Šiuolaikiniai žemaičiai ir lietuvininkai

LTRementis atliktais aukštaičių, dzūkų ir suvalkiečių tyrimais, daroma prielaidą, kad istoriniuose tekstuose aukštintos vertybės - gimtinė, sava Žemė, kalba, papročiai, religija, šeima - skiria ir šiuolaikinius konkrečių vietų Lietuvos gyventojus, jiems brangi sava žemė ir naujai konstruojamos istorinės šeimos tradicijos. "Nuo tų papročių, jei ir kažkaip norėtumei, greit nenusikralysi, - pastabioji akis tuoj pamatys, iš kur atėjai, kieno vaikas esi" (Končius 1996). Globalizacijos sąlygomis žmonės iš naujo apibrėžia savo vietos ar regioninės tapatybės ribas. Tyrimo tikslas - apibrėžti žemaičių ir Mažosios Lietuvos lietuvininkų šiuolaikinę tapatybę, apibūdinti gyvenseną, tradiciją. Regioninę, vietos tapatybę atskleidžiame platesniame kontekste. Pirma, nagrinėjami žmonių požiūriai, kuo jie save laiko ir kas juos išskiria iš kitų Lietuvos gyventojų. Antra, atskleidžiamos gyvensenos ir kasdienybės ypatybės. Trečia, analizuojama, kaip suvokiama šiuolaikinė tradicija. Etnografiniais atminties tyrimais, interpretaciniu, kartografiniu, lyginamuoju metodu nagrinėjami tam tikrų Vakarų Lietuvos vietų žmonių tapatybės ir gyvensenos savitumai. [Iš teksto, p. 191]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Šiuolaikiniai žemaičiai; Šiuolaikiniai lietuvininkai; Modern Samogitians; Modern lietuvininkai.

ENThe study analyses the contemporary identity, life patterns and traditions represented by Samogitians and Lietuvininkai (Prussian Lithuanians) in Lithuania Minor as well as oirers a comparison of research data from the whole country. The assumption "Sharp eye sees where you come from and whose child you are" is substantiated by peculiarities detected surveying the population of Samogitia and Lithuania Minor. First of all, people consider their "homeland" to be of utmost importance. Hence we may conclude that communities who speak about their identity cannot be created artificially through the "act of imagination". The relation with place and space is influential in a community. Second, many details in people's life stories relate to the past, to family history, memory. Let us emphasize the importance of historicity in the definitions of people's identities. Third, today the small community of Lietuvininkai in Lithuania Minor renders importance to religion, culture and land which presumably is also related to history and politics. Forth, more diversity is observed in the identity symbols of people in the periphery. In 2007-2008 residents of Samogitia and Lithuania Minor defined their identity as nationality. Others most probably considered their nationality to be naturally perceived as citizenship and indicated their regional dependence. In fact, the majority of respondents emphasized their regional identity. This reveals the positive effects of regional culture policy in Lithuania. On the other hand, this fact evidences that people cherish their culture. Smaller part of respondents failed to define their regional identity.Comparison of research performed in 2002-2009 exhibits that based on the data of the latest investigation mostly respondents from Lithuania Minor (28%), Samogitia (22%) and Suvalkija (18%) declared their identity as nationality. Aukštaitians (73%), Suvalkians (69%) Samogitians (67%) Dzūkians (55%) and Šišioniškians (9%) eagerly described their regional identity Respondents in multi-national communities are apt to define their nationality. Residents of Samogitia and Lithuania Minor associate their identity with homeland. The prevalence of the main constituents and symbols of identity such as land, homeland, language and family is rather uneven. People in the periphery provide slightly different definitions of identity. Homeland is highly important and valued all around Samogitia. Two thirds of the population - 64% of Samogitians and 63% of Lithuania Minor residents - associate identity with homeland. Some people perceive homeland as the place where they were bom, others refer to it as the place where they were bom and raised, still others understand it in the broad sense - as homeland. Comparison of results acquired in all stages of the research evidences that respondents from Samogitia (64%), Lithuania Minor (63%) and Dzūkija (32%) said lots of beautiful words about their homeland A number of people in Suvalkija (38%) and Aukštaitija (37%) arc more closely linked to the "land" than their "homeland". [Extract, p. 215-216]