On 17 May, the Lithuanian Studies Unit of the Documentary Heritage Research Department of the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania organized an annual seminar for researchers interested in the Lithuanian diaspora and (e)migration. This year, the event was organized in cooperation
with the World Lithuanian University of Vytautas Magnus University (VMU).
Opening the seminar, Dr. Dalia Cidzikaitė, chief researcher of the National Library of Lithuania, recalled that the idea of organizing seminars for researchers of the Lithuanian diaspora, where participants would share their ongoing research and help each other find the necessary sources, came ten years ago, when an international conference of the Baltic Heritage Network was organized in the Library. She has been delighted to see that new people are joining the ranks of diaspora researchers, and some return to the seminars every year to share the work they have already done or are still planning to do. Such a trend corresponds to one of the main goals of the seminar—to bring together a community of people interested in studying the diaspora, to create an informal environment that encourages the sharing of ideas.
Director of the Documentary Heritage Research Department, Dr. Jolanta Budriūnienė welcomed a close knit community of diaspora researchers that has formed from the annually organized seminar in the Library. “We welcome those who share their new research or insights on topics related to Lithuanian diaspora,” Budriūnienė said. “No less important to us are those who come to listen, to get information and ideas for future research.” According to director, the annual seminar, which attracts dozens of listeners, shows that there are still many unexplored topics and perspectives for
future research.
Eleven presentations were presented at this year’s seminar. Musicologist Prof. Danutė Petrauskaitė presented her latest book “Juozas Žilevičius and His Era.” The comprehensive book is dedicated to the history of Lithuanian music, which is revealed through the life of the hitherto little-known musician Juozas Žilevičius (1891-1985). According to the researcher, the composer was ignored during the Soviet era due to his choice to move west in 1944. However, even after 1990, he remained on the sidelines, because he was neither a prominent musician nor a very modern composer. Professor pointed out that it has not been possible to include all the material collected over thirty years, therefore she plans to prepare two more volumes, which would reflect the rich epistolary legacy and musicological works of Žilevičius.
Irena Mikuličienė, who works at the National Museum of Lithuania, discussed the formation of the Emigration Collection in the Museum and the research carried out during the preparation of the publication “Lietuviai DP stovyklose 1945-1951” (Lithuanians in DP Camps, 1945-1951). The Emigration Collection of the National Museum of Lithuania was started back in 1990. Today, it contains approximately 35,000 items, including the archive of the Lithuanian Art Ensemble “Čiurlionis,” the photo archive of the British Lithuanian Scouts, the Henris Gaidis collection, photographs and personal belongings of the Lozoraitis family and many others.
Viktoras Bilotas shared his insights about the Lithuanians, who were among the first clergy in Siberia, the difficulties faced by the emerging communities of believers. He also discussed the issues of research related to sources.
Yusuke Ishii, a Japanese composer and pianist, who has been living in Lithuania since 2019 and is currently studying in a PhD program in Kaunas, talked about Jonas Švedas, a Lithuanian composer who lived and worked in the United States. According to the musicologist, two musicians bearing the same first name and the same surname were creating music almost at the same time: one in the USA, the other in Lithuania. One was a famous folk instrument music specialist, the founder of the ensemble “Lietuva,” while the other was a diaspora composer.
Musicologist Dr. Aušra Strazdaitė-Ziberkienė talked about the music, manuscripts and other documents of the composer Vladas Jakubėnas available in the Lithuanian integral museum information system, the Lithuanian digitized cultural heritage website Epaveldas.lt, the library information system and popular music and video e-platforms, as well as the challenges faced in finding this information.
Lithuanian diplomat, former ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of South Africa Dr. Dainius Junevičius told about the stages and features of the formation of the Lithuanian community in the Republic of South Africa.
The second part of the seminar was dedicated to the subject of the South American Lithuanian diaspora.
Musicologist Dr. Darius Kučinskas presented the life and work of the composer Adomas Grigaliūnas, the activities of other Lithuanian musicians in Colombia. Journalist Vidmantas Valiušaitis, who works at the Library, discussed the outstanding personality of the Lithuanian and US diplomat Vytautas Antanas Dambravas and his activities in Venezuela and South America.
Jurate Maria Kukanauza de Mazeika, who was born and grew up in Venezuela and currently lives in Lithuania, talked about the first steps of Lithuanian emigrants in Venezuela. She drew attention to the
fact that most of the activities of the Lithuanian community were connected with the church, told what traditional Lithuanian dishes were prepared, what holidays were celebrated, and how the social life of Lithuanians in Venezuela was conducted.
Vilnius University doctoral student Ignas Stanevičius shared his research on the peculiarities of Lithuanian missionary activity in South America. VMU MA student Laura Charbakaitė discussed the role and activities of Lithuanian youth organizations in South America.
The last part of the seminar took place at the VMU representative office in Vilnius. The participants of
the seminar met Ana Aušrele Baronas de Zavadzkas, who came to live in Lithuania a few years ago from Venezuela. Having arrived in Lithuania in 2020, today Ana’s family is one of almost 200 Venezuelan Lithuanian families who came to live in the country of their grandparents and parents. The guest told about Venezuela, which is still caught up in political and economic crisis, the first years of her parents and other Lithuanians in South America. Her story was complemented by photos of her family and the Venezuelan Lithuanian Community, as well as a display of photographs by Lithuanian photographer Gediminas Orentas, who lived in South America, and Ana’s brother, Antonio Baronas, held at the VMU representative office in Vilnius.
Silvija Stankevičiūtė