Lietuvybės ugdymas užsienyje: Rygos lietuvių vidurinės mokyklos atvejis
Fostering Lithuanian Culture and Traditions Abroad: A Case of Riga Lithuanian Secondary School

Summary/Abstract: Straipsnyje pristatomas autorės tyrimas, atliktas 2014 m. kovo mėn. Rygos lietuvių vidurinė¬je mokykloje. Ši mokykla ne tik suteikia moksleiviams išsilavinimą, bet ir puoselėja lietuvių kalbą bei tradicijas. Pastebėta, kad mokyklos bendruomenės tapatybė mokyklos švenčių metu konstruojama pasitelkiant „išrastas tradicijas“; analizuojami simboliai, rodantys priklausomybę tiriamai bendruomenei. Taip pat aptariamas mokyklos ir Rygos lietuvių bendruomenės bendra¬vimas. Atliekant tyrimą taikyti dalyvaujamojo stebėjimo, anketavimo ir interviu metodai. Buvo panaudoti 60 respondentų duomenys.The article presents research, conducted by the author in Riga Lithuanian Secondary School in March, 2014. The study included a total of 60 respondents, 43% male and 57% female, respec¬tively. They were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by the author. Participant observation method was used. Riga Lithuanian Secondary School not only provides education but also places great em¬phasis on fostering the Lithuanian language and national traditions. The study revealed that cel¬ebrations help build a community, experience a sense of solidarity and discover new meanings of communality. Every school community has symbols embodying their uniqueness in regard to communities of other schools. The most common symbols are the coat of arms, the school anthem and flags which symbolise belonging to a particular school community. The school com¬munity has numerous invented traditions such as the celebration of one hundred days before the examinations or the ‘Žetonu vakars.’ The festivity merges Lithuanian and Latvian school celebration traditions. Other dates, important not only to members of Riga Lithuanian Secondary School but also to the Lithuanian community in Riga, include state holidays such as Lithuania’s Independence Day on February 16 and the Restoration of Statehood Day on March 11. The school maintains close cooperation with Lithuanians residing in Latvia and Lithuania and strives to promote Lithuanian culture and traditions. It has been observed that not only Lithuanians and Latvians but also students of other eth¬nicities choose to study in Riga Lithuanian Secondary School. The choice is determined by high school ratings and good study conditions. Although Lithuanians residing in Latvia and students from other countries have different motives for choosing to study in Riga Lithuanian Second¬ary School, the school realises its goal to disseminate Lithuanian cultural heritage and to instil a sense of community among Lithuanian students and students of other ethnic backgrounds who study at the school. This allows upholding Lithuanian customs and traditions at the school where the present research was conducted.

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