%0 Journal Article
%T Challenges Faced by the Lithuanian State from Regional Identities
%A Petras Kalnius
%J Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics
%D 2007
%I University of Tartu, Estonian National Museum, Estonian Literary Museum
%X The article examines how a search for identity attempted by  emaitians (Samogitians), a Lithuanian local cultural group, eventually evolves into the demand that  emaitian community should be recognised as an autochthonous nation, and  emaitian dialect ¨C as a separate language, with all implicit rights. Attempts to implement the idea of a self-governed region as a guarantee of reconstruction and protection of  emaitian identity is the most recent and vivid representation of such proceedings. Since Lithuania¡¯s accession to EU is increasingly perceived as a threat to cultural identity, other local cultural groups also tend to support the idea of self-governed regions. A suggestion that four (4) self-governed regions covering respective local culture distribution areas should be created in Lithuania is promoted. The authors of such demands, due to a multitude of historical, political, and social reasons, still do not have many supporters in central government bodies, and even in local communities, although in  emaitija their number is greater.
%K Regional identity
%K traditional culture
%K local community
%K Lithuania
%K emaitija
%U http://www.jef.ee/index.php/journal/article/view/48