).

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.