Amerikas Savienotajās valstīs, lai izvairītos no pārpratumiem, lielās pilsētās ielām piešķir numurus. Jaunzēlandē tās mēdz nosaukt pamatiedzīvotāju maoru vai arī mūsu mātes zemes Anglijas karaļnama pārstāvju vārdos. Savukārt Latvijā ielām ir rakstnieku vārdi. Kāpēc tieši viņiem tiek tāds gods?
Šķiet, jābūt saistītam ar literatūru, lai Latvijā izpelnītos īpašu cieņu. Anglijai ir Šekspīrs, Krievijai – Dostojevskis. Latvijai – Barons, Čaks, Blaumanis, Rainis, un tie ir tikai daži no daudziem. Pieņemu, ka tagad jums nāk prātā tie rakstnieki, kurus neesmu pieminējis, un tieši par to ir runa. Ir tik daudz latviešu, kuri slavu iemantojuši ar rakstīšanu, ka centieni nosaukt ievērojamākos vienmēr radīs diskusiju.Ja godīgi, neticu, ka vēl kaut kur pasaulē literāti tiek turēti tādā cieņā. Arī Jaunzēlandes neilgajā vēsturē mums bijuši labi rakstnieki, bet kopumā viņus aizēno ļaudis, kas izpelnījušies apbrīnu daudzās citās jomās, to skaitā uzņēmējdarbībā, politikā, sportā. Piemēram, sera Edmunda Hilarija tēls atliets bronzā par godu tam, ka viņš bija pirmais cilvēks, kas uzkāpa Everestā. Otrā pasaules kara varoņa sera Čārlza Aphama statuja ir viņa dzimtajā pilsētā. Liels piemineklis ir arī vietā, no kurienes uz Angliju devās pirmās jēra gaļas eksporta kravas. Arī visi premjerministri var paļauties, ka pēc pilnvaru beigām viņu tēli tiks atlieti bronzā.Brīnos, kur ir pieminekļi pārējiem izcilajiem latviešiem. Zemgalei ir bagāta vēsture, kas saistīta ar Karību jūras salām, bet kur ir tā laika liecības? Kur ir kara varoņu un citu ievērojamu līderu pieminekļi? Ir, protams, izņēmumi, piemēram, Krišjānis Valdemārs, tomēr pēc pusotra šeit nodzīvota gada šaubos, vai varu nosaukt kādu izcilu uzņēmēju vai politiķi. Tā kā strādāju par sporta žurnālistu, zinu atzītus sportistus, taču diez vai būtu informēts, ja tas nebūtu mans darbs.Man radies iespaids, ka latvieši izcilu cilvēku godināšanu uztver kā atgriešanos padomju laikos, kad valsts cēla saulītē dažādu jomu pirmrindniekus. Domāju, laikam ritot, arī tā laika varoņi tiks vērtēti atzinīgāk.Where are the famous Latvians?In the United States, large cities number their streets to avoid confusion. In New Zealand we generally give our streets Maori names or name them after some forgotten royal from the old motherland, England. Latvia: writers and poets. Exactly why is it that writers and poets are held on such a high pedestal in Latvia? I guess this is something I have only really given thought to lately but it seems that to be held in the highest regard in Latvia, you have to be a literary hero in some shape or form. England had Shakespeare. Russia had Dostoevsky. Latvia had Barons, Valdemars, Caks, Blaumanis, Rainis just to touch the tip of the iceberg. I bet right now you are all sitting their angered at any number which I have failed to mention and that is exactly my point. There are so many famous Latvians who have grown to fame through putting pen to paper that trying to name the greatest few will always stir debate. I honestly do not believe that anywhere else in the world are literary figures held in such high regard. During New Zealand’s short history we too have had no shortage of fine writers but to a large extent they are overshadowed by people who have sought fame in any number of other fields including business, politics and sport. For example, Sir Edmund Hillary has been immortalized in bronze for being the first person to reach the summit of Mt. Everest among other things. Celebrated WW2 hero Sir Charles Upham has a large statue in his home town, whilst a large memorial is placed at the sight where New Zealand’s first ever frozen sheep exports left the country, bound for England. All prime ministers in time can also expect to be remembered in bronze at the end of their rein. I often wonder where the statues and tributes to the other great Latvians are. Where are the statues to decorated war heroes or the great leaders (obviously some are exceptions such as Valdemars who also rose to fame as a leader) of Latvia? The Zemgale region has a rich history with strong links to the Caribbean but where is their evidence of this? I am not naïve enough to think the tributes and statues do not exist but having lived here for over 18 months I doubt I could name a famous Latvian business person or politician (aside from Ingmars Lidaka and Atis Salkteris who I know of for the wrong reasons). Obviously through my work as an English sports journalist I know of famous Latvian athletes but doubt I would be any the wiser of them if it were not for my work. Any Latvian will also proudly tell me of the literary exploits of his countrymen but until I can read Latvian better I will have to take their word for it as it seems that very little Latvian literature is available in English. Whilst Western literature is quickly translated into Latvian, it does not seem that the trend also goes the other way with most book shops here only stocking Latvian tourist books. I get the impression that for Latvians to celebrate people away from literature would be seen as too much of a throwback to the days of communism when the working class hero, the war hero and the sporting hero were greatly celebrated. I will watch with interest to see that as Latvia moves further away from communism, it becomes more accepted to celebrate those who would have also been deemed heroes under the Soviet regime.
