LIVES IN CHANGING CONTEXTS: A LIFE HISTORY ANALYSIS OF LATVIAN-CANADIAN WOMEN'S STORIES ABOUT BEING LATVIAN A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Graduate Department of Education University of Toronto 8 Copyright by llze Arielle Matiss 1998 National Library BiblioWque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington OttawaON K1AW Ottawa ON KtA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde me licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pennettant a la Natiod Library of Canada to Biblioth&que nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, preter, distri'buer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur fomat electronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la these ni des extraits substantieis may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. LIVES IN CHANGING CONTEXTS: A LIFE HISTORY ANALYSIS OF LATVIAN-CANADIAN WOMEN'S STORIES ABOUT BEING LATVIAN llze Arielle Ma- De ree of Doctor of Philosophy Gra8 uate Department of Education University of Toronto 1998 Abstract This study examines how changing contexts impact on people's lives. The purpose of this study is to document the life history experiences and perspectives of second-generation Latvian-Canadian women in the wake of the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Latvia's regained independence. and We end of the Latvian community in exile era in the West; and to present a contextual analysis of these life histories. The life stories of the six women presented in this study provide a rich tapestry of individual experiences of growing up Latvian in Canada, living in two cultures, and adapting lives in changing contexts. These stories reveal the diversity of the lived experiences of women from socially and culturally similar yet different backgrounds. The life history analysis of the stories explores the impact of changing social-political contexts on their lives. The contextual analysis of the themes which emerged from these stories gives insights into the shared experiences of the participants, illustrates the complexity of living in more than one culture, and brings into focus the important role that familial, social, historical, political, cultural, and psychological contexts play in understanding lives. The common threads weaving through these sh stories are explored under the following common themes: Where ICome From and My Inherited History; Who Am I? What Does "Being Latvian" Mean?; Leading a Double Life and The Awareness of Difference; Finding My Place and Facing Challenges within the Latvian Communiiy; My First Enounter with Latvia and My Relationship with Latvia Now; Where Do I Belong? and Where is Home? The universal themes which emerged in this study are the conscious and the hidden legacies of inherited history; the multiple layers of us and them struggles and conflicts in the West and with the homeland; and the powerful impact of losses and gains on the intra-personal, the inter-personal and societal relationships, and how all of these come into play in changing times and contexts. These themes reflect the interconnected undercurrents which add to the complexity of our perspectives and experiences. Furthermore, they suggest potential lenses through which to interpret and bring insight to people's experiences in other cultures and other contexts. Acknowledgements I would first of all like to acknowledge my thesis supeMsor Dr. Ardra Cole, and my committee members Dr. Patrick Diamond and Dr. Grace Feuewerger for leading me to the successful completion of my doctoral thesis. Ardra, thank you for being you, for inspiring, guiding and supporting me on this life history journey, and for challenging me to be my best. Your friendship and bdief in me gave me faith and energy to move forward. Grace, thank you for introducing me to narrative work, and providing me with the invitation to begin writing my own life story. Patrick, I truly appreciated your suggestions, and thank you for introducing me to the challenge and responsibility of giving voice. I wish to give spedal recognition to my fellow travellers llga, Ingrfda, Laimdota. MBra, and Valeska, who made this life history study possible. Thank you for trusting to join me on this challenging joumey of reconstructing the stories of our lives. I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful family and many friends who have enriched my life. I am most grateful for the love and support which you have given me. Dad, thank you for being there for me in times of special need. Mom, thanks for nurturing me, for helping me to move forward on my joumey, and for our special times together in Bancroft. Most of all I want to acknowledge my husband and friend, Andris, and our children, Emils and Marisa. Thank you for patiently hanging in there, allowing me to make time and space for my work, and for joyfully celebrating the successful completion of this journey with me. Thank you for the love, happiness, and fun that you bring into my life. Home is where my heart is, and that is with you! The pilot interviewing for this research was partially supported by a research grant f mm Pasaules BnVo Latviegu Apvienfba (the World Federation of Free Latvians), and by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. For my children Emils and Marisa - this is part of your inherited history TABLE OF CONTENTS .. Abstract ...................................................................................................................................11 Acknowledgements............................................................................................................... iv Dedication. ............................................................................................................................ ..v Table of Contents.................................................................................................................. v i Prologue: Reflections on the 1992 Winter Olympics...................................................... 1 1 . Beginning the Journey .............. ........................................................................................ 3 1.1 Introduction to the Study of Lives in Changing Contexts.......................... 3 1.2 Searching for the Question... .................................................................................... 5 13 Historical Context for the Study .......................................................................... 8 1.4 Pilot Interviews ........................................................................................................ 12 1.5 Encounters with Narrative and Life History.................................................. 15 1.6 The Evolution of Methodology............................................................................... 16 2. The Co-creation of Stories Over Time ...................................................................... 17 2.1 Methods of Inquiry: Narrative and Life History................................................... 17 2.2 The Study of Lives in Changing Contexts........................................................... 23 2.2.1 Finding and Working With the Storytellers ....................................................... 23 2.2.2 Sources for the Participants' Stories .......................... .. ............................. 26 The interviews ...................................................................~................. 27 Keeping journals .................................................................................. 28 Wlitten correspondence....................................................................... 28 Forming Relationships and Gathering Narratives ............................................ 28 lngrida .negotiating boundaries ........................................................ 29 Mara - telling her story from a distance over time ............................... 31 Laimdota - a new chapter in her life, another story to tell ................... 32 Valeska - parallel journeys ................................................................. 33 llga - re-creating the story of her life ................................................... 35 llze - locating myself in the research................................................... 36 2.3 Processing the Research Materials. ..l................................m................................. 38 2.3.1 Issues Arising in the Research Process ..................... .............................. 38 Language. translation. and voice in narratives .................................... 38 Researching the personal in a small community .................................. 39 Ethical issues ....................................................................................... 40 Storing the Research Materials ....................................................................... 41 Description. Presentation. and lnterpretation ................................................ 42 Description of the context .................................................................... 42 Presentation