{"id":5,"date":"2022-12-07T14:50:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-07T14:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/latvians.com\/blog\/?p=5"},"modified":"2024-12-07T20:42:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-08T01:42:44","slug":"reimagined-latvian-museum-reopens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latvians.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/07\/reimagined-latvian-museum-reopens\/","title":{"rendered":"Reimagined Latvian Museum reopens"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Arrival<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

December 4, 10:54am<\/strong>. Just in time for the 11:00 church service. I was glad to be able to make the time (325 mile round trip!) to attend the reopening of the Latvian Museum at the American Latvian Association in Rockville, Maryland. And through sheer luck, as I went down the aisle along the left side of church, finally finding an open pew seat and asking if it was taken, it was\u2009\u2014\u2009by the very couple I had hoped to meet at the opening: JBANC managing director Karl Altau and wife Rita Laima n\u00e9e B\u0113rzi\u0146a. I accepted their invitation to scoot in and sit next to them. What were the chances<\/em>? In Latvian circles, more common than one might think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, the church was the center of the Latvian community simply as a matter of practicality. Every weekend during the school year featured Latvian school. Celebrating Latvian holidays, Latvian Independence Day,… all took place in the church events hall. Now, two generations later, I was glad to see that community relationship and tradition continues in the Washington DC area since I expect we will be joining the church at some point.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The second Sunday of Advent service focused on John the Baptist and included a reading from John 1:19-28 (in both Latvian and English):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19<\/sup> Now this was John\u2019s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20<\/sup> He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, \u201cI am not the Messiah.\u201d 21<\/sup> They asked him, \u201cThen who are you? Are you Elijah?\u201d He said, \u201cI am not.\u201d \u201cAre you the Prophet?\u201d He answered, \u201cNo.\u201d 22<\/sup> Finally they said, \u201cWho are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?\u201d 23<\/sup> John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, \u201cI am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, \u2018Make straight the way for the Lord.\u2019\u201d 24<\/sup> Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25<\/sup> questioned him, \u201cWhy then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?\u201d 26<\/sup> \u201cI baptize with water,\u201d John replied, \u201cbut among you stands one you do not know. 27<\/sup> He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.\u201d 28<\/sup> This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those in attendance for the Latvian Museum opening and reception following, it was also a parable for the life and service of Lilita Bergs, founder (1978) and Director of the museum until her unexpected passing during the summer as the renovations approached completion. Selfless service, a tireless champion for the promulgation of knowledge of Latvian history, someone who eschewed any aggrandizement of her position,…. Those who knew her could not help but draw parallels to the life of John, celebrating a life of service to a far greater cause than oneself, and shared in acknowledging her presence in spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Opening celebration<\/h3>\n\n\n
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The full title of the day’s celebration was: \u201cT\u016bkstots gadu latvju v\u0113sture saritin\u0101ta 800 kvadr\u0101tp\u0113du kamol\u0101\u2009\u2014\u2009ALA pasp\u0101rn\u0113 jaunveidots Latvie\u0161u muzejs<\/strong>\u201d, A millennium of Latvian history bndled up into an eight-hundred square foot ball [typically of string or yarn]\u2009\u2014\u2009the newly remade Latvian museum under the wing of ALA<\/em> (American Latvian Association).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The host for the celebration was P\u0113teris Dajevskis<\/strong>, son of the well-known (in Latvian circles) pre- and post-WWII artist and scenographer \u0112valds Dajevskis<\/strong> and himself a museum and heritage area consultant, who managed the museum reimagining project along with Lilita Bergs\u2009\u2014\u2009who had headed the museum since its inception until her untimely passing. Lilita was posthumously awarded a plaque of gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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