Latvian opinions on Latvian identity | Latviskā identitāte latviešu skatījumā
2011
Jakoba, I., Latvia | Paula, L., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia). Faculty of Social Sciences
The paper presents the main results of the study that focused on the issue of how Latvians understand and treat their Latvian identity. According to the research objective and tasks, the authors explored concepts of social and ethnic identity and gave an insight into the studies previously carried out on ethnicity and the Latvian identity. Qualitative interviews of 26 Latvians representing three generations were conducted during the field work. On the basis of the research results, the authors explain how Latvians of three different generations treat their ethnic identity and what the role of interaction, family traditions and heritage of traditions in the preservation of the Latvian identity might be. The results show that the representatives of all the three generations have a similar understanding of the Latvian identity, and they relate it to the Latvian language, national songs, traditions and holidays, the National Song Festival, national costumes and food, and symbols of Latvia such as nature, the Baltic Sea, the State, the Monument of Freedom, national anthem, and national holidays. This indicates that Latvians do not often distinguish between the ethnic and national identities. Representatives of each generation believed that preservation of Latvian identity is important; however, they admitted that it is not an easy task in a multiethnic society and in the globalized world. The retaining of the Latvian identity is realised mainly through celebrating the national holidays and through upbringing of children and processes of their socialization.
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