Latgalistikys kongresu materiali, III. 2011. - Latvijas Universitāte

Latgale and Latgalians: Myths and Historical Reality
Historians should be very careful when using the terms historical myth, idealization
of myth or demythologization. Not everything that is declared to be a historical
myth is a myth in reality. Mostly they are different interpretations of historical events
and not myths. When writing about history by using the term “myth” it is not advisable
to stress one separate disputable historical episode, because the final result might
be one professionally discussed story (extracted from a legend) which is passed on to
a general public according to the author’s system of values, but not a critically assessed
myth of which there is probably only one for each nation (in relation to the
creation of their own world).
This paper attempts at looking at the dominant historic conception of Latgale
and of Latgalians as part of the myth about the creation of the Latvian nation. It
touches upon general factors which might ascertain the historical myth as “changing”
or as differently interpreted figures in the search for identity which includes “legendary
ancient times” and the “century-long” call for unity, the search for ethnic borders
and the issue of language which is so important for national myths. Thereby it
tries to create a scene of historical reality.
The awareness of cultural diversity is a pre-condition for a liberal and complex
formation of the general scene of the history of Latgale. Yet, the historical literature
devoted to Latgale lacks the multicultural aspect. In accordance with the canon of
“national romanticism”, Latgalian history is still mostly presented as a history of the
Latvians of Latgale, thereby using an approach which does not correspond to contemporary
historical research in Europe. While contemplating new horizons of research,
the researchers of the history of Latgale could follow the example of progressive
historians who propose to discuss the history of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and
other Eastern European countries as integral parts of the history of Europe beyond
national historiography (although not entirely forgetting it). In the case of Latgale that
would mean to diminish the vertical tendency of national history research from legendary
ancient times until the 21st century. Instead, a horizontally-oriented comparative
historical approach should be chosen which stresses the political, social and economic
history in each individual period of time.
ALDIS MIŅINS
ismi@inbox.lv
Malnava 2, dz. 4
Kārsavas novads, LV-5750, Latvija
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