Latvijos Rericho draugijų vertybės ir nacionalinis identitetas
Roerich’s Groups in Latvia: Relation between the Search for Values and National Identity

Summary/Abstract: In their common quest for cultural values, the Latvian Department of the Moscow-based International Centre of Roerich’s the re-established Latvian Roerich Society and the politically radical Garda’s group display three different attitudes towards the national identity. The Latvian Department of the International Centre of Roerichs considers national identity as part of a group’s cultural identity and looks toward activities westwards. The Latvian Roerich Society tries to reconcile national and cultural identity by incorporating Roerichs cult of culture into the national identity and expands its activities eastwards. The Garda group declares the primacy of a strong national identity, but in reality concentrates its activities on the mechanical dissemination of Russian esoteric literature in Latvia. These activities based on the original cultural identity of Garda group and impede its attempts to team up with the nationalistic-oriented Latvian neo- Pagan movement – the “Dievturi”. On the other hand, the declarations of the national primacy disrupt the links of Garda group with other Roerich groups. In view of the discrepancy between the group’s cultural and national values, the present article predicts negative development of the Garda group in a long run. This publication received research funding from the EC Sixth Framework Programme. This article reflects only the author’s views, and the Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

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