A nation cannot be called a nation without having a
specific, “individual” culture. Every nation, like a human individual, has its
peculiar character traits and features which distinguish it from the other
nations and cultures. If a nation is incapable to resist strange influences, it
dies. Many nations have disappeared from the world, even those with rich culture
and traditions (Latin, for instance). The other, on their turn, manage to
survive and resist massive assimilation attacks.
Latvians are one of the small nation counting about
1 million people. The country - the Republic of Latvia, by the Baltic Sea, lies
on the very crossroads, and more than once it has served as a threshold for
strangers and invaders, a good many foreigners have ruled here – Germans for
seven centuries, then Poles and Swedes for a while, and later – Russians – for
long two centuries. Undoubtedly, every aggressor has left its impact on the
Latvian culture. On the other hand, in spite of everything, Latvians have
managed to remain Latvians – with one of the most ancient languages of Europe,
with the multitude of folk tales and their unique folk songs – dainas.
There is a number of features characteristic to the Latvian mentality. One
of the main rules is love of nature, of every tree, every animal, even a stone.
Latvian rivers all have female names, the lakes – in their turn, are male. The
trees are both male and female. Everything has gender. The earth, the sea and
the Sun are female, the day and the night are female as well. The Moon is male.
I suppose, this is an expression of the world order and harmony, and democracy
in its better sense.
A very abundant source for research and
understanding of the Latvian national character is the folk songs – dainas. In these songs you can easily trace
the national world outlook and ethics, the history and family traditions, the
attitude to the neighbour countries and nations etc., etc. Unfortunately, they
are very hard to be translated into other languages.
One of the strengths of Latvians is their love for
books and reading. Every Latvian family have a private library, smaller or
larger Even computers cannot kill love for books. People read everywhere -
travelling, sitting at a cafe, or waiting at the bus terminal or railway
station.
It can be said that folklore, literature and reading have saved Latvians from
disappearance.
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