Newsletter June 2015

Edmonton Latvian Society
IMANTA

Edmontonas Latviešu Biedrība

March 2015

Hello everyone,

For those of you who don’t know, March is our anniversary month. IMANTA was founded on March 4th, 1947, and registered as a society a few days later on March 8th.

Much has changed over the years. Ten years ago, we rewrote our by-laws in English and adopted English as our business language. This was controversial at the time but it was made necessary by our changing membership and by our connection to casino funding, to which we send regular reports. Despite the changes, IMANTA has remained true to its mandate of connecting Latvians in
Edmonton and area over the years. We are still a Latvian society, and the oldest active Latvian organisation in Canada.

Our spring meeting and get-together will be held on Sunday, March 29th,
at 1 pm at the Laurier Heights Hall at 14405 – 85 Avenue. A light lunch will be served – we’re calling it A Taste of Latvia.

If anyone in your family has taken part in our scholarship program, our taxi program or the monthly children’s activity group, or if you’ve attended any of our other events, come out on March 29th ! We are encouraged by the turnout of young children and families at the children’s group and welcome new ideas and suggestions.

We have a source of good funding for community activities but we don’t know what the community wants. Līgo this year? English or Latvian language lessons? Sports? We need your input.

If you are unable to attend, please write to us at imantaedmonton@gmail.com Seniors, remember that you can phone Yellow Cab and use taxi vouchers for transportation to meetings, doctors’ appointments or any other event. Our transportation program is well-used and we’re able to offer it through our casino funding. If you need vouchers, please phone Ena at 780-468-2728.

IMANTA has supported several local organisations over the years. We review donation requests twice a year, in May and in November. If you’re involved with a non-profit group, please write to imantaedmonton@gmail.com to request an application form. The deadline is May 1st.

IMANTA also supports a scholarship at NAIT. Information is available at http://www.nait.ca
The next application deadline is August 30, 2015.

If anyone is still wondering where to buy Latvian products in Edmonton, several items can be found at European Market & Produce at different times of the year. 6607 – 177 Street

Remember – we’re on Facebook – Post your comments or share your news.

Other links:
http://www.latviansongfest2015.org
http://www.latviansonline.com
http://www.lnak.org

IMANTA is pleased to announce our self-administered scholarship program for 2014/2015, funded by our ongoing casino program and governed by the regulations of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission. Available Funding ($25,000)

The IMANTA ‘Lāčplēsis’ Scholarship Full Time Post-Secondary Scholarship up to $2,500
The IMANTA ‘Staburags’ Scholarship Part-Time Post-Secondary Scholarship up to $1,000
The IMANTA ‘Draugi’ Scholarship Continuing Education Course(s) Scholarship up to $500 Scholarship

Eligibility The following requirements must be met:

• Alberta residents who are Canadian citizens, landed immigrants, or foreign students on visa
• The applicant must be registered as a full or part-time student as defined by the accredited or licensed educational institution.

Eligible Institutions

All accredited post secondary educational institutions in Canada, Such institutions include universities, colleges, polytechnics and trades training institutions that the Adjudication Committee is satisfied are duly accredited or licenced. Scholarship Award Criteria Awards will be made by the Adjudication Committee appointed by Imanta on the basis of adjudication and ranking of the Applicants’ completed Scholarship Applications, academic achievements (overall average) for post-secondary students, community involvement in the past year and completed essays relating to the subject specified below, as required for post secondary students. Application Process Applicants must submit the following:

1. Completed Scholarship Application Form
2. 1,000 word essay for full time applications; 500 word essay for part time post-secondary applications.

Topic:  What is a Latvian? What are the defining characteristics of  Latvian identity? 

3. Course marks and overall average for the preceding year (for post-secondary applicants) evidenced by a registrar’s certificate or other approved form from the educational institution.
4. Documentation relating to any community involvement (correspondence or a description of activities in the past year). Please identify if there has been no community involvement.
5. Specifically describe your involvement in Imanta activities (in the past 12 months).

Deadline for applications for scholarships relating to enrolment in a fall program must be received by the Adjudication Committee by no later than October 1, 2014 and awards for fall programs will be announced by November 15, 2014. Imanta may authorize the Adjudication Committee to receive applications for academic periods that commence other than in the fall, but only for the period between September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2015. Payment will be made directly to the individual upon submission of proof of attendance (i.e. tuition receipt) at the recognized educational institution.

Submit applications to:
The Edmonton Latvian Society “Imanta”
Attn: Adjudication Committee
1209 Wershof Road
Edmonton, Alberta T6M 2M2

Link to application form:

Scholarship Application 2014

Our scholarship information for this year is now available. These scholarships were designed to help all students, regardless of background,  and we encourage everyone who is in a qualifying program to apply. The essay must be written in English because our judges do not read Latvian.  The essays are judged on ideas, not on grammar. If you have any questions about the scholarships, please write to imantaedmonton@gmail.com.

IMANTA is pleased to announce our self-administered scholarship program  for 2013/2014, funded by our ongoing casino program and governed by the regulations of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission.

Available Funding ($25,000)

• The IMANTA ‘Lāčplēsis’ Scholarship:  Full Time Post-Secondary Scholarship up to $2,500
• The IMANTA ‘Staburags’ Scholarship:  Part-Time Post-Secondary Scholarship up to $1,000
• The IMANTA ‘Draugi’ Scholarship:  Part-Time Continuing Education Scholarship up to $500

Scholarship Eligibility

The following requirements must be met:

1.     Alberta residents who are Canadian citizens, landed immigrants, or foreign students on visa
2.     The applicant must be registered as a full- or part-time student as defined by the accredited or licensed educational institution.  

Eligible Institutions
All accredited post secondary educational institutions in Canada. Such institutions include universities, colleges, polytechnics and trades training institutions that the Adjudication Committee is satisfied are duly accredited or licensed.

Scholarship Award Criterion
Awards will be made by the Adjudication Committee appointed by IMANTA on the basis of adjudication and ranking of the Applicants’ completed Scholarship Applications, academic achievements (overall average), community involvement in the past year and their completed essays relating to the identified subject specified below.

Application Process
Applicants must submit the following:

1. Completed Scholarship Application Form (DOWNLOAD FORM HERE: Scholarship Application 2013-1)
2. 1,000 word essay for full-time studies; 500 word essay for part-time studies.

Topic:  Do you believe that it is important for you to educate yourself on Latvian culture, its history and customs? Discuss your reasons as to why or why not, and how this may or may not relate to the sustainability and future of IMANTA.

1. Course marks and overall average for the preceding year (for post-secondary applicants) evidenced by a registrar’s certificate or other approved form from the educational institution.
2. Documentation relating to any community involvement (correspondence or a description of activities in the past year). Please identify if there has been no community involvement.
3. Specifically describe your involvement in IMANTA activities in the past 12 months.

Deadline for scholarship application for enrolment in any fall program must be received by the Adjudication Committee no later than October 1, 2013. Awards for fall programs will be announced by November 15, 2013. IMANTA may authorize the Adjudication Committee to receive applications for academic periods that commence other than in the fall, but only for studies falling between September 1/2013 to August 31/2014.

Payment will be made directly to the individual upon submission of proof of attendance (i.e. official tuition receipt) at the recognized educational institution. Scholarship funding is intended to cover costs directly related to the study program.

Submit applications to:
The Edmonton Latvian Society “Imanta”
Attn: Adjudication Committee
1209 Wershof Road
Edmonton, Alberta T6M 2M2

 

 

 

For the past several years, IMANTA has had the privilege of using our casino funds to provide education scholarships on an annual basis.  Each year we ask students to submit an essay about a topic that is relevant to our Latvian heritage.  It is one criterion upon which awards are based.  This year’s essay question was:

 The Edmonton Latvian Society, IMANTA, is celebrating its 65^th anniversary this year. How do you think it has contributed to the Latvian community in Alberta and how would you define its role and importance now and for the future?

The Scholarship Committee was very impressed with the top two essays this year and felt that they should be shared with our community. The authors are Karl Korns and Felix Murrle.

IMANTA’s 65 years of history, a glance at the future
By Karl Korns

Looking back through the years since IMANTA has been established makes it hard to believe so many years have passed. One of the main reasons this organization has been able to sustain its operation for 65 years is thanks to the help of its dedicated volunteers. The hard working, resilient people are the roots that keep the Canadian-Latvian community alive, and they are the keystone pieces that are required to ensure its operation will persist well into the future as the society moves forward. The society was formed by displaced Latvians who recognized the need for a Latvian-Canadian society here in North America with the goal of reaching out to other refugees and to protest the illegal occupancy of their home land. Since its establishment, IMANTA has been a place where recently landed Latvian people could come when they needed guidance in a foreign place, or to connect with those who have already settled. Over the years, the society has accumulated experience and knowledge that has been documented and refined, and this bank of information is available to those who are in need.  To have access to a resource like this was, and will continue to be, extremely helpful to those who decide to visit, or to those who will start a life in Canada.

A good example of how important this organization is to both Latvian-Canadians as well as European-Latvians is the role IMANTA played during the time leading up to, and immediately after Latvia’s independence in 1991. The political demonstration of the Baltic Way signaled the movement of the Baltic States towards independence; the hardships endured by the people in the motherland were finally coming to an end. Although morale was at a high, decades of oppression had left the people with dated resources. In response to this circumstance, IMANTA called out to the Canadian-Latvian community and helped organized a relief effort to gather as many resources as the community could source. Inspired by the events back home, the North American response was to help out those back home in any capacity that they could, either by sourcing needed resources for export or offering their time to organize and prepare the gathered donations that would be sent away. These people included my parents, grandparents, and family friends, who contributed by sourcing and repairing shipping containers that would be used by the community, as well as acquiring needed commodities like medical supplies, dental tools, clothing and furniture. Reflecting on moments in history like this helps put things in to perspective: the strongest sense of community and the cohesion of this community are experienced at times of celebration or at times of hardship. For all the gaps in between these events, IMANTA has always been an organization that people can turn to when they are experiencing their own difficulties, a place where people can give back to community, or a place to share accomplishments in any capacity.

Moving forward, the Edmonton Latvian Society will continue to act as a central hub, connecting those in Latvia to those here in Canada. As the population of Latvians in Canada grows, it becomes increasingly important to keep in touch with these people. Policies and procedures regarding visas, immigration, and permanent residency will likely change in the years to come, by using the experience from those who have had to undergo these formalities in the past will help guide others through these processes with greater efficiency in the future. The importance of organizing social events such as Jani or church service encourages people to gather, celebrate, reflect, and reconnect with family, friends, or strangers. These traditional settings remind people of their heritage and allow them to stay connected with Latvian culture. Also, social gatherings provide people with the opportunity to network with one another, allowing experiences and information to be passed around. The sharing of ideas is arguably one of the most important facets of a progressive society as it promotes collaboration amongst people, and helps define what is commonly called community. The unity of Latvian community has played a huge role in preserving its culture over time; IMANTA has taken this template and mirrored Latvian society here in Alberta. The foundation built by the organization thus far will serve as the cornerstone for future generations of Latvian-Canadians. It is important that the organization continues to provide participation and volunteer opportunities to the people who reside here in Alberta as younger generations may find the need to become educated about their heritage. The use of social media has made great strides in recent years to maintain the connection with the community and to reach out to a wider audience, including the youths. The website does a great job of keeping the following community in the loop regarding up and coming events, volunteer opportunities, and sharing stories and news. I believe that IMANTA’s presence on Facebook was a step in a new direction that will become increasingly important in the future, as new generations focused on social media will continue to be aware of the society’s existence and be able to access the resource with the ease of a few clicks.

For 65 years, The Edmonton Latvian Society IMANTA has strived to create a place that encourages sharing of wisdom and experiences, while maintaining connections between its people and their heritage. The success of the society can be attributed in large part to its volunteers’ commitment, past and present. This topic encouraged me to investigate some of my own family history, and what I learned about their involvement in the development of Latvian-Canadian culture inspired me to remind myself of my heritage on a more regular basis. As a youth, I believe the continued use of social media will play an important role in staying connected to as well as reaching out to future generations. IMANTA’s role as an educator as well as an organizer of events will ensure Latvian culture will live on here in Canada.

IMANTA and the Preservation of Latvian Culture
By Felix Murrle

By the end of the Second World War in 1945, thousands of Latvian citizens had fled west in an effort to avoid the horrors of the war and Soviet occupation. Latvian communities emerged all over the globe from the resulting diaspora, most notably in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Sweden, although there were many others in South America and elsewhere in Europe. For many Latvians, the intent was to return home once the war was finished, but as it became clear that the Soviet Union had no intention of restoring Latvian independence, most of them decided to remain in exile.

With the onset of Stalinism and the subsequent assimilation policies enacted in the Soviet satellite states, Latvians abroad watched apprehensively as the Soviet machine attempted to grind their thousand-year-old culture into the pages of history. It was quickly becoming apparent that if Latvian traditions were to survive at all, it would have to be abroad. New societies, such as the IMANTA Latvian Society in Edmonton, sprang into existence to provide support for incoming refugees who had either barely escaped the country in time or had finally made it west of the Iron Curtain, and to prepare for the education of the first generation of Latvians born abroad. To this effect, many communities began Sunday schools, choirs, and dance groups in an effort to keep the culture alive and vibrant, and eventually contributed to form national organizations. These national organizations were instrumental in facilitating communication between local ones, and were able to organize and fund larger projects such as Latvian summer schools like Gaŗezers, as well as traditional song and dance festivals by working with various non-Latvian communities willing to host them.

IMANTA in particular was a beacon for Latvians in western Canada, and as the strong economy of Alberta drew many of them to Edmonton with the hope of finding steady work, its primary role was to provide support for these newcomers. The society was able to help them find jobs in their field, act as a reference, and put them in touch with other Latvians estranged from their country. Many of the more active members formed a choir and a dance group, and actually performed in some of the earlier Latvian song and dance festivals in America. Beyond helping individuals, IMANTA organized events in recognition of Latvian customs, such as the Independence Day celebration of November 18^th and Līgo, which allowed Latvians to meet newcomers to the community while observing a cultural function or paying homage to their native country.

These events are still held today and with much the same effect. Even in times of global economic trouble, Alberta remains one of the few relatively economically and politically stable places in the world, and therefore attracts the attention of a great deal of immigrant workers. Recent years have seen an influx of both native and non-native European Latvians, and IMANTA has done its utmost to welcome each and every one of them upon their arrival in Edmonton. Events planned by the society are a chance for them to meet other Latvians living in the area and establish a network of connections, as it can often be difficult to get on one’s feet after moving to a new city. As Alberta’s economy continues to grow, it will be important for IMANTA to maintain the aid it provides newcomers since this will also generate interest in societal proceedings and likely boost event attendance.

Unfortunately, IMANTA no longer has a choir or dance group in which people can participate. Until recently, very few new Latvians had taken up residence in Edmonton – before the economic regression in 2008 most of them migrated to the east or west coasts due to the larger communities found there. For this reason, IMANTA today is conspicuously lacking a young generation. However, now that many of the Latvians settling in Edmonton have young families, it is vital that they are presented with more options to involve themselves in the community. Many Latvian culture education programs have seen a drop in attendance and a loss in funding in the decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union because the obvious cultural threat of Russian assimilation was no longer present. However, the cultural threat has been by no means eliminated: in Latvia, close to thirty percent of the population is Russian, and only sixty percent are native Latvians. This has led to increased socio-economic tension within the country and left many people divided on key political issues. With the advent of globalization and the currently poor economy, many native Latvians are steadily moving away from their cultural roots to pursue better job opportunities abroad. It seems that now more than ever it is essential that youth education programs are available for Latvian children, who will grow up in foreign countries. The preservation of Latvian culture is essential to the well being of a healthy and proud nationalist sentiment, and Latvia has a rich history from which much can be learned. IMANTA’s role in the upcoming years will be to not only preserve what cultural elements it can, but also to present an educational initiative and encourage incoming and extant Latvian families to contribute to it.

The celebrated author M.G. Vassanji once said that people are inevitably drawn to their cultural roots at some point in their life because they want to know where they’ve come from. In the case of Latvian heritage, as is unfortunately the case for many other smaller cultures, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain information pertaining to folk history. Whether this interest in ancestry is sparked earlier or later, it is the responsibility of cultural societies such as IMANTA to ensure that there is something to find when people come looking.

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 2,800 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 5 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

The Edmonton Latvian Society Imanta ends another year of activities and events with heartfelt thanks to the members and volunteers who continue to support and encourage us. Our organization has been successfully active for 65 years and we look forward to maintaining this tradition of community involvement. Merry Christmas and best wishes to all for 2013!

Dedziet gaišu uguntiņu
Ziemassvētku vakarā,
Lai dieniņas baltas nāca
Visa gada garumā!

Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus un laimīgu jauno gadu visiem!

Our November event at the Lithuanian Hall was another very enjoyable evening, highlighted by an outstanding performance from the University of Alberta Madrigal Singers, who had just returned from singing with Latvia’s Radio Choir at a festival in Toronto. We also celebrated Imanta’s 65^th anniversary. A good time was had by all!

Eglītes Pēcpusdiena: There will be a children’s Christmas program on Sunday, December 23^rd. All families with children have been contacted but if someone was inadvertently missed, please let us know.

Ice on Whyte: The 10^th annual Ice on Whyte Festival will take place in Old Strathcona from January 25-February 3, 2013. A new feature this year will be the cultural pavilion. Sandis Kondrats, the Latvian artist who participated last year, is returning to the festival. In conjunction with his visit, Imanta will be hosting a Latvian day at the pavilion on Thursday, January 31, from 2-8 pm. Volunteers are always needed! Anyone interested in helping out with preparations or at the festival on January 31, contact us at imantaedmonton@gmail.com.                                                                                                   

Casino: the dates for our next casino are February 4/5, 2013, at the Palace Casino in WEM.Once again, volunteers are needed! If you forget to volunteer, don’t be surprised if someone contacts you. If you are available to work shifts on either February 4th or 5th, please contact us at imantaedmonton@gmail.com.                                                       

NAIT Scholarship: The next deadline for application for our scholarship at NAIT is January 31, 2013. Please go to www.nait.ca and search The Edmonton Latvian Society for more information.