BALTIC HERITAGE NETWORK

Newsletter no. 1 (22) 2018 issn: 228-3390

In this issue:

• The Topic of Foods of Estonians Abroad in the Estonian National Museum Yearbook • Paul Lillakas Gave an Exciting Lecture on Life as a Food Editor • New Book: “Encounters in Siberia” • Exhibition “Diplomacy of Lithuanian Exiles in the Fight for Freedom” • “Keys” series broadcasts episode on Baltic University • Eerik Purje’s Gift to “Aja puudutus” • A Generous Donation • Estonian Music Week in Toronto to celebrate Estonia 100

BaltHerNet youth seminar in in October 2010. Lithuanian Heritage Abroad: Editor-in-Chief: Piret Noorhani Editor: Kristina Lupp Challenges and Achievements Designer: Kristina Lupp A round table discussion about Lithuanian heritage outside The Baltic Heritage Newsletter is organized by the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania on distributed quarterly, on-line. The next deadline for submissions is 15 April January 26, 2018, was a good opportunity to assess not only the situation of 2018. Please send all related enquiries the Lithuanian heritage abroad and to identify the challenges and problems, and submissions to Piret Noorhani: but also to talk about the achievements and the future work. [email protected] Augustinas Žemaitis, the leader of the project “Destination – America,” started The Non-Profit Association Baltic Heritage Network was founded in Tartu on January the event. He told about a 16-day trip to the that he took last 11, 2008. NPA BaltHerNet was established fall visiting Lithuanian places, recording material heritage and listening to to foster cooperation between national and the stories of local people of Lithuanian descent. Žemaitis, who has been private archives, museums, libraries, and interested in Lithuanian heritage outside Lithuania for five years, is convinced institutions of research, public associations that his project is important not only to Lithuanians in the US, but also and organizations collecting and studying the cultural heritage of the Baltic diaspora. Lithuania. In his opinion, it is necessary to find new ways of preserving the It aims to facilitate the preservation and Lithuanian heritage abroad. He suggested volunteering or tourism as good research of the historically valuable cultural tools to do it. property of the Baltic diaspora, as well as to ensure accessibility of these materials to Ramojus Kraujelis, the Chief Archivist of Lithuania, noted that today, the public. unfortunately, there are no resources to describe Lithuanian heritage abroad. NPA BaltHerNet is also committed to He commended the private initiative “Destination – America” and proposed the organising of conferences, seminars to continue this project covering not only US but other countries which also and workshops, and to developing and have many objects of Lithuanian material culture. administrating the electronic information website Baltic Heritage Network, a Despite the lack of financial and human resources in Lithuania and abroad, multilingual electronic gateway for a number of projects have already been accomplished in this area. In 2010- information on the cultural heritage of the 2011, a joint plan was created with Lithuanians living abroad regarding Baltic diaspora. the Lithuanian archives in emigration. Its goal is to identify and describe www.balther.net Lithuanian heritage in the US, Australia and other countries. Each year, at ISSN 2228-3390

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immediately start digitizing written and audio-visual heritage and make it accessible online for everyone. The participants acknowledged the necessity of a private initiative in preserving Lithuanian heritage abroad. As one participant noted, personal interest runs much further and deeper than a paid one, and the project “Destination – America” is a The participants of the discussion. great proof of it. Photo: National Library of Lithuania least one and usually two groups The Topic of Foods of Lithuania’s archivists travel to of Estonians Abroad different places to identify and in the Estonian describe Lithuanian heritage. Mr. National Museum Kraujelis also pointed a new trend, Yearbook interested listeners at Tartu College. according to him, more and more Paul is an award-winning Canadian- of the written cultural heritage The most recent issue of the Estonian Estonian chef, who won Chopped accumulated in the emigration finds National Museum Yearbook (nr. Canada in 2014 and has since worked its new home in Lithuania. Only 60, 2017) focuses on Estonian food in a number of interesting places. recently, Lithuania has received a heritage. Two out of five articles One such place, was Canadian Living few hundreds of boxes with such discuss the food culture of Estonians where he was the food editor for just material from Australia. Brazil is who have built new homes far from over a year. At the lecture he gave the also expecting the archivists from their homeland. Aivar Jürgenson’s audience a taste of “Secrets From the Lithuania. article “On Estonian Food Culture Test Kitchen: A Month in the Life A Lithuanian American Arvydas Abroad” focuses on the food of a Food Editor.” The lecture was Reneckis, who is currently filming traditions of Estonians in Siberia, followed by a question-answer period a documentary about the history the far east of , Caucasus, and a chance to discuss the lecture of Lithuanians in the US and who and South America (Argentina and over coffee. in the discussion represented the Brazil). Jürgenson discusses how The Presentation of Lithuanian Research and Studies these Estonians adapted to their Center (Chicago, USA), said that the new circumstances, which inevitably “The Red Flood” Center is one of the most important changed their diets. Riina Reinvelt’s The Martynas Mažvydas National Lithuanian cultural institutions article “Our Food and Their Food: Library of Lithuania together with the in North America. “If we move Food Experiences of 1944 Refugees publishing house “Briedis” presented the entire heritage accumulated According to ERM Resources” based a book “The Red Flood” by Ignas for several decades to Lithuania, on surveys and memories collected Šeinius (1889-1959), a Lithuanian we will wipe out ourselves,” Mr. at the museum, analyses the initial diplomat to Sweden and other Reneckis said. Instead of rushing, he experiences refugees had with foreign Scandinavian countries, on January suggested to start with one precedent flavours in their first stopping points 25, 2018. The book “Den röda floden” which would serve as an example in Sweden and , as well as first published in Stockholm, Sweden for future joint projects. He had in their final countries of residence in 1940 is author’s authentic account already started negotiations with the in Canada, Australia, and the USA. about the events that took place in Lithuanian Central State Archives While the first generation of refugees Lithuania in 1940. typically continued eating Estonian about the digitization of audio and The book opens a window to one of video archives held at the Lithuanian foods, for the generations born Research and Studies Center. abroad, typical everyday Estonian foods were not lost, but became foods Ramūnas Kondratas, the director of served primarily at special events. the University Museum, did not hide the fact that the Lithuanian Paul Lillakas Gave an heritage abroad (in particular, in the Exciting Lecture on United States) is undergoing difficult Life as a Food Editor times, for example, there is a huge problem of where to store archives or On February 7, Paul Lillkas gave an unfit storage conditions. According to exciting and long awaited lecture on Mr. Kondratas, it is very important to life as a food editor to a hall full of

2018 n o . 1 (22) Baltic heritage network 3 the most tragic periods in Lithuanian of the most systematic ones: we decade of the 20th century, the history, the Soviet occupation of have tried to locate all the possible interest of the Estonian general public the country. Šeinius describes how Estonian communities still existing in towards Estonians living in Siberia the Soviets destroyed country’s Siberia and record their folklore and was insignificant. The observations independence, trampled nation’s significant recollections. of folklorists about Siberia during patriotism, forcefully introduced As native Estonians travelling in this period are among the very few Soviet way of life; how they Sovietized Russia in the 1990s we could not help and should capture wider general country’s economy and expropriated but witness the insecurities brought interest for this reason only. The private business. Once the Iron on by the dramatic changes in the book shed light on the customs Curtain descended on Lithuania, lives of Siberia’s Estonians stemming and traditions of Estonians living a wave of surveillance, arrests and in a multicultural environment, the crackdowns began. “The Red Flood” from the collapse of the , people’s use of language, everyday life serves as an eloquent testimony of the changing political situation and in the villages, highlight changes that those terrible events. economic recession. have occurred both in Siberia and In 1952, the memoir was translated Estonians living in Siberia felt cut the Estonian Folklore Archives (e.g., into Lithuanian and published in off from their relatives in homeland, in the use of recording technology) the United States. It was republished especially after the visa regime was in the course of time, and describe in Lithuania in 1990. The current, introduced between the Republic of specific situations experienced the third Lithuanian edition of the Estonia and the Russian Federation. during fieldwork and the impact of book is supplemented with historical They complained that they could no international relations to folklore photographs. longer visit their relatives in Estonia collection. owing to the economic recession New Book: At the turn of the century and in the and the complicated visa process. early decades of the 21st century, “Encounters in Remaining in the Estonians in homeland started to take Siberia” of Russian media, Estonians in more notice of their compatriots in Siberia were nearly completely cut off Siberia. The book “Kohtumised Siberis” from information about Estonia, they [“Encounters in Siberia”] is published also found themselves in a cultural Anu Korb as part of the series “Estonian isolation. The villagers were eagerly Exhibition Settlements” and introduces Estonian interested in what was happening in “Diplomacy of Communities in Siberia through Estonia, so we were regarded both folklorist’s eyes. It covers a period a as representatives of Estonia and the Lithuanian Exiles little over 20 years. direct link to their relatives living in the Fight for The majority of Estonians in Siberia there. Many villagers had relatives or Freedom” are the descendants of people who acquaintances in Estonia with whom On January 9, 2018 the traveling emigrated from Estonia in the final they used to keep in touch and visit exhibition “Diplomacy of Lithuanian decade of the 19th century and at one another. Exiles in the Fight for Freedom” the beginning of the 20th century, One might agree that in the early by Vytautas Magnus University but there are also those who had days following the reinstating of Lithuanian Emigration Institute and been deported by the Russian Tsar’s the Republic of Estonia, the final the Valdas Adamkus Presidential government and those who had left Library-Museum was opened in the to study or work in Russian cities in Martynas Mažvydas National Library later periods. According to the 1989 of Lithuania. census there were 17,000 Estonians living in Siberia, by the year 2002 the According to Arūnas Antanaitis, number had reduced to 11,400. the director of the Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library-Museum, when Since 1991, the Estonian creating the exhibition, the most communities in Siberia had been the difficult task was to decide what to focus of collecting and research at the include and what to leave out – so Estonian Folklore Archives with 16 vast is the archival material about field trips carried out in the period of Lithuanian political, lobbying and 1991–2013. other activities in exile spanning for Folklorists, of course, cannot take over a hundred years. credit for being the first to investigate The exhibition is aimed at Estonians living in Siberia, but the highlighting the most important fieldwork of the Estonian Folklore activities of émigrés in the fight Archives can be regarded as one for freedom in the US, Australia,

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puudutus” based on true events. A South Africa to China – where number of interested readers gathered Russian communities lived at the for the event. Piret Noorhani greeted beginning of the 20th century. The the guests and introduced the author, new donation will significantly broaden the knowledge about the publishing in diaspora and open new horizons in researching the cultural history of multi-ethnic and multicultural Lithuania. Arūnas Antanaitis, the director of the Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library-Museum. Estonian Music Week Photo: National Library of Lithuania. in Toronto to Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, , celebrate Estonia 100 and other countries. The creators of who graciously thanked all his On February 15, the Estonian Music the exhibition wanted to show not supporters. The evening naturally Week Team introduced the exciting the official efforts of the émigrés, but included some reading from the upcoming festival taking place from the so-called citizen diplomacy, i.e. book, which was done by Laas Leivat, May 24-29, 2018 in Toronto. This the contribution of ordinary people Tamara Norheim-Lehela, and Eerik extraordinary festival will feature to Lithuanian statehood. Alongside himself. The evening concluded artists from Estonia collaborating material, moral and political support, with a book signing. This is only the with Canadian artists to celebrate they helped to establish Lithuania’s first of two books dedicated to the the Republic of Estonia’s Centennial. name in the world and used all Republic of Estonia’s Centennial, the EMW is the first of its kind to take possible means to support Lithuania’s second “Puudutuse aeg” is set to be place in North America. From left independence abroad. released by the end of the year. to right: Linda Litwack (Public “Keys” series A Generous Relations), Tom Treumuth (EMW broadcasts episode Donation Artistic Director), Viive Sarv (EMW on Baltic University Team), Jaan Kittask (Graphic Arminio Sciolli, Designer), sitting Kati Kiilaspea On the 25th of January at the Latvian residing in (EMW Team), Marika Mayfield television station LTV channel 1, a Switzerland, (EMW Team), Max Rubino (21C programme was broadcast about the decided to donate Festival, the Royal Conservatory of Baltic University as part of a series his collection of Music), Anne Remmel (EMW Team), called “Keys” - a TV serial in 50 Russian exodus Kaili Kinnon (EMW artist), Heather episodes about important stories for literature to the Kelly (Bloor St. Culture Corridor in the past 100 years. It is a National Library of Lithuania. The Founder, RCM), Matthew Moore recognition of the Baltic University collection consists of rare books new (RCM). In front: Piret Noorhani as such, but also of the importance not only to the National Library of (EMW Festival Coordinator), Reet of this institute for teachers and Lithuania but Lithuania in general. Lindau-Voksepp (EMW Team). students and the value it still has as The geography of the collection an example for everyone who wants covers a wide range of places – from to achieve something. The producers had asked whether it was possible to include episodes of the film I made about the Baltic University and I agreed. Unfortunately they forgot to mention which episodes came from the film and they made a new version which can be found here: https://vimeo. com/252481011/781b0cbac3 Helga Merits Eerik Purje’s Gift to Estonia “Aja puudutus” On January 17 at Tartu College, Eerik Purje released his new novel “Aja 2018 n o . 1 (22) Baltic heritage network 5

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