The turn of the 20th century saw a large-scale voluntary emigration of Latgalians to Siberia. The descendants of Latgalian emigrants still live in the villages founded by their predecessors. In the article the author examines the image of the Latgalian emigrants created by the printed media of the period, which carefully followed the process of emigration, and explores what contemporary Siberian Latgalians tell about their antecedents, arguing that the image of the simple-minded emigrants cultivated by the local newspapers at the turn of the 20th century contradicts the narrated image of skilful emigrants that symbolise the progressive origins of their community.

19th century Latgalian migration Siberia Newspapers Oral narratives

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