Latvia's 97th

This year Latvia celebrated 97 years since it declared independence on November 18, 1918. The Washington area Latvian community marked the day on November 15th.

May as well take a photo while we're dressed up!

The day began with a flag-raising outside the church, then most proceeded to the church service, while the Latvian school gathered for a small event of their own. The students were fortunate in that we had special guests - musician Laima Jansone and singer Zane Perkone, who later performed for the entire community, but in their time with the school, they engagingly educated us about the kokle.The type Laima plays is from Latgale, while the kokles we are more accustomed to seeing here in the U.S. are from the Kurzeme region.

Later the concert itself was absolutely fantastic. Afterward I did have a brief chance to chat with the performers; Laima was very interested to learn that my grandfather had made kokles here in the U.S.

As is always the case, following the concert everyone greatly enjoyed the reception - complete with champagne and many delicious hors d'ouevres. And as is often the case, I was one of the last to leave. It's always nice to see friends and acquaintances, and have an opportunity to catch up. 

At the tail end of the reception...

Although from my photos it may seem that only women were present at this event, I can assure you there were quite a few men, as well. But clearly they were not as photogenic!

We Are a Part of Something - Garezers 50

The final day of the Garezers 50th celebration dawned warm, sunny, and clear. As is tradition in Garezers on a Sunday morning, mom and I headed to the peaceful outdoor church overlooking the lake. After two incredibly busy, social, and generally noisy days, I must admit it was relaxing to sit down in a quiet spot, and see this view...

The church was as full as I've seen it, and the service was absolutely lovely and truly felt celebratory. The three main celebrants all have deep connections to Garezers. Archbishop Lauma Zušēvica of the Milwaukee congregation and Bishop Gunārs Lazdiņš of the Indianapolis congregation have been teaching and leading services here for quite a few years, and are held in high esteem by the campers. Bishop Anita Vārsberga Pāža of the Washington, D.C. congregation is, so-to-speak, the first child of Garezers--as her father, Bishop Vilis Vārsbergs was the person who found the camp (it had previously been a Girl Scouts' camp in case you've never heard the story!) and had the original idea to establish such a gathering place for Latvians.

Anita's sermon was perfect. She spoke of the human need to belong, and the fact that we all belong to and are a part of Garezers, and that without us Garezers would not exist. The modern way she illustrated our belonging this was by taking several selfies of herself with the congregation.

An ensemble from GVV enhanced the service with a song... 

After the service the line to exit was long and moved slowly, because most everyone wanted to greet all of the celebrants. Once I'd moved through the line, I enjoyed chatting with a few friends, then realized it was high time I returned to the arts and crafts market for a couple of purchases. I'd visited earlier in the weekend, but had unable to commit to anything at that point.

The market featured a variety of vendors and products, including Liena Kaugars and the beautiful folk costumes she crafts....

Nikki Tupesis of NikJ Designs with bags, pouches, and fabric buckets, many with Latvian-themed patterns...

Ligita with her distinct beaded jewelry....

and Andris Rūtiņš of Balticsmith, who not only crafts wonderful jewelry, but was also helping young silversmiths create their very own pendants...

The creative process in progress...

Sisters proudly show off their creations. Photo: Andris Rūtiņš

There were at least a half-dozen other vendors, selling everything from t-shirts to etched glass to leather bags. After purchasing a few small items, I headed to the weekend's last event, Taste of Garezers, for lunch, with the bittersweet realization that this grand weekend was almost over.

(Special thanks to Andris as well as an old friend who is the mother of those two adorable kids for permission to use that photograph!)

Mēs Esam Garezers! - Garezers 50

We arrived in Dziesmu leja/Song Valley Saturday evening, marveling at the sheer number of people present - we hadn't seen it that full in years, and we sat higher on the hillside than usual, although I must admit that observing the audience adds a certain entertaining element to watching the show.

Waiting for the show to begin!

The program began somewhat unexpectedly with a woman standing in the middle of the dance floor announcing, "Man ir 50 gadi! - I am fifty years old!" This was followed by a man, clearly a fair amount older, striding out to announce that he is 50 years old. Next came a young girl, who also said that she is fifty years old. Then a group of folk dancers ran out to yell that they are also 50 years old. By this point I think everyone in the audience had understood the touching all-inclusive theme, echoing the celebration's slogan of "Kas ir Garezers? Es esmu Garezers!" - because we are all a part of Garezers, we were all celebrating our 50th birthdays! Appropriately, the evening's concert was titled "Mēs esam Garezers!" ("We are Garezers!").

With an impressive number of performers - both singers and dancers - from several cities and GVV, a varied program of singing interspersed with dancing, and a great thematic idea, the concert was a rousing success. Beginning with a string of dances to represent the atmosphere (Vide)....

followed by children singing and dancing to represent childhood days spent in Garezers (Bērnu dienas)...

which was naturally followed by a high school segment (Vidusskolas laiki), which featured the dance "Gandrīz tautas deja" (Almost a folk dance), choreographed by GVV graduate Margrieta Langina and set to the famous song "Gandrīz tautas dziesma" by the famous Latvian rock group Pērkons. The only video of this dance I could find is this one, but if you've never seen a folk dance set to rock music, I suggest watching at least an excerpt!

The sections that followed were on returning/giving back (Atdeve), friendship (Draudzība), family (Ģimene), and Permanence (Pastavība). Two dances which earned the most applause and which were most fun to watch were in the friendship section, and fortunately the performances by Toronto's folk dance ensemble Daugaviņa have been posted online: "Nerejati ciema suni", as well as "Laucinieku deja," (the group behind Daugaviņa is Milwaukee's Metieniņš) choreographed by another GVV graduate and former teacher Iveta Asone. It was particularly entertaining to watch some of the men dance, as a couple of them are well over 6ft tall and stocky, yet they were moving as lightly and happily as young children.

Another wonderful moment was the performance of "Ģērbies, saule sudrabota," jointly performed by the choir, the folk ensemble All Folked Up, and by several dance groups. Two of the more beautiful songs included in the program were the moving "Svetī debesis šo zemi" and the beloved "Saule, pērkons, Daugava."

Two happy spectators!

The concert closed with the always popular song "Gaismas pils," and then with the entire audience standing up, everyone - choir, dancers, spectators - holding hands, and singing "Pūt, vējiņi!" I'm quite certain there were a few misty eyes to be found. By this point we all knew - we are Garezers.

Then it was time to party! (Or bedtime for a few folk in our party, so they headed home.) First up: Bob & the Latvians, who have posted a three-minute video featuring snippets from both their Garezers-Palooza and Saturday evening performances. They were followed Latvian superstars Pērkons. Photographer Brita Brookes took some amazing photos of their performance. I was busy visiting with friends at the top of the hill -- we were so happy to catch up and observe the scene from afar that we didn't seriously contemplate going down to the stage and dance floor.

Catching up

View from the top of the hill

Happy on the hilltop - until one friend who'd ventured into the valley returned and excitedly exclaimed: "The view down there is so different! The music's great, and so is the energy. I say we go down and party like it's the 90s. Who's with me?!?" This was expressed with such enthusiasm that we couldn't say no. And she was right! Pērkons puts on an amazing show! Interestingly, while I don't count myself among the biggest of their fans, Pērkons' music has apparently been so ubiquitous in my life that I was singing along to many of their songs. 

Pērkons!

While they played a total of three sets, regrettably sis and I did not have the energy to stay that late. We were walking out of Dziesmu leja as they began playing their best-known song, Gandrīz tautas dziesma, so I sang and hummed along while we strolled back to the house, ingenious (thanks, Ks & N!) headlamps lighting our way on the dark country roads, which were otherwise only illuminated by many fireflies flitting about in the magical summer night.

What's an event in Dziesmu leja without a bonfire?

"Satiksimies Garezerā!" - Movie & Fireworks

Other than seeing many friends and spending time with family, the part of Garezers 50th anniversary celebration to which I was most looking forward was the documentary film made by Māra Pelēcis. While many Latvian celebrations include concerts, social get-togethers, and even art exhibits, this may have been the first time that a professional film was made specifically about a Latvian-American organization.

For those who had supported the film as sponsors, we had an opportunity to attend a reception with Māra, her co-producer Cory McLeod, and the film's artist Linda Treija before the film's premier. Held at "Sēnītes" (aka little mushrooms, which in reality are over-sized mushrooms next to benches), we had a chance to chat with them, see Linda's original art which she drew specifically for the film, and enjoy a glass or two of wine.

With Linda

Linda's sketches & drawings. SPs represent!

Catching up with a friend, and being photo-bombed by her son.

The outdoor movie night took place in Dzintari. While walking from Sēnītes to Dzintari, I was awed by the setting sun: a bright orange orb, its golden rays reflecting beautifully in the calm lake.

There was already a great deal of  commotion. Two large screens had been set up - one on the main volleyball court, the other on the kids' beach. Volunteers were selling popcorn, much to the delight of the many children in attendance. Families and groups of friends kept arriving, with blankets and chairs in hand. I know that some of us were a bit afraid that too many folks, being social Latvians who have not seen one another in a long time, would use the screening as another opportunity to chat, but our fears were unfounded. After some short introductions, when the movie began, the audience was silent. It seemed that even the active kids who were playing on the jungle gym during the movie realized they needed to be quiet!

Popcorn eaten, just waiting for the movie to begin!

The film is titled "Satiksimies Garezerā!", which means "Let's meet in Garezers!" A slogan used a couple of decades ago, it is both an accurate slogan and title, as that is precisely what why we travel from around North America to this specific lake in southwestern Michigan - to meet others like us. Once the movie began, for the next 80 minutes the audience, as we say in Latvian, "dzīvoja līdzi" or immersed itself in the experience. There was laughter and much spontaneous applause, there was even an impromptu sing-along to a song in the film. I was most touched when the narrator mentioned Garezers' founder Rev. Vilis Vārsbergs, with an old photo of him appearing on screen, and the audience broke out into applause. After all, without his idea, vision and work, we would not have experienced that meta moment - sitting in Garezers, watching a film about Garezers and about ourselves. Rev. Vārsbergs passed away in the spring of 2012, but his widow, his children and grandchildren were at the celebration.

By all accounts, the film was a huge success, and did an excellent job of showing what Garezers is, and why it is so meaningful to many people. Later I heard a few viewers complain that they would have preferred more about Garezers' history to be reflected in the film, but as Māra explained to me, such a goal would have been difficult to accomplish while keeping the viewers truly engaged. History in the movie was explained via interviews and old photographs, and as Māra said, no one wants to watch a film featuring "talking heads."

After the movie, it was time for something else unusual -- a professional fireworks display, courtesy of donors who specifically funded that. The launch area was behind the pond known as Dūņezers (next to Ods, for those who know Garezers geography well), thus many of us watched from the beach or from the side of the pond. I certainly had never been so close to such an impressive display, although at such a close distance and on a small lake, the noise was at times overwhelmingly loud.

View from side of Dūņezers. Photo credit: Edvīns Rūsis

Other people watched from their lake house balconies, or from boats out on the lake. 

View from the lake. Credit: Ērika Sensnovis

Pretty! Photo credit: Edvīns Rūsis

To many it was a festive and fun conclusion to an enjoyable day. However, there were concerns among some viewers about the environmental impact of the fireworks, as well as how the money (provided by donors specifically for this purpose) could have been utilized for other needs.

After trekking back to the house, it was midnight before anyone got to bed -  incredibly late for a 6 year old and a 2,5 year old, and even a bit too late for others! However, the day had been a memorable one, and yet another day full of Garezers fun awaited.

*Special thanks to Ērika and Edvīns for kindly allowing me to use their photographs!

Kas ir Garezers? Es esmu Garezers!

The Latvian Center Garezers celebrated its 50th anniversary in grand fashion over the July 4th weekend. The celebration's slogan was "Kas ir Garezers? Es esmu Garezers," which I decided to use as the title although my post is in English. "What is Garezers? I am Garezers" perfectly sums up this place which has been so important to many North American Latvians. Thousands of people have played a role Garezers' history, and many of us have filled various roles. Garezers would not exist if not for the founders and their vision and perseverance, the countless volunteers who do everything from build buildings to stack chairs to paint walls to shelve books, the children and teenagers who attend the programs, the parents who drive them there and foot most or all of the bill, the summer employees who work tirelessly with little pay, the full-time employees who work tirelessly through the year, the visitors who attend events or spend weekends or vacation time in a Garezers cabin or tent, the shareholders who own Garezers, and the many donors who support it.

Given how important Garezers has been in my life, I had every intention of attending the celebration; it had been on my calendar for two years, and although July is a difficult time for me to take time off from work, I'd made plans to make sure I would be there. As I kept hearing about more and more friends planning on participating, and as I pitched in with some volunteer work in the weeks leading up to the big event, I felt like a little kid waiting for Christmas!

Due to schedules and other considerations, I drove to Michigan instead of flying. The drive between DC and Three Rivers, Michigan is not an exciting one, and at best can be done in under ten hours. I left home at 7.10am,  and was pleased that traffic moved smoothly during the entire trip. Amusingly, my sole "delay" was when I ran into friends at an Ohio service plaza. They, too, were on their way from the DC area to Garezers! When I mentioned this to an American friend who also travels frequently, he observed, "You run into all sorts of people. I don't think I've ever run into someone I know while traveling." Well, this is what happens when one is Latvian and one knows people everywhere! The rest of my roadtrip was uneventful. With only a few quick stops on the way, I happily drove into Garezers at 4.45pm.

My sister, brother-in-law, little nephew and niece, mom, and I all rented a private summer home in the nearby "Ciems Latvija" neighborhood. I arrived to find my eldest niece and her husband setting up a tent and fancy sun shade in the backyard, and after everyone had settled in, they provided us with a delicious dinner of grilled meats and various side dishes (fresh meat purchased from Food Dance, and sides from Water Street Coffee, both in Kalamazoo). The weather was absolutely perfect, and we relished sitting outside, enjoying the late-setting sun, crisp Michigan countryside air, chirping birds, and even fresh blueberries from the backyard bushes.

Post-dinner relaxation

The weekend's first event--a beach party sponsored by the American Latvian Youth Association-- took place that evening, however, I was too tired from my long drive, and too relaxed after dinner and playtime with kids to seriously contemplate going. Unfortunately, that meant I missed a performance of the group "All Folked Up," which by all accounts was great.

Friday morning my eldest niece, a friend, and I volunteered at the event's registration table, a fun way to help out while welcoming some of the many visitors arriving in Garezers for the weekend. 

x 2 = 50! Retro mug at the house.

For some folks Friday was a day of sports - many individuals participated in the First Arnis Skulte Open golf tournament in the morning, while in the afternoon there was a East Coast vs. Midwest soccer match. My day, however, was more culturally oriented.

I spent part of the afternoon visiting Klinklāva Art Gallery to see the special exhibit, which featured an enormous variety of pieces, all of which were for sale. Some were donated, others had been provided by the artists. For your viewing enjoyment, below are a number of photos; I only apologize for not knowing the titles for these works.

Painting by Girts Purins

Metal sculpture by Gints Grinbergs

Painting by Janis Kalmite

Painting by Sasha Kinens

By Evalds Dajevskis

Painting by Sasha Kinens

Metalwork by Gints Grinbergs

Painting by Margarita Kovalevska

This is but a tiny selection of the many works that were exhibited. For a final bit of art as I finish this post (I will continue description of day 1 in the next post!), I spotted the adorable dancers below on the wall of Zemitāni (one of the GVV dormitories). They remind me of characters from the Richard Scarry books I loved as a child!

Latvian "Street Art" in Garezers

Last summer, while visiting Garezers for the GVV 50th anniversary weekend, I photographed a few other things to share with you in addition to photos of those events. Now that summer has arrived, and slightly over 100 North American teenagers are getting ready to attend GVV, it might be a good time to finally show you those photographs!

My dear friend Linda Treija has been teaching art to the Garezers' program participatns for quite a few years, and she continually comes up with wonderful public art projects for the students to work on. Below are three relatively small pieces, which, while not large in size, are quite powerful. For those familiar with GVV buildings, the first two are on Kronvalda zāle, while the third is on the wall of Vecā vidusskola.

A relatively new building in the GVV territory is Avoti, named after GVV's founding father Eduards Avots. The building contains classrooms, and the hallway has been beautifully decorated with an enormous mural featuring characters from Latvian literature and various famous authors. Piecinieki tiem, kuri visvairāk atpazīst! The mural was not quite complete when I visited, but it looked fantastic nonetheless, and I look forward to seeing the finished product. These kids have got some talent!

If you do visit Garezers (and don't have kids attending GVV) sometime this summer, I highly encourage you to venture past Dzintari, baznīca and kantīne to the GVV area to see this art in person. In addition to these pieces, there is a large older mural inside Kronvalda zale. It was completed in

If you do visit Garezers (and don't have kids attending GVV) sometime this summer, I highly encourage you to venture past Dzintari, baznīca and kantīne to the GVV area to see this art in person. The other wonderful things to visit in the immediate vicinity that are well worth your time are three museums. If you think, how in the world can there be three museums in the middle of the Michigan woods, and you have never taken the time to them, then you have no idea what you're missing! The Klinklavs Art Gallery, located on the second floor of Kronvalda zāle, is home to the largest collection of Latvian art outside of Latvia, and will be hosting an amazing art market during Garezers' 50th anniversary celebration next week. The O. Grīns Folk Art Museum, located next to the art gallery in Kronvalda zāle, has a beautiful and impressive collection of folk costumes, knitted mittens, jewelry, and much more - some it recently crafted, while other pieces were brought to the U.S. from Europe by post-war refugees. The Latvian Boy Scout & Girl Guide Museum is the most recent addition, and exhibits information and artifacts reflecting the history of Latvian scouting. Bonus tip regarding visiting these spaces: they are air conditioned, which can bring welcome relief and respite on a hot summer's day!