My name is Aija Jansone.

I am a Senior Researcher  (Dr. hist./ (history)) and head of the Department of Ethnology at the Institute of History of Lavia at the University of Latvia.  I have been a member of IOV since 1987, when I was introduced to it by Prof. Barbara Bazielich of Poland.

I find that IOV provides fantastic opportunities to meet colleagues from all over the world, to visit many countries, become acquainted with their cultures and inform IOV about my job and cultural activities in Latvia.

My scientific interests are Latvian traditional material culture, the history of clothing and the history of textiles in the folk art of Middle, North and Eastern Europe, with embroidery and folk costumes being the main subjects of the research. I am author of 4 monographers, and more than 60 articles in scientific journals.

I am currently leading the following research projects:

• Tradition and Change in Way of Life and Culture in 19th-21st Century Latvia.  Latvian Council of Science (2009.-2012);
• Joint Project by the Institute of Folklore of the Bulgaria Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Latvian History at the University of Latvia: “Bulgaria and Latvia: Problems of Immaterial Cultural Heritage” (2009.-2011);
• The Development of the Latvian Textile History in the European Cultural Context”. Latvian Council of Science (2005 – 2008);
• Consulting Programme: The Tradition of Wearing the Latvian Folk Costume. Latvia Folk Art Centre (2004-2007);
• Joint Project by the Institute of Folklore of the Bulgaria Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Latvian History at the University of Latvia: „The traditional and the Contemporary in Bulgarian and Latvian Everyday Culture in the Age of Globalization.” (2006-2008).

Parallel with my scientific work at the University of Latvia, I am engaged in the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.  I’m also working on developing a state-financed framework called the “Register of Intangible Cultural Values.”

As part of this framework, “The Folk Costume Consulting Centre” was established to help prevent the loss the folk costume, which is an essential element of our Latvian national identity.  As the director of the Folk Costume Consulting Centre, my job has been to help those who are interested in making folk costumes, particularly the members of folklore ensembles and other organizations preparing to participate in the Song Festival.  First, the Centre provided information on how to make the costume parts, followed by how to assemble the component parts of the costume to be worn in the proper way.

The Costume Consulting Centre functioned as a cultural educational body and was concerned with the preservation, collation and dissemination of knowledge about the heritage accumulated by our people.  Its main activity was to cooperate closely with individuals in order to spread the accumulated experience and knowledge.

During the six year existence of The Folk Costume Consulting Centre, it achieved many notable successes.  The centre:

• Drew in researchers commissioned by the centre to undertake studies on various themes connected with traditional folk costume and prepare publications;
• Set up a council of experts charged with the task of preparing a written analysis of the current situation in this field (an analysis is being prepared of the situation regarding folk costumes and the problems of choirs, dance groups and folklore ensembles);
• Developed (through the council)  criteria for wearing the folk costume by choirs, dance groups, folklore ensembles, etc., bearing in mind the type of activities associated with each group;
• Prepared teaching on wearing the folk costume for publication in paper format.

Five editions of methodological materials were published.  One edition was specifically for children.  This edition came about as a result of the intense discussion surrounding the School Pupils and Children’s Song Festival, held every 5 years, in which the participants also wear folk costumes.

The centre conducted educational lectures and held  training courses in Riga at the Latvia National Museum, Folk Art Centre, which is now the State Agency of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and in various districts of Latvia for a variety of interested groups, including singers, dancers, kokle ensembles folklore groups, applied artists and so forth.

The centre provided practical consultation at the home base of each particular group in districts, towns, villages and clubs, to reviewed the group’s current costumes and, as far as possible, to put together an appropriate version of the dress.

• The centre worked on the creation of a database of teaching material on traditional folk costume in CD format;
• We started to create a photo, video and CD archive of Song Festivals and various events, as well as a library of specialist literature at the centre itself;
• The centre participated in the organization of folk costume exhibitions/competitions, during the time of the Song Festival, where the costume of singers, dancers and individual participants is separately evaluated. For example, in summer 2008 within the program of the XXIV Song celebration in Riga, a Folk costume competition was held with participation by 142 applicants consisting of  30 choirs, 52 dance groups, 9 folklore groups and kokle (national music instrument) groups and 51 individual participants, with costumes made by the participants, as well as costumes from previous generations.

I shared my experiences from the Centre with my IOV friends and colleagues in the following conferences:

• In 2004, at the 11th European Conference on Folk Culture organized The IOV Polish section in Lublin and Kazimierz Dolny, I presented a report entitled “The Latvian Folk Costume Consulting Centre in the Framework of „Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
• In 2008, in Bountiful, Utah, USA, I presented a report  entitled Preserving the Latvian  Tradition of Wearing Folk Costumes at the First IOV Youth Congress.  The theme of the conference was “We Are Not Only the Future – We Are the Present.”
• In 2009, at the Dukat Fest in Banjaluka (Bosnia Herzegovina), I presented my paper Preserving the Latvian Tradition of Wearing Folk Costumes as part of the Panel Discussion on the topic “Experiences and Methods Used for Collecting National Treasures from Ethnology, Ethno-Music and the Folklore Sciences Domain; and Methods in Collecting Treasures in Ethnology, Ethno Musicality and Folk Dance.”

It will be interesting to see how in other countries have maintained their national cultural identity at a time when the world is undergoing globalization at a rapid pace!  Nations should implement the necessary measures to preserve the cultural heritage of its people.  To be successful, however, the main impetus for preserving traditional culture must come the people themselves.

I invite you to join this blog!  I’d like to hear what is being done in your country to preserve the cultural heritage and cultural identity of your people!  What are you personally doing?  Will you share your experiences with your colleagues?