06 February 2003 05:58
Perfecting her inner world on native soil
After her strong criticism of the heavy-handed quashing of pro-Tibet demonstrators last June, Jurga Ivanauskaite,
Lithuania's most visible female activist and writer of steamy sex-novels, is back on the scene again. Since the
1993 publication of her novel "The Rain Witch," a love story as recounted by three women that was subsequently
restricted to sex shops for its intensely erotic passages, Ivanauskaite has been at the eye of Lithuania's
post-Soviet literary storm. The novel has since been reprinted and is selling briskly, while three print runs of the
German translation have already sold out. Ivanauskaite lived in the Indian Himalayas from 1993 to 1998, has spent much
time in Tibet, is a personal acquaintance of the Dalai Lama and is the author of six novels, many of which have been
translated into Latvian and Estonian. Another novel is nearing completion and is scheduled for publication in 2003.
Darius James Ross recently asked her for her thoughts on changes in Lithuanian society and about her blossoming career.
Any plans for an English translation of any of your novels? An English translation, I think, does not depend on me or
the quality of my work but is a question of Lithuanian cultural policy and the whims of international globalized
literary market. We are a small country with an archaic language, and it's hard to get recognition in an
English-language dominated marketplace. It's now been five years since you returned to Lithuania. Have you settled
here, or do you plan to live abroad again? I used to tell my Lithuanian nationalist opponents that human beings are not
trees with firmly planted roots. Now I think that roots and the feeling of being on one's native soil is quite
important. Also, I hope I learned the important Buddhist lesson: that human beings change or create the outer world by
starting with the inner one, not the opposite. My Himalayan experiences helped me achieve an inner harmony that allows
me to feel at peace and at home here. Do you think EU membership will have positive repercussions for writers in
Lithuania? I don't think that EU membership will be able to influence a person's creativity, intuition,
inspiration, love, faith or religious feelings. From my point of view, writing is a very personal and intimate process,
which has nothing to do with any organization. I have no hope that a miracle will occur, and that the books of
Lithuanian authors will suddenly be translated into all European languages. Perhaps EU membership will eventually create
a new, more favorable atmosphere for artists and at last, young, fresh and gifted authors will appear in Lithuania. Your
1993 novel, previously labeled as pornography, has been reprinted and is reaching a new and wider generation of readers.
What are the changes in Lithuanians' thinking and world view behind this? I think that in 1993 the scandal around
my novel was caused by a sort of nationalistic idealism and utopian hope to create a new Lithuania without sins, faults
or stains. At that time Lithuanians were afraid of their own shadows and scared of the dark sides of human soul. They
wanted to be more saintly than the pope! There was also a latent, dogmatic, Soviet ideology that suppressed different
thinking. The last 10 years have been a sort of examination of how outer freedom interfaces with inner personal
independence for us. Alas, some people from the older generation are still slaves on the spiritual level still, but the
young Lithuanians are brave and free and individuals. Your work was enthusiastically received by the literati at the
FBF. It must feel good to get this kind of acknowledgment from a serious audience after many years of neglect and
arm's length treatment by Lithuanian critics. It is strange that in such a small and inward-looking nation as
Lithuania there could be two very different levels of perception. On the one hand, there are readers who like my work,
inspire and support me, and on the other, critics who, with some exceptions, are always putting me down, ignoring or
repudiating me. Sometimes it even seems that there are two different Jurga Ivanauskaites. The FBF boosted my
self-confidence, but hasn't changed the Lithuanian critics except that some have become more tolerant of me. The
rest are still discussing the "strange choice" of German publishers, reviewers and readers. In Lithuania we
have a proverb, that in one's native land it is impossible to became a prophet. I think that in some way this
saying describes my own situation. Actually I am quite thick-skinned and according to another proverb "while the
dog barks, the caravan moves on." You were very vocal in your criticism of the Lithuanian government's
treatment of pro-Tibet protesters during the Chinese president's visit. Are you satisfied with the way the
government dealt with the issue afterward? Afterward, the government washed it's hands like Pontius Pilate, and all
the blame was pinned on ordinary police officers, not their superiors. Some of the activists detained during the
incident are still involved in litigation. The whole affair left quite a gloomy impression overall, and the only
positive thing was the surprisingly healthy public reaction and perfect work of journalists, which proved that we really
have a free and independent media. The police also learned a lesson - during George W. Bush's recent visit,
unwanted protesters were hushed up in a much more delicate, silent, and "professional" manner. Tibet lives
under a regime not much different from the one Lithuania lived under for over 50 years. Shouldn't Lithuanians
really have been out protesting in the tens of thousands? Why are Lithuanians so passive? I'm always surprised and
shocked by the fact that Lithuanians have quickly forgotten about 50 years of slavery and distress, how they sometimes
feel little sympathy or compassion for other anguished nations such as Tibetans, Palestinians, Chechens. Lithuanians
still lack a wider, more open and public-spirited thinking - a feeling of universal responsibility is totally missing.
Even the last presidential elections proved that the majority of people are concerned only about their personal welfare
and are indifferent to foreign policy, EU or NATO questions. Maybe such selfishness is inevitable in a small nation.
Writers in Lithuania still have a hard time making ends meet. Do you see any improvements on the horizon? It is quite
hard to hope for positive changes because the Lithuanian market is rather small and the number of readers is declining,
not multiplying. A large printing these days is 4,000 - 5,000. It's hard to earn a high fee even if your book is a
bestseller. Actually, it's impossible to live and survive only on fiction writing and all authors have careers as
journalists, teachers, lecturers, etc. Sometimes this so-called second job eats up all their time, energy and
imagination, which could otherwise be dedicated to creation. This is painful and even causes a type of mild
schizophrenia. Royalties mainly depend on a personal agreement between author and publisher, and also on the name, image
or fame of the writer. In Lithuania writing or any other form of creativity is not treated as a serious job, it is
treated more like hobby, whim or luxury. The social status of an artist is equal to a tramp, jobless person or sponger.
I think that first this negative stereotype must change, and then it will be possible to hope for some positive changes
on the material level.
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