Malēnijas jauniešu interese par novada kultūru

Nowadays, when society becomes more homogenous and states and regions tend to lose their uniqueness, it is very important to identify and save traditional values, ethnicity and cultural diversity of people. The existence of uniqueness indicates inheritance and development of the culture. The aim of the article is to discuss conscious or unconscious belonging to Malenia as a region and to the Malenians as a unique group of people of Vidzeme for today’s youth, based on their interests and knowledge. In this article we try to analyze thoughts of young Malenians about their belonging to the region of Malenia, their level of sense of belonging as well as the importance of local culture, language and traditions in everyday life of young Malenians and their interests and knowledge about it. Within the scope of this article, by Malenians we understand historically formed people of north-east part of Vidzeme, who have their own uniqueness — particularities of the language, characteristics, perception of the world, as well as particularities of material and nonmaterial culture. While by Malenia we mean west and middle part of Aluksne Municipality — 14 parishes (all parishes included in Aluksne Municipality, excluding Liepna parish, which historically belongs to north part of Latgale) and the town of Aluksne. Questionnaire of 13 managers and employees of libraries of Aluksne Municipality, interviews of 10 young Malenians and 4 other people of Malenia and a group discussion of 12 students of E. Gluck’s Aluksne State Gymnasium were used to collect empirical data. The main conclusions are that: self awareness and sense of belonging to Malenia of young Malenians forms based on visible and audible in present features (as language, territory where to live, proximity of Estonian and Russian borders), but not in direct connection with historical formation of Malenia. A very slight interest of young Malenians about the questions of cultural history of Malenia cause worries about inheritance and existence of sub-dialects, traditions, material and nonmaterial culture in the future. School in parish is not only a place for getting education but is often center of creative actions and culture as well. It can create an interest in young Malenians about the development of the region and about the origin of their roots.