The Role of 3x3 Camps in Latvian Identity Retention

February 17, 2004

The Role of 3x3 Camps in Latvian Identity Retention in Diaspora

By the early 1980’s it had become clear that the Latvian community needed some type of continuing Latvian education for adults, because the educational system established in diaspora provided supplemental Latvian education only for children and youth. It had also become clear that the basic skills in Latvian language and knowledge about Latvian culture had to be learned primarily within the family, because our educational system could only supplement this learning and provide opportunities for Latvian children to be together, have some common experiences, and develop ties in the community. Therefore, it seemed that to facilitate the children’s learning in the family, support and continuing education had to be provided for the parents who often had little or no Latvian education themselves.

In 1980, I interviewed a number of Latvians, to try and identify what attracted them to the Latvian community and what tended to be alienating factors. I was convinced that Latvian identity was an important value and that active membership in the Latvian community was a privilege, because it provided a sense of belonging to a stable and predictable reference group which shared common roots and goals. The interview results showed that Latvians abroad highly value Latvian culture and their own Latvian identity , but often do not actively participate in community activities and even less often feel a responsibility for organizing and continuing them. It was my feeling that to retain our Latvian identity as a group, we needed to have common learnings and common experiences, people whom we knew and who knew us. Fundamental in conceiving and developing 3x3 were the ideas gleaned from my interviews about what members of the Latvian community would find valuable and interesting, and in what types of activities they would want to participate.

3x3 is a multigenerational Latvian ethnic heritage camp designed to provide an intergenerational support system for Latvian families, to educate all generations about Latvian history, culture, society and politics, to improve Latvian language proficiency, to encourage Latvian ethnic identity formation and maintenance, and to facilitate the development of closer ties among the members of the Latvian community and the formation of a group identity. The program may include folklore, art, drama, music, literature, family issues, ethics, singing, folk dancing, woodcarving, leathercrafting, pottery, the making of folk costumes and jewelry, Latvian cooking and other workshops, as well as activities for children of all ages. Evening programs include panel discussions, campfires, talent shows, poetry readings, concerts, sporting events, folk dancing and singing. The presenters are well-known experts in various fields all of whom, like the camp directors and administrative personnel, donate their services. Among the presenters have been the President of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga and her husband Dr. Imants Freibergs, Māra Zālīte, Janīna Kursīte, Ilga Reizniece, Helmi, Dainis and Julgi Stalti, Valdis Muktupāvels, Ojārs Kalniņš, Uldis Grava, Kārlis Streips, Jānis Kukainis, Valters Nollendorfs, Jānis Peniķis, Olģerts and Valdis Pavlovski, Gunārs Meierovics, Paul Gobel, Aleksandrs Kiršteins, Vaira Paegle, Rasma Lielmane, Andrejs Jansons, Māris Ķirsons, Ojārs Celle and many, many others. The Council of Education of the World Federation of Free Latvians coordinates the 3x3 movement globally, while regional 3x3 councils are formed to facilitate the camps in Latvia, North America and Australia.

The first 3x3 camp was organized in 1981, at Garezers, in Michigan, USA. The organizers’ hope that it would serve as an experimental model for continuing education for Latvians in diaspora was realized. In the 1980’s additiional camps were organized on the east and west coasts of the USA, , in Australia, England, Sweden and France. The camps in western USA, Sweden and France have ceased operating, but since 1990 camps are being organized in Latvia, and since 2002 – in Canada. By the fall of 2003, 144 camps had taken place worldwide (eight each year), with 20,030 participants. There are two camps each summer in Latvia, England and the USA, and one in Australia and Canada. One of the camps in England is conducted in English for non-Latvian speakers in the Latvian community. Although each camp has its own distinguishing features, overall there are more similarities than differences among the camps, and all of them retain the goals originally formulated in 1981. The atmosphere at the camps is informal and friendly, emphasis is placed on interaction among the participants. Learning from each other as well as from the presenters is a fundamental part of the camp programs. There are two important differences between the camps in Latvia and those abroad: the Latvian camps have more participants and more activities as well as larger numbers of participating children and youth.

It is difficult to evaluate what the most important contributions of 3x3 to the Latvian community abroad have been. Without a doubt, participation tends to help improve the ability to communicate in Latvian. It has also given the participants a singular opportunity to increase their understanding of Latvian culture and society as well as exposed them to the people who are knowledgeable, well-known and important in a great variety of fields. It has helped participants to learn not only about things Latvian but also how to be Latvian. Many Latvians who learned how to make a Latvian ring, vase or wooden spoon, bake Latvian rye bread or bacon rolls, sing Latvian songs and step lively in folk dancing are passing these learnings on to the next generations. Some of those who attended camp with their families at a young age, are now workshop presenters, camp directors and organizers. However, perhaps the most important thing we have gained from the camps is an understanding that in spite of the fact that living two lives in two cultures is often time-consuming, expensive and requires a great deal of energy and commitment, a strong ethnic identity greatly enriches our lives. To know who we are, what our history has been, how rich our culture is are sorces of pride, which fosters a sense of group belonging and a desire to be counted in rather than further reduce the already miniscule number of Latvians in the world by totally assimilating in other groups. 3x3 has been said to “charge our Latvian batteries” and to stimulate us to nurture a Latvian identity as well as to pass it on to our children. 3x3 has become respected and popular in Latvia as well and serves as a bridge between residents of Latvia and those Latvians who live abroad.

3x3 stands for things Latvian, for love and respect for our nation and our people. It stands for developing and nurturing an ethnic identity. 3x3 helps Latvians abroad develop and sustain their ethnic identity, and it helps Latvians in Latvia appreciate it. 3x3 gives Latvians from all countries an opportunity to learn and play together, and it enables us to appreciate that even while being different, we have much in common. Latvians have been gathering at 3x3 camps in three continents and six countries for almost a quarter of a century to learn to better know themselves, their countrymen, their culture, their history and their values, to better understand who we are and what we stand for, because knowing our roots helps us live in the present and chart our course for the future.

Līga Ruperts

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